Hi all.

Please help. I mounted aftermarket tow bar on my Skoda Fabia I Elegance 2005. It probably requires a relay because of Can-Bus lights on dash boards. My relay needs external 12V power supply. Do I need to run a cable from engine bay (battery) all the way to the back where relay will be placed and all the wiring connected to rear lights or is there any loom in the back of my car where can I source 12V. I think it needs to be capable to handle almost 10A (indicators, brake light and tail light could be on at the same time). All comments are appreciated. Many thanks

I think I simply spliced into the wires using the 'blue cable connectors' in the boot area and did not use a relay, it's been like that for 4 years with no problems.

DB.

I think I simply spliced into the wires using the 'blue cable connectors' in the boot area and did not use a relay, it's been like that for 4 years with no problems.

Scotchloks generally work ok but can cause issues. The absolute best way is to properly solder and heatshrink the wires. If I ever paid someone to do such a job and they used scotchloks I'd be looking for a refund.

Scotchloks generally work ok but can cause issues. The absolute best way is to properly solder and heatshrink the wires. If I ever paid someone to do such a job and they used scotchloks I'd be looking for a refund.

I think on reflection of 4 years ago, I did splice / solder and taped over the joins, it's difficult to heat shrink on spliced connections when you are not dealing with the wire ends.

DB.

Thank you for your replies, gents. I don't like the scotchlock idea as well. Not a problem for me to solder or use various other types of connectors and heatshrinks. I have access to these things at work. But my question remains pretty much unanswered: How to wire the bloody relay? Where to get strong enough source of 12v? I am pretty sure that no relay means warning lights on dash board: Rear bulb is broken. Is original Skoda tow bar wiring including a relay, please? Where is it pluged into? I know there is a fuse for it on position no.57 in the main fuse box. Is there a ready loom hidden elsewhere? Cheers

Thank you for your replies, gents. I don't like the scotchlock idea as well. Not a problem for me to solder or use various other types of connectors and heatshrinks. I have access to these things at work. But my question remains pretty much unanswered: How to wire the bloody relay? Where to get strong enough source of 12v? I am pretty sure that no relay means warning lights on dash board: Rear bulb is broken. Is original Skoda tow bar wiring including a relay, please? Where is it pluged into? I know there is a fuse for it on position no.57 in the main fuse box. Is there a ready loom hidden elsewhere? Cheers

I fitted a genuine Skoda tow bar and as previously stated, DID NOT use a relay.

DB.

Edited 14 September, 201114 yr by mogwye

I fitted a genuine Skoda tow bar and as previously stated, DID NOT use a relay.

DB.

Hmm. I'm puzzled. :S Does you car report broken bulbs in rear clusters, please? Do you have such a feature in your Fabia? Where is the original tow bar wiring plugged into? Is there any socket or it needed to be sort of "scotchlocked" to tail lights wirirng?

Sorry I give up - As previously stated I spliced into the wires in the boot area e.g. into the wires going to the rear light clusters, 1.4 TDIs don't have the 'bulb out' warning light facility.

DB.

I think on reflection of 4 years ago, I did splice / solder and taped over the joins, it's difficult to heat shrink on spliced connections when you are not dealing with the wire ends.

DB.

where you have a wire,which you wish to splince into (no open ends) strip about 10mm of the insulation off carefully.Wind a single wire onto this,bend the original wire back on itself,making a 'Y' shape. There is always enough slack to do this.Solder the join,and put a piece of heatshrink over the soldered part-job done. It takes longer to explain this than do it!)

Edited 14 September, 201114 yr by AndyPandy

Sorry I give up - As previously stated I spliced into the wires in the boot area e.g. into the wires going to the rear light clusters, 1.4 TDIs don't have the 'bulb out' warning light facility.

DB.

That is the point: "1.4 TDIs don't have the 'bulb out' warning light facility."

My Fabia does have this facility and therefore you need to go via relay and therefore you need to have 12V 10A (originally should be 25A fuse) power supply for the relay.

Anyway. Many thanks for all your comments