smoke from electricity connection outside camper

[LIn]

Hello,
Does someone ever had, or could advice us with this electricity-incident/problem?

There was coming smoke out of the connection of the power cord (where you put in the cord on the outside of the camper) We pulled out the cord immediately. During about 1,5 minute the smoke was coming out. We could smell plastic melting.
Because it was in the evening and almost dark we called the ANWB. The man couldn't find anything, all the electricity-cords he could see in the camper were intact and clean. The batteries both looked good and still did.
The electricity outlet was still intact, the one we put in the camper as well as the one that's on the camper, where you put the cord in. The cord also didn't smell. Also the residual current operated circuit-breaker kept functioning, it didn't hit out at the moment the smoke was coming out.
The only thing he could give as an advice is that our electricity cord (the one that goes from the camping to the camper) looks more like one for a vacuum cleaner as regards thickness. (we are used to visit that camping for 3 years now and always use this cord, our dealer gave it to us). The electricity on the camping is 16A.
Next day we went to a garage. They told the same, they couldn't see anything, the only thing should be the electricity cord we used. Even though that didn't smell, the smell was the most in the cupboard where the electricity is coming in the car.
The only thing we haven't seen yet are the electricitycords behind the refrigirator and a bit behind the cupboard. All the other cords in the camper till under the basin look clean and not melted.

Off course we bought a new electricity cord for the camping that's compatible with 16A. We tried it at home for half an hour and nothing bad happened.
Do you think also it must have been the cord we use? It was one we never should have used for 16A, that's for sure. But were was the melting and the smoke coming from if everything looks intact and is still working?
Thanks for thinking with us and excuse for my english (google translate )
Lin

 

[mrcheesbrough]

Wow! Quite a story. Did you have anything plugged in inside the camper - lights, kettle, hairdryer, a heater? It sounds like something was drawing a lot of current to cause the wiring to heat up. The hook up cable is unlikely to be the cause of your smell. They are quite heavy cables but again they won't warm unless the have something making a large demand for current.

 

[LIn]

Thanks for your reply. We were just drinking coffee. And have a rather new electric kettle, but we used it before. With 1650-1960W.

 

[MattBW]

Thanks for your reply. We were just drinking coffee. And have a rather new electric kettle, but we used it before. With 1650-1960W.

Could there have been any water on the cable?

If the cable was too thin the cable itself would heat up and could cause that issues. That kettle is quite a lot of power a lower amp cable with 16a of current going through is going to get hot. The EHU should be able to provide more than enough for the kettle. Hopefully you will be ok with the new cable.

Is there a way to get a look at the back of the hookup socket?

 

[LIn]

Could there have been any water on the cable?

If the cable was too thin the cable itself would heat up and could cause that issues. That kettle is quite a lot of power a lower amp cable with 16a of current going through is going to get hot. The EHU should be able to provide more than enough for the kettle. Hopefully you will be ok with the new cable.

Is there a way to get a look at the back of the hookup socket?

We looked at the hookup socket and it is really clean. There was some water leaking from the water-kettle because it was too full.

 

[Hotel California]

Hi and welcome @LIn on your first post.
As said above the thickness of the cable needs to be conform with the power/watt going thru.

Is yours a T4? Original VW Cali or converted van
Please fill in your verhicle details under your avatar.

 

[mrcheesbrough]

The internal wiring can get warm if you're using a high wattage appliance like a kettle. We've never had any smoke before but when running a 2000W heater in winter for a prolonged period I've noticed the area around the socket can get pretty warm. The manual suggests a max of 2000W on hookup for anything plugged into the 230V socket. The safety trip should work at 13A so well below the 16A supply available. It sounds like a one off experience if you haven't been able to recreate it since.

 

[LIn]

Hi and welcome @LIn on your first post.
As said above the thickness of the cable needs to be conform with the power/watt going thru.

Is yours a T4? Original VW Cali or converted van
Please fill in your verhicle details under your avatar.

Hello Hotel California It's an original VW T4 California Coast. I'll write it under my avatar,

 

[sidepod]

Your kettle at 2kw so only pulling 8.5 A.

