What 12v dc sockets brands have you all installed?

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February 07, 2018, 07:54:32 pm

I am looking for experience/knowledge of brands for 12v DC sockets/outlets.
I am going to install some - we need 5 usb and 2 regular sockets right now and I may as well install more as who knows what will be wanted in the future (monitor/tv, aa/aaa battery charger, kitchen appliance, etc.).

I am going to put them on the same circuit as the 12v lights/fan around the TK area which I think also contains the kitchen outlets - I will test this all out as I go to make sure volt draw is ok.

Is there a brand that is more robust and flexible?

I want to be able to set up configurations I want (e.g. 1-2 12v socket and 1-2 usb (dual) sockets) so I want flexibility and the ability to change it over time as my foresight it nowhere near 20-20.
I want them set into the cabinets (e.g. below the bottom inside of the cabinet and above the bottom of the cabinet so they are flush with the bottom of the cabinet) and not something that gets attached outside a cabinet taking up space.

I am leaning towards the blue sea ones (yup pricier but robust and flexible what goes in them).
Sockets can be interchanged so they can be 12v sockets, 2-usb sockets, or a voltmeter as you desire (I would be concerned with the vampire draw of the voltmeter if we forget to turn it off and I would rather just look at my battery monitor and use our handheld voltmeter to trouble shoot).
Search Results - Blue Sea Systems
Note: While bluesea says their dealers will sell parts it typically is a special order so the specific part numbers need to be given to them.

Amazon has some nifty ones but the most that have more than one socket/outlet have a volt meter with leds that would add a vampire draw and sometimes blue leds (not good in sleeping area).

Cllena has a bunch Amazon.com: 12v outlet - Cllena

Other brands Amazon sells are:
OLS
NOCO
BANDC
Custom Accessories
Ginsco
TEQStone
BreaDeep
MECO
Parts Express
attwood
Tonsiki
Magnadyne
Foxnovo
Diageng

I would appreciate anyone sharing their experiences with brands.

Thanks, Jane

Re: What 12v dc sockets brands have you all installed?

Reply #1 – February 07, 2018, 08:23:44 pm

Jane,
I surface mounted some bandc 12 volt sockets. There was not enough depth in the '88 MB overhead cabinet bottoms to mount them flush pointing down. I did pull up the cabinet bottom and extend 12 gauge wires from the lights to the 12 volt sockets so I could plug in 15-20 amps of load. Ken H posted good info about lifting the cabinet bottoms to do this work.

Re: What 12v dc sockets brands have you all installed?

Reply #2 – February 07, 2018, 08:29:57 pm

Thanks Rodney, yup we already lifted the cabinet bottoms so we are familiar with that part.

Anyone else put in 12v sockets ?

Re: What 12v dc sockets brands have you all installed?

Reply #3 – February 07, 2018, 10:07:22 pm

I've installed a number of 12 V sockets over the years. I have yet to find one that fits all plugs perfectly (or vice versa, if you prefer). Some plugs fit loosely and easily wiggle out. The "standard" for these plugs and sockets doesn't seem to be very well standardized.

With that said, I have found the sideward-pointing surface-mount BANDC sockets useful in several places where I either didn't have access or clearance behind a panel, or didn't want plugged-in adapters sticking straight out. These are available in single-socket and dual-socket versions.

One drawback is that there is little space inside the housings, so routing the wires can be a challenge, especially with the dual-socket version, where you need to tie the two sockets together electrically. And there's no opening in the case for the supply wires to exit; apparently you're supposed to wire from beneath the case, via a hole in the surface it's mounted to. If you don't do it that way, you'll need to file a notch in the case to lead the wires out. Nevertheless, in certain situations these can be very handy.

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Re: What 12v dc sockets brands have you all installed?

Reply #4 – February 07, 2018, 11:00:35 pm

I replaced a couple of my 115v outlets with ones with integrated USB ports for when we’re on shore power (power systems are isolated). I installed a couple Blue Sea USB outlets as well, and a cheap Chinese outlet on a blank panel in place of the old cassette deck. Lots of USB power in our little 20’ LD, because the kids use their iPads a lot.
I’m not sure the Blue Sea ones are worth the extra cost, because you can buy quite a few cheaper ones for the same price.

Re: What 12v dc sockets brands have you all installed?

Reply #5 – February 08, 2018, 07:43:04 am

I used the quality sockets bumper suggested years ago. No markings on them and I can not recall the brand. German? If someone knows how to search for 12 volt sockets + bumper they should turn up.

I hard wired several items to a 12-volt buss bar in an overhead bin. Cell amp, fans, USB outlets, etc. This minimized the need for sockets.

Re: What 12v dc sockets brands have you all installed?

Reply #6 – February 08, 2018, 02:24:35 pm

"I'm not sure the Blue Sea ones are worth the extra cost, because you can buy quite a few cheaper ones for the same price."

Yes, while I like Blue Sea products generally, their 12 V sockets don't seem to be any different from some of the less expensive brands I've bought over the years.

"I hard wired several items to a 12-volt buss bar in an overhead bin. Cell amp, fans, USB outlets, etc. This minimized the need for sockets."

