300 miles from home, no towbar electrics!

[fatgit]

Set off home from Devon with the caravan this morning and everything was ok. After about 30 miles I couldnt hear the beep from the indicators so pulled off the road to check and I dont have any working lights on the caravan.

Does anyone know which fuses to check or if theres a separate fuse for towbar electrics somewhere?

I've checked all the caravan fuses and theyre fine.

Cheera

[33q]

Mine don't beep anyway.

Without trying to be funny in any way are you sure the plug is still well seated etc

[fatgit]

the rain has been horrendous and the 13 pin to 12n and s adapter was full of water. Ive used some water displacement spray on it that a truck driver had but no luck.

It seems that my motability RAC cover doesn't extend to the towbar, which the dealer said it did

[Llanigraham]

There is no beep, as has been said.

Has your car been coded correctly, as you should have had the bulb warning system light illuminate as soon as there was a problem?

[Miz]

There is no beep, as has been said.

Has your car been coded correctly, as you should have had the bulb warning system light illuminate as soon as there was a problem?

That would depend on how the electrics were done, it may have a bypass reley fitted, which would beep, and there will be fuses near to the relay, normally behind the side trim in the boot.

[thingy]

Hi fatgit (from an old git)

you say there are NO lights on caravan,

that has to be the plug or socket fault as if it was a fuse then at least one light would work on caravan.

Good luck with your trip and fault finding.

[fatgit]

Thankfully we've solved the issue.

By no lights I meant Road lights (indicators etc) - internal electrics were fine.

The issue was a faulty 13pin to 12N/S adapter. Something must have come loose inside it or a broken wire.

I rang the towbar company up who walked me through some tests (the fuse is fitted in the box accessed when you open the drivers door) and ended up unhitching the caravan and taking it to an MOT station who tested the towing electrics on the car (for free!).

Bought a new adapter from Halfords and everything is working again.

[g6zru]

Adapters are always a potential source of trouble no matter how well you think they are fitted. Can you not do away with the adapter?

 

Fred

[Llanigraham]

I looked at changing my caravan to a 13 pin plug until I saw inside!

I'll keep using the 12N/12S to 13 pin adapter.

[g6zru]

I looked at changing my caravan to a 13 pin plug until I saw inside!

I'll keep using the 12N/12S to 13 pin adapter.

Come on Graham, where's your sense of adventure?

 

Fred

[Llanigraham]

Come on Graham, where's your sense of adventure?

 

Fred

 

Beggared off, Fred!

Have you looked at how little room there is to get all the wires into the 13 pin plug!!

Came to the conclusion that it really needs a new 13 element cable from the junction box inside the caravan to the new plug, plus I still can't grip properly with my right hand.

[fatgit]

I'll be converting it at the first opportunity!

Edited 1 September, 2014 by fatgit

[33q]

I only tow a small trailer but I'm thinking of converting mine. I don't like adapters.

[rarrar]

I converted my trailer - agree less adaptors the better - of course with a trailer there aren't as many connections as with a caravan.

[geordiebroon]

Now have 13 pin connection after 4 years of an adaptor. Its much easier to keep dry and feels more "connected"

[Frenchtone]

^^^^ Graham that must cause probs up the pub,

(paying, and also gripping the pot)     :p

[Llanigraham]

No problem paying, but I have to drink left handed, and that feels most odd. I now take my own tankard with me as I can cope with that.

[fatgit]

Doesn't look like I'll be converting it after all..

We had a massive caravan tyre blowout on the M6 just North of Keele serviced earlier, managed to stop OK but had to call a recovery vehicle out to change the wheel.

Got the wheel on and drove 500m and there was a huge bang, the caravan nearly jacknifed and the wheel that had just been put on shot across 3 lanes of traffic (missing all the other vehicles luckily).

Managed to safely get to the hard shoulder again and the recovery van was just behind us.

So, it had to go on a low loader and taken to their compound. The insurance company say it will probably be written off even though there's minimal damage, but at least we're alive.

[Llanigraham]

B@gger!!
Glad you are OK.

[Miz]

Doesn't look like I'll be converting it after all..

We had a massive caravan tyre blowout on the M6 just North of Keele serviced earlier, managed to stop OK but had to call a recovery vehicle out to change the wheel.

Got the wheel on and drove 500m and there was a huge bang, the caravan nearly jacknifed and the wheel that had just been put on shot across 3 lanes of traffic (missing all the other vehicles luckily).

Managed to safely get to the hard shoulder again and the recovery van was just behind us.

So, it had to go on a low loader and taken to their compound. The insurance company say it will probably be written off even though there's minimal damage, but at least we're alive.

Glad you are all OK, but I would want to know why the wheel came off so soon after being re-fitted.

[Toxicvrs]

Glad you are all OK, but I would want to know why the wheel came off so soon after being re-fitted.

Lack of being tightened and torqued or over torqued wheel bolts

Glad you're okay though!

[fatgit]

I'll let the insurance company work out the cause, glad I took out the camping and caravaning club's insurance out though.

Edited 2 September, 2014 by fatgit

[g6zru]

Beggared off, Fred!

Have you looked at how little room there is to get all the wires into the 13 pin plug!!

Came to the conclusion that it really needs a new 13 element cable from the junction box inside the caravan to the new plug, plus I still can't grip properly with my right hand.

If you must buy these funny UK wobbly boxes what do you expect? :sun:

 

Fred