Any electrical smart folk out there..

[JCamper]

So camping this weekend I bought this outlet with the intent of hooking it up to a 12v deep cycle battery and running a CPAP machine that has a 12v plug.
I get 12.79 volts to the recepticle when connected to the battery, but when I plug in the CPAP or anything else for that matter (phone charger) I get nothing.
Actually I get smoke and swear words when I plug in the phone charger!
Any ideas?

The folks at State Trailer Supply said that if I have an appliance that runs on 12v this outlet with the alligator clips will do the job.

Does it need to be grounded somehow?

[TURBS]

Id say ....
Its hooked up backwards.
Or the outlet is junk.

[prof_fate]

ac can work either way..DC is directional. Pos and Neg have to be right. if not you may get smoke or blow a fuse or melt things. Less often you get nothing happening (like putting batteries in wrong)

[SYE]

Make sure that it was hooked up to the battery correctly. + goes to the red clip, - to the black clip. Do not go by the colors attached to the battery I think on mine a white wire is attached to + and the black to -. It could be a faulty plug as well.

[Batts-toy]

Once you have the wires attached correctly as stated above confirm how many amps the CPAP uses and that it or whatever else you are operating does not exceed the limits of the little adapter and clips.

[SYE]

I know that when I am dry camping my CPAP runs off of my 375 watt inverter.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by JCamper

So camping this weekend I bought this outlet with the intent of hooking it up to a 12v deep cycle battery and running a CPAP machine that has a 12v plug.
I get 12.79 volts to the recepticle when connected to the battery, but when I plug in the CPAP or anything else for that matter (phone charger) I get nothing.
Actually I get smoke and swear words when I plug in the phone charger!
Any ideas?

The folks at State Trailer Supply said that if I have an appliance that runs on 12v this outlet with the alligator clips will do the job.

Does it need to be grounded somehow?

No, but what you are having is severe voltage drop due to small wire, toy DC recep and Alligator clips. All the above lead to high resistance and with low current will cause the voltage to drop before the load. Get a heavy duty 12VDC recep, #12 stranded wire and a full spade terminal to bolt to the battery and it will work.

[Herk7769]

Yes, our CPAP is 200 watts also. 200/12 = almost 17 amps.

That lamp cord wire set is rated at about 8 DC amps.

Also check the polarity of the connector using a volt meter.
Some of those made in (non) USA locations have the polarity reversed in the connector.

The center should be the positive and the barrel should be the negative.

[JCamper]

I've checked the wiring all the way from the battery to the fuse but not from the clips to the barrel itself, that's a good point HERK thanks. It also makes sense that the wiring would be too little to handle a load, but even the cell phone charger without a phone attached smoked. But still a good point. I'll look for a more heavy duty line.

[Evereddie]

Originally Posted by JCamper

...but even the cell phone charger without a phone attached smoked.

Again, that sounds like reversed polarity.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Evereddie

Again, that sounds like reversed polarity.

I agree; two problems.

The after market cable may have the black clip on the center and the red clip on the barrel.

[JCamper]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

I agree; two problems.

The after market cable may have the black clip on the center and the red clip on the barrel.

Hey HERK thanks for the suggestion. I finally traced the positive (red) clip to the barrel and guess what!? I got continuity in the barrel not the inside center point.
And visa versa with the black clip.
Cheap crap plug... Made in...You guessed it