Good plan, Don. I did the same in Skylark. Blue Sea offers a variety of small fuse blocks and busbars. I used their #5025 6-position fuse block with negative bus for the kinds of things you mentioned. (I could have used a simple double busbar, but I was going from a larger to a smaller wire size for these auxiliary circuits, so I needed to fuse for the smaller wires.) Another possibility is their #5046 8-position compact fuse block (without negative bus).

Re: What 12v dc sockets brands have you all installed?

Reply #7 – February 08, 2018, 05:23:13 pm

Andy, a bummer there are not ones that hold the plug in better (vs loose or not well). The horizontal ones look interesting, I will be looking into that.

Re: What 12v dc sockets brands have you all installed?

Reply #8 – February 08, 2018, 07:11:43 pm

Check this out at Amazon.com
Blue Sea Systems 12 Volt Dash Socket Amazon.com : Blue Sea Systems 12 Volt Dash Socket : Boating Electrical...
From Roger

I install these sockets in my mid bath. They work very well. They're marine-grade and the only ones I found that will fit in the open space in the bottom of the cupboards by taking up the false bottom. You do have to bend the tabs horizontal but it fits inside and you can put the cabinet bottom down

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Re: What 12v dc sockets brands have you all installed?

Reply #9 – February 08, 2018, 07:42:25 pm

If you do not need the 12v socket, but only a USB charger, here are the ones I used in my recent hidden closet project...

Amazon.com: Cllena Dual USB Charger Socket Power Outlet 1A & 2.1A for Car...

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Re: What 12v dc sockets brands have you all installed?

Reply #10 – February 09, 2018, 11:24:58 am

Don, so with the sockets that bumper suggested, you had to change out the plug on your devices? So they didn’t have the cigarette lighter rype plug but a different plug?

For others here is what the search showed, .
Sleep Machine 12v outlet

Are these the bmw connectors bumper is referring to?
BMW Motorcycle Plug to Cigarette Lighter Adapter

Re: What 12v dc sockets brands have you all installed?

Reply #11 – February 09, 2018, 11:48:54 am

Those appear to be 12 V DIN plugs. One popular brand is Hella; if you search for 'hella 12v plug' you'll find them. You can also find adapters to go from Hella-style plugs to American-style 12V sockets. (Of course, that defeats the purpose, but it could be useful for occasional use of devices that you don't want to re-terminate with Hella plugs.)

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Re: What 12v dc sockets brands have you all installed?

Reply #12 – February 09, 2018, 02:02:18 pm

Quote from: Andy Baird - February 07, 2018, 10:07:22 pm

I've installed a number of 12 V sockets over the years. I have yet to find one that fits all plugs perfectly (or vice versa, if you prefer). Some plugs fit loosely and easily wiggle out. The "standard" for these plugs and sockets doesn't seem to be very well standardized.

This has been my experience.
Having installed plugs from various vendors, I standardized on the Blue Sky parts, primarily because they were made as well as any other plug and I never had comeback because of a failure.
I'm a fan of upgrading to marine-grade electrical parts. If the parts can withstand a harsh marine environment, they should do fine on land.
Marine parts are built to be dependable, having a failure at sea can be deadly .

For many of my 12-volt device, I use 2-contact, polarized trailer plugs, which are available in many wires sizes, from 10-18 gauge.
Amazon.com: CES 10 Gauge 2 Pin Quick Disconnect Harness: Automotive
They are cheap, dependable and widely available. They have been my go-to plug for several decades.

Larry

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Re: What 12v dc sockets brands have you all installed?

Reply #13 – February 10, 2018, 05:16:30 pm

This plug, available from Amazon, comes in white or black, and would be easy to install in the bottom of an overhead cabinet. It would stick up a bit into the cabinet, but shouldn't be in the way too badly in a corner, Best to be mounted in a standard shallow box, with a 'Decora' face plate. In a wall mount situation depth wouldn't be a problem. Anything with a socket for a 'cigarette lighter' type plug is going to require more depth. A cover is often a nuisance for inside applications and really isn't an issue for dust.

Amazon.com: RV WALL MOUNT 12V-VPA SOCKET/5V4A OUPUT DUAL USB PORT CHARGING...

You could have a switch to turn it on, or off to avoid power draw when not being used. RonB

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February 07, 2018, 07:54:32 pm

Reply #1 – February 07, 2018, 08:23:44 pm

Reply #2 – February 07, 2018, 08:29:57 pm

Reply #3 – February 07, 2018, 10:07:22 pm

Reply #4 – February 07, 2018, 11:00:35 pm

Reply #5 – February 08, 2018, 07:43:04 am

Reply #6 – February 08, 2018, 02:24:35 pm

Reply #7 – February 08, 2018, 05:23:13 pm

Reply #8 – February 08, 2018, 07:11:43 pm

Reply #9 – February 08, 2018, 07:42:25 pm

Reply #10 – February 09, 2018, 11:24:58 am

Reply #11 – February 09, 2018, 11:48:54 am

Reply #12 – February 09, 2018, 02:02:18 pm

Reply #13 – February 10, 2018, 05:16:30 pm

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