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[Lazydocker]

I know this has been covered, in some respect, before but want to confirm things in my head as I've got a tow bar to fit in the very near future

The Pre-wired socket in the boot has everything I need except a working Brake Light Feed, which I need to take from one of the clusters (for ease) or is the relay socket I need to get to by the glove box (facelift) reasonably accessible?

I've got a 7 way smart relay so as not to interfere with the Bulb Check Systems and a voltage sensing relay for the 12S power feeds. Can the 12S feeds be taken from the pre-wired socket too or do I need to run a separate power feed (fused) from the battery?

[Entwood]

I know this has been covered, in some respect, before but want to confirm things in my head as I've got a tow bar to fit in the very near future

The Pre-wired socket in the boot has everything I need except a working Brake Light Feed, which I need to take from one of the clusters (for ease) or is the relay socket I need to get to by the glove box (facelift) reasonably accessible?

I've got a 7 way smart relay so as not to interfere with the Bulb Check Systems and a voltage sensing relay for the 12S power feeds. Can the 12S feeds be taken from the pre-wired socket too or do I need to run a separate power feed (fused) from the battery?

IMHO the ONLY way is a seperate, fused and relay controlled supplies.

Fridge in the 'van can pull 8-10 amps, as can battery charging if the van battery is low, so potentially 20 amps if you run them from one source ..

Prewired supply should.. again IMHO .. only be used for habitation stuff (lights/water pump) when not using the van battery.

Just my way of doing it .. nowt else 

[Lazydocker]

It will be relay controlled, was just checking on the rest of it. I thought I'd probably need a separate, 30A power feed but just thought I'd check.

[Kevin Wood]

The Pre-wired socket in the boot has everything I need except a working Brake Light Feed, which I need to take from one of the clusters (for ease) or is the relay socket I need to get to by the glove box (facelift) reasonably accessible?

I think it would need removal of the glove box. I did it. Most of the aggro was finding the relay socket but if I did it again, not sure I'd bother... :-/

I've got a 7 way smart relay so as not to interfere with the Bulb Check Systems and a voltage sensing relay for the 12S power feeds. Can the 12S feeds be taken from the pre-wired socket too or do I need to run a separate power feed (fused) from the battery?

I didn't bother with a relay, and taking the brake light feed from the pre-wiring (with the link under the glove box) bypasses the failure sensor on that circuit. Flasher unit doesn't baulk at an extra pair of lights either although you can fit the 4 pin one and an additional bulb for the warning or (as I did) use a buzzer. However, as you've got a relay anyway, I would take the brake light feed to the relay from the light cluster.

Regarding the 12S feed, it probably depends how much you'll rely on it as to whether it's worth feeding new wire down the length of the vehicle.

The 12V feed to the towing connector is 2.5mm cable fused at 30 amps so a 20 amp draw would be perfectly safe, especially if you fused it for 20A at the boot end just to be sure. That's not to say it'd necessarily be effective. Feed comes through the car's wiring, and part of it is, no doubt, shared with other loads.

There will be some voltage drop when drawing heavy loads, both within the car and the caravan, especially when the trailer tail and connector are included. When charging a battery in the caravan, this will have a current-limiting effect as the battery will only accept charge if the feed is well above its' terminal voltage.

A direct, suitable fused, generously over-rated wire from the battery / alternator to the 12s socket via a relay will give less voltage drop and more effective battery charging in the caravan, without a doubt.

I'd say, however, if you're not going to be reliant on the 12S replenishing the caravan's battery towing between stops, you will get away with the existing wiring, and it'll not be unsafe to do so.

Do consider that if you use a 7 way relay, that will need some current from the 12V feed, so account for any additional current drawn by the trailer lights if going that route.

Kevin

[Lazydocker]

Thanks Kevin.

TBH, the Leisure Battery is always fully charged before we set off and we have a hook up on site 99.9% of the time so the draw there will be minimal. It's only really the fridge (and internal lights if we need them at any point) that will be run from the 12S socket so I should be able to get away with the line in the pre-wired socket and just add an in-line fuse between that and the 12S socket.

I'll wire in the 7 way relay (as I have it) from the pre wired connector, taking a stop lamp feed from the light cluster and fit the buzzer (which I also have). I might, in the future, try a 4 pin flasher unit and bulb but I'm going down the easier route for now... I expect that I'll be changing the twin sockets for a 13 pin one at some point in future ownership but right now I just need to take the quickest (and easiest!) route to get this done quickly and safely before next weekend

The 12S electrics will be through a voltage sensing relay anyway to protect the vehicle battery and I'll fit a 20A fuse in-line at the back end.

[henryd]

Thanks Kevin.

TBH, the Leisure Battery is always fully charged before we set off and we have a hook up on site 99.9% of the time so the draw there will be minimal. It's only really the fridge (and internal lights if we need them at any point) that will be run from the 12S socket so I should be able to get away with the line in the pre-wired socket and just add an in-line fuse between that and the 12S socket.

