Loose Dinse panel connection help

[Yamhon]

Hi all.

I recently fitted a Dinse 10/25 panel socket to my first welder, and all seemed well. Attempting to secure the internal lead to the second panel socket I purchased follower however resulted in the front plastic portion breaking on me.

Then when it came time to use the welder the Dinse panel socket which looked okay would spin around when I tried to secure the return lead into the socket on the front of the welder. I would sometimes need to open the case side access and hold the cable inside and faff about with it until I could get the plug on the return lead to "lock" into the socket.

Matters were not helped by having very limited access where the panel sockets are mounted, making it difficult to properly tighten the set screws which secure the leads internally.

Would anyone have any suggestions on what I could try to improve the situation please? I'm nervous about over tightening the socket and breaking another one, although having it loose as it is atm isn't ideal either.

I've been using 25mm reusable cable lugs, which don't fit over the threads at the back of the panel socket, but appear to be held by a washer at the back of the threads with the set screw, not sure if that's standard or not.

Many thanks for any help and suggestions.

 

[MoreWellie]

welcome to the forum

I think a couple of pictures would help with the diagnosis but if the socket spins round I don't see how you can have a good electrical connection to the cable inside the machine

 

[Yamhon]

welcome to the forum

I think a couple of pictures would help with the diagnosis but if the socket spins round I don't see how you can have a good electrical connection to the cable inside the machine

I can push the Dinse plug into the panel socket okay, but when I turn it to lock it in the socket, the cable screwed into the back and probably the entire brass barrel turns as well, resulting in the little notch in the front of the Dinse socket moving so I have to hold it in place somehow to get the plug to engage with the notch.

Maybe it's the large nut as opposed to the set screw which may need tightening; I found it hard to do as there was so little clearance inside the machine.

I don't keep the machine where I live; will get pictures next time I get to the garage.

 

[Seadog]

Clearly it's the nut which is the problem. The set screw is just a cable clamp. Usually there is a small cut-out in the panel that a protrusion on the socket fits into to help prevent the whole lot rotating. If you're nuts aren't tight...Need I say more?

 

[Yamhon]

Clearly it's the nut which is the problem. The set screw is just a cable clamp. Usually there is a small cut-out in the panel that a protrusion on the socket fits into to help prevent the whole lot rotating. If you're nuts aren't tight...Need I say more?

Will give it another go; just a PITA as I don't have a socket large enough for the nut and was difficult to get the small adjustable to do much with it.

Thanks all.

 

[Yamhon]

Managed to fix the problem. It was the large nut, which wasn't tight enough. A biker I know borrowed me their large socket set and it made the job easier. Threads seemed a bit damaged on the hex head set screw, so I replaced it with a brass allen socket which I found easier to tighten up rather than the hex head in the confined space.