Check your NATO plug

[Tjeska]

Thx for the heads up!
Checked mine today while installing differential skid plates.

It was very tight, but did manage to open the connector...

Was full of water...

Did use the winch some weeks ago, so glad that it still worked with the Nato connector full of water.

Did add some petroleum jelly, will check regularly from now on.

 

[smbennett]

In the subsea oil & gas industry, we often have Tronic connectors seize for the same reasons. Some light and fast tapping around the cap using the edge of a spanner, etc will often free up the connection regardless of corrosion.
I would try that first.

Thank you - tried that, as well as some big channellocks and a sledge. Absolutely no budging. Put my feet on the inner tire and used pretty much all the leverage I could muster to no avail, and ripped right through the taped off jaws and gouged the heck out of the cap. Just scheduled an appointment with dealer, so fully expecting them to spin it off with no effort and embarrass me

I stand defeated...

 

[Tazzieman]

Thank you - tried that, as well as some big channellocks and a sledge. Absolutely no budging. Put my feet on the inner tire and used pretty much all the leverage I could muster to no avail, and ripped right through the taped off jaws and gouged the heck out of the cap. Just scheduled an appointment with dealer, so fully expecting them to spin it off with no effort and embarrass me

I stand defeated...

Ask your wife to have a go with her jam jar opener

 

[Tjeska]

I did not have the time to check this out, will do this in the future...

But could it be possible to design a 3D print bracket to divert the water flow away from the Nato socket?
I noticed when washing the car yesterday that the water (on my QM) flows down the chassis and drips from the Nato socket.

When I screwed it back open, there was a small amount of water in it again (cleaned, dryed it completely with pressured air some hours before).
So did the cleaning, greased the treads this time witn vaseline instead of copper paste, maybe this will work better...

 

[mcdoogs]

I keep meaning to check this and put some dielectric grease in there.

But I still have no clue how I’d even use this outlet.

 

[ECrider]

Are you missing something @ECrider?
The entire inside of my cap is covered by a rubber gasket.

Thanks Clark Kent. I do indeed have the 'Dutch' cap . That takes care of the female receivers. Now protected the threads with a liberal application of vazz.

 

[Tazzieman]

Thanks Clark Kent. I do indeed have the 'Dutch' cap . That takes care of the female receivers. Now protected the threads with a liberal application of vazz.

Petroleum jelly destroys rubbers...

 

[mcdoogs]

Petroleum jelly destroys rubbers...

Yeah this, I'd definitely use something silicon-based to lubricate plastic/rubber threads

 

[Clark Kent]

Yeah this, I'd definitely use something silicon-based to lubricate plastic/rubber threads

You missed the bit where @Tazzieman dragged the bar down again

 

[IMPRMNS]

Here is a pic of my NATO plug. When I opened it in the morning it was filled with a milky substance. I've owned the vehicle for 2 weeks and the plug has not been anywhere close to submerged so it's a little concerning how this fluid entered and even more concerning just how much was in there.

Regarding breaking seized threads, my dad turned me on to this stuff (Kroil) years ago as he restores old tractors, many of which he has found in farmers' groves, etc. (ie they can be about as rusty as things can get). He would just spray it and let it do its thing for a day or so before trying to break it free. If it didn't work, he'd just repeat. I used this to free the keel bolts on a 45 year old saltwater sailboat which is pretty amazing. The link above is for the manufacturer's website but it looks like you can get it on Amazon (USA) now.

Regarding the application of lubricant, I am going to try Boeshield T-9. It is wax based but drys completely so it shouldn't pick up dirty and grime.

 

[JKAlpine]

I’m in a desert dry environment and mine twisted off easily. Hand tight. Wonder if it’s water and crud getting into the threads. Only water mines ever seen was from a hose.

 

[DenisM]

Here is a pic of my NATO plug. When I opened it in the morning it was filled with a milky substance. I've owned the vehicle for 2 weeks and the plug has not been anywhere close to submerged so it's a little concerning how this fluid entered and even more concerning just how much was in there.