I'll wire in the 7 way relay (as I have it) from the pre wired connector, taking a stop lamp feed from the light cluster and fit the buzzer (which I also have). I might, in the future, try a 4 pin flasher unit and bulb but I'm going down the easier route for now... I expect that I'll be changing the twin sockets for a 13 pin one at some point in future ownership but right now I just need to take the quickest (and easiest!) route to get this done quickly and safely before next weekend

The 12S electrics will be through a voltage sensing relay anyway to protect the vehicle battery and I'll fit a 20A fuse in-line at the back end.

thats how I did mine except my 7 way smart relay had a built in buzzer

[TheBoy]

Blimey, sound slike Pikey Central here...

[Lazydocker]

Blimey, sound slike Pikey Central here...

And? 

Thought it would be advantageous if I tried to get the Tow Bar mounted before next weekend to reduce what needs doing

[TheBoy]

Blimey, sound slike Pikey Central here...

And? 

Thought it would be advantageous if I tried to get the Tow Bar mounted before next weekend to reduce what needs doing

As much fitted as possible, as I'm still not convinced about the timescale

We managed my MV6 in 2 days, the big issue aside, but that was all straightforward, known, tested, simple multivalve jobbie with 80l cylinder.

[Lazydocker]

Blimey, sound slike Pikey Central here...

And? 

Thought it would be advantageous if I tried to get the Tow Bar mounted before next weekend to reduce what needs doing

As much fitted as possible, as I'm still not convinced about the timescale

We managed my MV6 in 2 days, the big issue aside, but that was all straightforward, known, tested, simple multivalve jobbie with 80l cylinder.

LPG loom "adapted" already, tank fixings should all be pre-cut ready, although I'm having 2nd thoughts on the mounting of it.

Got the correct hose to go from HBV to matrix, W/P and Cam Belt can easily be left until later in the year

[lightfj]

Easiest way is to run two supply wires staright off the battery fused very near to battery and at the boot end.
These will supply a 7way bypass relay and a split charge relay. I undid the harness and shifted the vx socket to above the o/s light cluster and took all the trigger wires from there -take reverse light off the light cluster -saves a lot of hassle. Solder all loints and insulate propeerly.
I have done this on 6 vehicles now for myself or friends and not one has had a single failure over 7 years.
As the fridge can pull 20 Amps I cool it on gas or mains before leaving home and charge the leisure battery.
In fact i haven't connected the batt charge lead to the socket. The buzzer in the 7 way is audible with the radio on so no problems with added relays under the dash.
happy& safe towing.
Jeff

[Lazydocker]

Right, wired in the bypass relay today in preparation for when the towbar is fitted but haven't put the power to it yet as I'm waiting for the Voltage Sensing relay for the 12S.

The 12V feed in the pre wired socket is being used as it's fused to 30A. Bypass relay takes twin 7.5A feeds and the 12S will be fused at 15A as a safety precaution. Can't see the 'van drawing 15A (bearing in mind the site hook ups are only 16A) and that's also how it was wired on my saloon with no issues

Although the saloon doesn't appear to have a bypass relay and didn't throw up faults

[Kevin Wood]

Right, wired in the bypass relay today in preparation for when the towbar is fitted but haven't put the power to it yet as I'm waiting for the Voltage Sensing relay for the 12S.

The 12V feed in the pre wired socket is being used as it's fused to 30A. Bypass relay takes twin 7.5A feeds and the 12S will be fused at 15A as a safety precaution. Can't see the 'van drawing 15A (bearing in mind the site hook ups are only 16A) and that's also how it was wired on my saloon with no issues

Although the saloon doesn't appear to have a bypass relay and didn't throw up faults

16A at 230V, mind. That's a lot more power.

If in doubt, fire it up (not in the TheBoy sense) from a car battery and measure it.

If it's all correctly fused, the worst case scenario is that you get nuisance fuse failures, in which case you just need to run a bigger wire. no harm done.

Kevin

[Lazydocker]

Right, wired in the bypass relay today in preparation for when the towbar is fitted but haven't put the power to it yet as I'm waiting for the Voltage Sensing relay for the 12S.

The 12V feed in the pre wired socket is being used as it's fused to 30A. Bypass relay takes twin 7.5A feeds and the 12S will be fused at 15A as a safety precaution. Can't see the 'van drawing 15A (bearing in mind the site hook ups are only 16A) and that's also how it was wired on my saloon with no issues

Although the saloon doesn't appear to have a bypass relay and didn't throw up faults

16A at 230V, mind. That's a lot more power.

If in doubt, fire it up (not in the TheBoy sense) from a car battery and measure it.

If it's all correctly fused, the worst case scenario is that you get nuisance fuse failures, in which case you just need to run a bigger wire. no harm done.

Kevin

True, although some are still 6A

Anyway, it's all fused so if it blows the 15A fuse I'll have to run a new wire through

Just a quickie... Did you use the Ground wire from the socket or ground your connections to the body at the rear?

[Kevin Wood]

I would take the ground connection to the nearest convenient bolt in the body (or add my own). I have a feeling there's one nearby. Then again, mine's a saloon.

Kevin