Battery Connection / Inline Plug

[Andreasen]

I have a 1974 Airstream Ambassador/rear bath/twin beds. Over the past few months the battery power to the coach is not reliable. Battery is new and fully charged. When the battery power goes out, I have tried to wiggle the connection from the inline plug to the plug coming from the airstream. On occasion this has restored power, other times not. I was thinking I may have to replace this inline plug connection for the battery. Picture attached. Does anyone know where I can purchase a replacement?
Rod Andreasen

[HowieE]

Why do you want a disconnect anyway? Is this just to be original? If not consider hard wiring the battery. Any soft connection of this type will age, lose spring pressure at the connection and get dirty, over time and become less effective.

[Excella CM]

RV supplies and 4WD outfits have these, as do marine supplies.

[Jammer]

1) If you want to replace it you can get an Anderson Power Pole connector in your choice of colors and amp ranges. You will have to replace both sides, because the mating connectors for your current setup are no longer made.

2) If you want to work with what you have there are two potential areas of difficulty to be addressed:
2a) The connector itself. By widening the slot in each of the split prongs slightly with a small screwdriver and applying some suitable anticorrosion electrical grease (the product sold for aluminum wire connections at home centers and hardware stores works well and is easy to find) you can fix that. Great caution should be exercised to avoid shorting the battery connector while doing this -- disconnecting the battery terminal might be wisest.
2b) The four connections between each cable and its connector. I can't tell if you can get at them by looking at the photo but if you can you may have to clean, grease, and tighten them.
3) Checking temperature with an IR thermometer under load is the surest way to find problems early in high current connectors.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Andreasen

I have a 1974 Airstream Ambassador/rear bath/twin beds. Over the past few months the battery power to the coach is not reliable. Battery is new and fully charged. When the battery power goes out, I have tried to wiggle the connection from the inline plug to the plug coming from the airstream. On occasion this has restored power, other times not. I was thinking I may have to replace this inline plug connection for the battery. Picture attached. Does anyone know where I can purchase a replacement?
Rod Andreasen

That in-line connector was used so that you could easily remove the battery for winter storage, in a warm place.

Unfortunately, it caused many problems and was discontinued by Airstream, many moons ago.

Your best bet is to remove it completely from the system, and hard wire the cables.

Andy

[barts]

A hard connection is by far the most reliable; if you need to have it removable +1 on the Anderson Powerpole connectors:
Powerpole Connectors

- Bart

[Andreasen]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

That in-line connector was used so that you could easily remove the battery for winter storage, in a warm place.

Unfortunately, it caused many problems and was discontinued by Airstream, many moons ago.

Your best bet is to remove it completely from the system, and hard wire the cables.

Andy

Thank you so much! We did remove it completely as you suggested, and the connection now works perfectly!
Andreasen