12 Volt Socket

[Delta Riverat]

Todays project was replacing this rather heavy duty 12 volt socket in the aft cabin;

I googled it and found nothing. The 2 tabs that you can see are spring loaded and serious gauge. There was no cap on it and 10g wires on the back via screw terminals with rings. I have another in the fore head that is next.

Anyway, it now has a 12 volt cigarette socket in its place with a proper 10A fuse and can be used to charge cell phones and the like via the common 5 volt adapter as well as 12 volt fans with the usual plug.

Yeah, no fusing and if you stuck a screwdriver in it there would be a serious short.

 

[SteveK]

Was that a light socket?

 

[Comodave]

Yes, looks strange because 12 volt outlets usually have 1 contact in the middle and the case is the ground.

 

[Delta Riverat]

I dunno. It has always looked the way it does now, only screwed into the cabinet below the sink. Have never seen anything like it before. Have to believe it is original to the boat and that is 46 years ago.

 

[Comodave]

This is a photo of one I found on the internet. It has the 1 positive connotation in the middle. Also has some USB charging ports. I like having them around the boat. Yours does kinda look like a light socket.

 

[Delta Riverat]

It is a "bayonet style" base. But at waist height for a light bulb? And super heavy duty? The 2 tabs are .045" thick solid copper and you could run 30 amps through them no problem.

 

[SteveK]

I dunno. It has always looked the way it does now, only screwed into the cabinet below the sink. Have never seen anything like it before. Have to believe it is original to the boat and that is 46 years ago.

wonder then what it could have been for in that location, good on the repurposing.

 

[Comodave]

Who knows…. But you have a good supply of power for a 12 volt outlet and USB ports.

 

[sealandsky]

This is a photo of one I found on the internet. It has the 1 positive connotation in the middle. Also has some USB charging ports. I like having them around the boat. Yours does kinda look like a light socket.

The photo shows a 12V "cigarette lighter" style power outlet.

 

[Delta Riverat]

Here's another shot;

As you can see, it is threaded on the outside as well as having the bayonet pins/cam on the inside.

 

[sealandsky]

Referring to this one

 

[Comodave]

The photo shows a 12V "cigarette lighter" style power outlet.

Yes, exactly.

 

[Comodave]

That isn’t a 12 volt power outlet. Probably some kind of plugin for a piece of ancient equipment.

 

[Delta Riverat]

No doubt. One in each head, on the counter wall, under the sink.

Weird. Just had to post it up here to see if it rang any bells...

 

[Delta Riverat]

But it just begs to ponder eh? What would be good in the head that needed a lot of amps?

Hair dryer, space heater, towel warmer? Hot shaving lather dispenser?

 

[Comodave]

It is just there to keep you awake at night…

 

[O C Diver]

I believe that's an incandescent bulb and cord socket. On my charter boat I had an anchor light bulb that was 50 watts and they made them up to 100 watts. At 12 volts, that would be 8+ amps. The contacts on the bottom of the bulb were long soldered strips that would mate with that socket. The receptacle was bayonet mount such as that one.

On the back of the pilot house was a receptacle similar to that one with threads on the outside to screw on a weather cap. I never found the cord for that receptacle, but assumed it was for a deck light or two.

That receptacle looks like it was made by Perko. The one on my charter boat may have been original equipment from 1975.

Ted

 

[Bmarler]

I believe Ted is right. It’s a work light socket as well as a socket for other 12 volt items like fans or vacuum cleaners. ( original automotive dust buster)
I have couple of ancient receptacles that need removing too. They’re different than those, but same idea.

 

[Delta Riverat]

The forward head socket still had the cap on it. The wires however were bad...really bad;

Looks like radio shack 18g with poorly crimped hooks. Wires slid in the crimps and the whole is badly corroded not to mention the screws were loose. Accident waiting to happen.

Now fixed with new 14g wires with 10A fuse and proper crimps and verified operational.

Yeah, these old boats, you have to look in all the nooks and crannies. Some hold real problems.