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Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: tigers_gonads on 26 May 2010, 13:58:51

Title: towbar electrics
Post by: tigers_gonads on 26 May 2010, 13:58:51
is there a how too on here somewhere ?
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: tigers_gonads on 26 May 2010, 14:32:15
anybody ?
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: henryd on 26 May 2010, 15:00:43
there is a specific plug in the back of the estates(and saloons) for towbar wiring,its located between the spare wheel and the rear panel under the lift up floor
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: henryd on 26 May 2010, 15:06:40
have a look at this thread     http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1190477322/0
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: Kevin Wood on 26 May 2010, 15:24:05
Umm. I've got a half finished HOWTO somewhere. :-[

Kevin
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: robson on 27 May 2010, 12:59:07
I had a tow bar fitted recently Witter. The fitter did not use the VX connector but clamped onto the wires to the connector. The brake light did not activate so he took a lead from the light cluster. Is this OK or will it affect the bulb failure sensor.
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: Kevin Wood on 27 May 2010, 13:59:51
Quote
I had a tow bar fitted recently Witter. The fitter did not use the VX connector but clamped onto the wires to the connector. The brake light did not activate so he took a lead from the light cluster. Is this OK or will it affect the bulb failure sensor.

The missing bulb failure sensor for the trailer is the reason he had a problem in the first place! It (or a wire link) needs to be fitted up behind the glove compartment.

You will have extra load on the car's sensor now so the extra load should either be switched by a relay or the proper towing brake wiring used.

Kevin
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: Andy B on 27 May 2010, 20:03:51
Quote
I had a tow bar fitted recently Witter. The fitter did not use the VX connector but clamped onto the wires to the connector. The brake light did not activate so he took a lead from the light cluster. Is this OK or will it affect the bulb failure sensor.

Towbar fitters never do use OE looms, it puts the price up too much. When you say 'clamped', do you mean Scotchlocks? If so, they're  crap & just a quick easy way to break into a wire. I suggest you solder the connections.  :y
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: VX1 on 27 May 2010, 22:08:23
I think a How To is going to be required, but it might be useful if both types of sockets are given, i.e 12s and 12n.

The trailer socket is the easiest one to do but I think the Caravan Electrics i.e to power the fridge when towing and to charge the battery whilst on the move might be the tougher one to do as this one is much more technical?
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: Andy B on 27 May 2010, 22:20:06
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I think a How To is going to be required, but it might be useful if both types of sockets are given, i.e 12s and 12n.

The trailer socket is the easiest one to do but I think the Caravan Electrics i.e to power the fridge when towing and to charge the battery whilst on the move might be the tougher one to do as this one is much more technical?

there's loads of info out there if you Google for it. Caravan electrics 12S also depends on age of caravan.  :y
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: robson on 28 May 2010, 09:19:59
Thanks Kevin but I am now confused The tow bar was for a caravan You say the missing bulb sensor, why missing, What do I have to do to sort this out or is it OK to leave as is. The fitter did use scotchlocks which I must admit I dont like much
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: Kevin Wood on 28 May 2010, 10:14:30
Quote
Thanks Kevin but I am now confused The tow bar was for a caravan You say the missing bulb sensor, why missing, What do I have to do to sort this out or is it OK to leave as is. The fitter did use scotchlocks which I must admit I dont like much

The car's wiring loom makes provision for a bulb failure sensor in the circuit to the trailer lights. It's not fitted unless a towbar is fitted, which is why the brake circuit at the car's towing connector wasn't live.

You now have both the caravan and the car's brake lights powered through the car's bulb failure sensor.

This raises 2 issues which may or may not be regarded as a problem:

1) When towing, you need 3 brake lamp bulbs to fail before you will get any warning in the car. Not necessarily a problem as it's good practice to check all lights each time you hook up anyway.

2) The car's brake lamp bulb failure sensor how has double the current flowing through it because you've added another pair of brake lights. You might well get away with this but you might find the bulb failure sensor fails.

I would remove the scotchlocks and replace with soldered joints, as said. While you're at it, you might as well connect the brake lights to the proper connection on the towing loom and bridge the connections where the bulb failure sensor for the trailer brake lights is. There is info. on here in the electrical section on how to accomplish this, but I will see if I can dig up the HOWTO that I was in the process of writing.

Kevin
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: tigers_gonads on 28 May 2010, 14:06:49
right, i have worked my way through the plug and everything is conected BUT the brake lights  :(

only need too tow the caravan for a total of 5 miles over 2 journeys so is it ok to conect the brake light wire ( red on the towbar ) directly onto the car wiring loom ( black/yellow ) at the back of the light cluster ?   

temporary fix  :-/
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: Andy B on 28 May 2010, 15:10:39
Quote
right, i have worked my way through the plug and everything is conected BUT the brake lights  :(

only need too tow the caravan for a total of 5 miles over 2 journeys so is it ok to conect the brake light wire ( red on the towbar ) directly onto the car wiring loom ( black/yellow ) at the back of the light cluster ?   

temporary fix  :-/

Find the relay base where the check control pugs in, and bridge the yellow/black wires. The relay base is behind facelift glove boxes & above prefacelift driver's feet.  :y
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: tigers_gonads on 28 May 2010, 15:21:51
jobs a good un  :y

cheers lads  :)
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: robson on 28 May 2010, 17:29:44
Is it neccessary to remove the glove box to get to this relay what does bridging the connectors do.
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: Andy B on 28 May 2010, 18:21:36
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Is it neccessary to remove the glove box to get to this relay .
Don't know, mine's a prefacelift car  ;)



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what does bridging the connectors do.

If you fitted a trailer check control 'relay' then it would feed brake wire connection in the socket in the boot. If  you don't fit it, you need to bridge the connections instead or you don't get a brake light feed at the plug in the boot intended to feed a trailer's lighting.
Title: Re: towbar electrics
Post by: robson on 28 May 2010, 21:56:51
If my car bulb failure sensor fails due to the extra load  do I get no indication on the display. do the brake lights continue to work if the  sensor has failed