Can't unplug tire repair kit air compressor!

[alohart]

Before buying my i about a week ago, I asked the salesman to inflate its tires to 51 psi, the maximum inflation pressure on the sidewall, prior to my picking it up. When I picked up my i, the salesman told me that he couldn't inflate the tires to 51 psi because the tires weren't warmed up so would exceed 51 psi when warm. 51 psi is the maximum cold inflation pressure which the salesman apparently didn't understand. So instead, he inflated them to 45 psi. Oh, well, better than nothing…

Today, I wanted to test the tire inflation kit's air compressor to see if it would inflate my tires to 51 psi. I plugged the air compressor's electrical plug into the 12 v. power outlet and inflated all the tires to 51 psi with no problem. But when I tried to unplug the air compressor's electrical plug, it is stuck in the 12 v. power outlet. It's a bit dark down at the 12 v. power outlet, but I couldn't feel any sort of release button. I've tried to pull the plug straight out, but it won't budge. Actually, the plug housing pulls out about 1/4" as can be seen by the cord being pulled into the plug housing by the same amount, so the portion of the plug attached to the cord isn't moving. I've tried to twist the plug, but it won't twist. I've pulled hard enough that the entire plastic console surrounding the 12 v. power outlet is deflecting, so I'm afraid to pull any harder for fear of breaking something.

Is there some trick to unplugging the air compressor? If not, any suggestions?

 

[JoeS]

Is there some trick to unplugging the air compressor? If not, any suggestions?

Before you break something, I'd be inclined to take it to the dealer and plead ignorance Let us know if simple brute force won.

 

[iMiEVNZ7]

Hi, My guess is the current draw was enough to heat the small pin at the end of the plug or it arced and welded to the centre contact on the socket. I would first ask the dealer to fix it,if it is a warranty thing, but if not, I would make the compresser work hard again until the plug was warm but not hot, then try wiggling it again, it may break the tiny arced bit and it may come free.

If not, then you can unscrew the plug if not a sealed one, and then use a fine soldering iron to heat the centre pin and remove the wire and then heat the pin just enough to wiggle the arced bit free. Might work, then resolder the wire on once the plug comes out.

 

[alohart]

Before you break something, I'd be inclined to take it to the dealer and plead ignorance Let us know if simple brute force won.

The dealer is not very close to our apartment. I didn't want to go to the trouble of making a service appointment for something which seems so simple.

Hi, My guess is the current draw was enough to heat the small pin at the end of the plug or it arced and welded to the centre contact on the socket.

This diagnosis is consistent with the behavior of the plug when I try to pull it out. But it was difficult for me to believe that enough current to weld the contact could be passed without blowing the 12 v. power outlet fuse.

So I decided to use as much force as necessary to pull out the plug. If something broke, then I would claim a warranty repair because this sort of problem shouldn't happen unless a faulty design or product is involved.

I could see the end of one of the spring clips that holds the plug in the outlet. I tried to push this spring clip back into the plug with a Swiss Army Knife attachment hoping that maybe this clip had hooked on something in the outlet. But I was unable to make any progress, so I just started pulling with gradually increasing force. Suddenly, the plug popped out of the outlet. Nothing appeared to be damaged, and nothing looked abnormal.

I still don't understand why the plug was stuck in the outlet. I'm old, but I haven't lost that much strength yet. I'm sure that the next time I use the air compressor, I'll be faced with a similar problem. Oh, well, problem solved…

 

[JoeS]

alohart, glad to hear brute force won again :lol: and thanks for the feedback.
Perhaps squish down the spring clips a bit and apply a tiny dab of conductive lubricant to their surface? I think we'll all pay attention when/if we ever have to use that compressor.

 

[jjlink]

The same thing happened to me. The socket is not securely attached to the dashboard and the air-pump plug will get stuck. Just hold the socket in with something like a plier or whatever you have and pull out the plug. Since then I put in a Y-cable with two sockets on it. Its much easier to use that way, plus you get an extra plug. :idea:

 

[alohart]

Has anyone had a similar problem when plugging something other than the air compressor into the 12 v. power outlet? We don't know whether the air compressor plug or the outlet is the source of the problem.

 

[oahumiev]

Has anyone had a similar problem when plugging something other than the air compressor into the 12 v. power outlet? We don't know whether the air compressor plug or the outlet is the source of the problem.

I've been plugging an air compressor in the 12v with no problem when I need to pump up the tires, haven't used the air compressor that came with the car yet.
Glad to hear that you finally got your Miev on Oahu, maybe we'll run into each other at a charging station if you get lucky finding an open charger. Not a whole lot of Miev's on the roads here, see one maybe every few weeks unless I drive past the dealership where a dozen of them are baking in the sun, wish they'd put them in the shade, can't be good to leave an EV parked outdoors over a year let alone what SOC the batteries are at.