Your hook up cable is unlikely to be less than 1.5mmsq so should be good for 16A

Your new hook up cable should be 2.5mnsq and good for up to 24A.

More likely to be a loose connection somewhere although this would trip the RCD.

The RCD won't see an overload, only a fault.

I'm not sure what model you have but the EHU connection socket is quite easy to access from inside the rear cupboard.

There is a metal plate held in by a couple of screws. Remove and you can see the inside of the hook up.
Check the wiring visibly from there or remove it completely. Easy job.

Pod.

 

[LIn]

Thank you Pod. We checked the EHU connection socket (with the ANWB man, the garage man and our neighbour on different moments ) it looks clean, not melted. But we ordered a new one today just to be sure. The smoke was only there so the problem probably has to be in that place.

 

[LIn]

Hello Hotel California It's an original VW T4 California Coast. I'll write it under my avatar,

maybe t's was standing there already: T4 higthop 1997.

 

[Keith Smith]

This sounds very much like it was the commando socket on the end of the extension lead causing the problem. I use them in the workshop and occasionally I've had similar problems with the connector heating up. If this is the case it may have slightly damaged the connector built into the Cali and this could increase the chance for this connection to become high resistance again. So swapping the EHU connection on the Cali is a good idea and, together with a new lead, should solve your problem and ensure it doesn't return.

 

[Hotel California]

If it was not plugged in the socket all the way oevthe socket itself is a bit worn it cold end up giving constant sparks ( don't know how to say it in Englisch, like welding) making short circuit ....and heating up ending in menting things and hopfully a fuse blown and not causing fire..
Get yourself a cable at least 2,5mm square
Just keep a good eye on it the next time you use it.

As for verhicle details

 

[Californiaman]

If all is well and you can't find anything wrong, perhaps it is a reminder to check that you have a decent fire extinguisher. I came across these recently - I was dubious at first but my local fire safety officer checked them out and now recommends them. http://www.firetool.co.uk/je-50.html

 

[Californiaman]

Iit cold end up giving constant sparks ( don't know how to say it in Englisch, like welding) making short circuit ....and heating up ending in menting things and hopfully a fuse blown and not causing fire..
Get yourself a cable at least 2,5mm
Just keep a good eye on it the next time you use it.

As for verhicle details

We would probably call that arcing..

 

[LIn]

If all is well and you can't find anything wrong, perhaps it is a reminder to check that you have a decent fire extinguisher. I came across these recently - I was dubious at first but my local fire safety officer checked them out and now recommends them. http://www.firetool.co.uk/je-50.html

Ah thank you always good to know!!

 

[LIn]

The internal wiring can get warm if you're using a high wattage appliance like a kettle. We've never had any smoke before but when running a 2000W heater in winter for a prolonged period I've noticed the area around the socket can get pretty warm. The manual suggests a max of 2000W on hookup for anything plugged into the 230V socket. The safety trip should work at 13A so well below the 16A supply available. It sounds like a one off experience if you haven't been able to recreate it since.

Thanks for your comment we are learning a lot these days!

 

[LIn]

This sounds very much like it was the commando socket on the end of the extension lead causing the problem. I use them in the workshop and occasionally I've had similar problems with the connector heating up. If this is the case it may have slightly damaged the connector built into the Cali and this could increase the chance for this connection to become high resistance again. So swapping the EHU connection on the Cali is a good idea and, together with a new lead, should solve your problem and ensure it doesn't return.

Thanks!

 

[LIn]

Update: We went to the same campside with our new electricitycable for outside (compatible for 16A) and with a new socket on the outside of the camper. And everything worked, for several days now!! When we go for a walk or when we sleep we pull out the cable but I think we can trust that nothing will happen, it's just to be sure. Thanks everyone for thinking with us!

 

[Hotel California]

Great stuff , so now you can focus on other stuff maybe like giving us a report on your trip and the campsite you're on ...we all love to hear about your adventures!

 

[rich-s]

I would say it was almost certainly a loose connection in the hook up cable. We have had customers on our site who's plug has welded itself into our socket, due to excessive heat. Each time this has happened we have inspected the cable and the customers plug had a loose wire, causing it to arc.