Installing Receptacles/Cords for Truck Heaters

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JWCELECTRIC

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
I am designing a project for a trucking company where they need receptacles with cords for the trucks to plug into for the fuel heaters at night. I am looking for sugestions on a quick release for the cord/plugs, because the drivers forget to unplug before they drive off in the morning. Thanks

- JWC
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
The FDs use a type of connector that can self eject when they pull out on a call. Don posted it here before I doubt it is cheap.


Short of wiring a relay into the trucks starter circuit I doubt you can prevent this from happening.

Don't forget the GFCIs.
 
iwire

iwire

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Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Rewire said:
Are you using twist lock receptacles? Most straight blade cords will pull out without damaging the receptacle.
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I can tell you don't live in a cold area.:cool:

These truck cords are straight blade and even if they pull out undamaged 95% of the time, if you have a bunch of trucks using these everyday of the winter they will become junk in no time. Broken male cord caps, broken receptacles etc.

And of course it always seem to be the grounding pin that ends up missing.
 
J

JWCELECTRIC

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
Rewire said:
Are you using twist lock receptacles? Most staight blade cords will pull out without damaging the receptacle.
Click to expand...

The trucks typically have a small cord that comes out of the front grill. Then at night the driver will plug that into a cord with male/female end then goes to a GFCI receptacle or jbox. I have an exterior service cabinet with a panel so I haven't decided if I want GFCI breakers. I am leaning towards outlets because I don't want truck drivers messing with panel if breaker trips.
 
J

JWCELECTRIC

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
iwire said:
The FDs use a type of connector that can self eject when they pull out on a call. Don posted it here before I doubt it is cheap.


Short of wiring a relay into the trucks starter circuit I doubt you can prevent this from happening.

Don't forget the GFCIs.
Click to expand...

I checked the search engine and I did not find Don's post. I would be interested in that type of plug. does it go on the truck, or is it part ofthe cord assembly?

I have a wooden gaurd rail that I am installing outlets then I was thinking of attaching an o-ring into post and installing a kilums grip on cord attached to o-ring. I know over time it will ripe the cord apart but it could save the outlet
 
Rewire

Rewire

Senior Member
Location
Lake of the Ozarks
JWCELECTRIC said:
The trucks typically have a small cord that comes out of the front grill. Then at night the driver will plug that into a cord with male/female end then goes to a GFCI receptacle or jbox. I have an exterior service cabinet with a panel so I haven't decided if I want GFCI breakers. I am leaning towards outlets because I don't want truck drivers messing with panel if breaker trips.
Click to expand...

We did a setup for a local trucking company.We mounted a panel out in the yard and set 4x4 posts and mounted double W/P box on them one gfi and one regular rec. per post. We set the post so when the truck was backed in the driver could see it from his side mirror the cord would then be ran on the driver side to the front of the truck. When the driver came in he would hopefully see the cord when he got in the truck or at least when he checked his side mirror.
 
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~Shado~

Senior Member
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Interesting....I would assume that if it is a 'necessary' hookup do to weather temps....that all would be aware of the application and it would follow suit that would be a routine event to unplug before driving off.


(side note...iwire...just realized that my sis lives near you..in Attleboro...:grin:_
 
J

JWCELECTRIC

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
~Shado~ said:
Interesting....I would assume that if it is a 'necessary' hookup do to weather temps....that all would be aware of the application and it would follow suit that would be a routine event to unplug before driving off.


(side note...iwire...just realized that my sis lives near you..in Attleboro...:grin:_
Click to expand...

No not the case, I have a friend who has done a lot of hookups with a trash company and drivers on cold, rainy, snowy days just want to get going in the morning. He has to replace the cords, recep, all the time. You can tell them the right procedure to unplug but they don't care. I am looking to see if anyone has come up with a suggestion to eliminate damage with a quick disconnect.
 
D

Doug S.

Senior Member
Location
West Michigan
I think the auto-ejects are slick, but pricey.

At home I use a bright green cord and wrap a long loose loop around the mirror on the drivers side door. It works great as long as I remember to wrap the mirror.
Only forgot once (No mirror loop) =) After hearing a funny noise, I stopped at the on-ramp about a mile from the house. I walked around the to the back of the truck and noticed it had a 15' bright green tail. The conductors had pulled themselves free from the molded corded end, and the breaker never tripped.
 
Rockyd

Rockyd

Senior Member
Location
Nevada
Occupation
Retired after 40 years as an electrician.
Guess not many of you people have worked at Prudhoe Bay? Typically, when it gets cold (like forty below) just leave the rigs run all night long. Typical "Arctic pack" includes a block heater, battery heater, oil pan heater, loads down a 20 amp breaker that is located outside.

Typical "Bull rail" for plug ins, is done out of FD boxes with an Arctic rated yellow SO cord (good to fifty below) and straight blades. I suppose if you were fancy, you could have a glow type plug and put the coil up on your windshield, so that you could see the light in the plug... Cords get real stiff when it is brutally cold too.
 
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