Regarding breaking seized threads, my dad turned me on to this stuff (Kroil) years ago as he restores old tractors, many of which he has found in farmers' groves, etc. (ie they can be about as rusty as things can get). He would just spray it and let it do its thing for a day or so before trying to break it free. If it didn't work, he'd just repeat. I used this to free the keel bolts on a 45 year old saltwater sailboat which is pretty amazing. The link above is for the manufacturer's website but it looks like you can get it on Amazon (USA) now.

Regarding the application of lubricant, I am going to try Boeshield T-9. It is wax based but drys completely so it shouldn't pick up dirty and grime.

The water is entering the socket by capillary action around the ill-fitting deep coarse threads. In addition to the "Kroil" or silicon grease etc to protect the threads on both the socket housing and the cap, my suggestion is to wrap the threads with a couple of layers of heavy duty PFTE plumbers' tape to preclude the water altogether

 

[Tazzieman]

The water is entering the socket by capillary action around the ill-fitting deep coarse threads. In addition to the "Kroil" or silicon grease etc to protect the threads on both the socket housing and the cap, my suggestion is to wrap the threads with a couple of layers of heavy duty PFTE plumbers' tape to preclude the water altogether

IMO the rubber gasket should keep no/low pressure water out , if done up snugly.
Perhaps the gaskets are too thin/damaged?

 

[DenisM]

IMO the rubber gasket should keep no/low pressure water out , if done up snugly.
Perhaps the gaskets are too thin/damaged?

I was wondering about this: Even if the gasket is thick and the cap is screwed snugly as you suggest, water can still migrate into the threads and cause corrosion even if it stopped at the gasket.. Hence the silicon grease and ptfe tape.

 

[Tazzieman]

I was wondering about this: Even if the gasket is thick and the cap is screwed snugly as you suggest, water can still migrate into the threads and cause corrosion even if it stopped at the gasket.. Hence the silicon grease and ptfe tape.

I would think if you wash salt off your car (wherever you live ), the plug/threads should be part of the clean.

 

[DenisM]

I would think if you wash salt off your car (wherever you live ), the plug/threads should be part of the clean.

True, problem is mine's showing early signs of corrosion but as yet has been nowhere near salt water. However, the local Brisbane water supply in our suburb at least is heavily mineralised requiring reasonably regular descaling of kettles, steam iron, dishwasher etc. I don't know if the white powder is aluminium oxide or calcium deposits or both.... a splash of cleaning vinegar probably wouldn't go astray in cleaning the threads

 

[ECrider]

True, problem is mine's showing early signs of corrosion but as yet has been nowhere near salt water. However, the local Brisbane water supply in our suburb at least is heavily mineralised requiring reasonably regular descaling of kettles, steam iron, dishwasher etc. I don't know if the white powder is aluminium oxide or calcium deposits or both.... a splash of cleaning vinegar probably wouldn't go astray in cleaning the threads

that would get me wanting fish n chips everytime I opened the boot....

 

[IMPRMNS]

This really shouldn't be an issue. It's not like the nato plug is some novel idea that Ineos came up with or manufactured incorrectly. This had to have been a purchase part. It is certainly not a big deal (to me at least). Just seems like they could have spent the extra $50 for an electrical part that didn't leak.

 

[Tazzieman]

True, problem is mine's showing early signs of corrosion but as yet has been nowhere near salt water. However, the local Brisbane water supply in our suburb at least is heavily mineralised requiring reasonably regular descaling of kettles, steam iron, dishwasher etc. I don't know if the white powder is aluminium oxide or calcium deposits or both.... a splash of cleaning vinegar probably wouldn't go astray in cleaning the threads

I did a quick online search including Oz Unimog forum and couldn't find anything about NATO plug corrosion/ leak issues. Is the Ineos one made of inferior alloy?

 

[DenisM]

I did a quick online search including Oz Unimog forum and couldn't find anything about NATO plug corrosion/ leak issues. Is the Ineos one made of inferior alloy?

I wouldn't be surprised.... It's labelled a NATO plug by Ineos..... "imitation NATO style" plug might be more accurate. The quality of the cover is disappointingly 'lightweight' and "crude" in its finish.