A snail peeps only question again.  I have the detachable Westfalia towbar and thus the secret drop down electric socket. Has anyone fitted a split charge socket to this setup that is also hidden?  I want everything to be invisible behind the cover if I take the towbar off. I guess I don't care if it can drop or not as that probably won't work due to lack of space but if I know it is up there I can still plug the second socket in from under the car surely?

 

How much does an autoelectrician normally charge to do this? I saw one forum suggesting it is about 30min work and £60...  but on a Yeti and with towbars who knows! That £60 will probably become £360.

 

I imagine this is the easier route than to convert the current Yeti 12 pin to the modern 13 on both the car and caravan?

I would convert all to 13 pin.  My mate had his L200 changed from a single socket to a fully functioning 13 pin a couple of years ago when he changed 'vans, was about £80 at a towbar specialist, I was charged £70 for changing my twin sockets on my then Octavia vRS to a 13 pin in November 2009 when I updated to my previous Swift.  

 

You may well be able to change the van socket yourself.  Most folks just seem to stuff (technical term) both leads into the back of a thirteen pin plug, though I have a hunch there is maybe one you can buy with a bigger hole (again technical term!) to allow the two cables to fit.

 

Used the twin socket system without issue for years, but the 13 pin set up is so much easier to use and only one cable to keep safe from dragging on the road!

Thanks Iain.  So changing the socket on the Yeti won't affect any of the software already set or anything like that? It is a simple job of connecting a few more wires to it?

Now you are asking the wrong person ... that is indeed a technical question!

Now you are asking the wrong person ... that is indeed a technical question!

 

Or hold on......  I'm using a converter plug at the moment... so the Yeti already has a modern drop down socket I guess.........  doh. But I know they don't wire them for split charging. So perhaps I just need to add that to my existing socket?    And change the van's over and stop using the converter plug.

Thanks Iain.  So changing the socket on the Yeti won't affect any of the software already set or anything like that? It is a simple job of connecting a few more wires to it?

Johann

My Yeti came with 13pin socket as standard, what's this 12pin one you a talking about?

Why are you thinking about split charging? In practice I rarely use the facility. It's not part of the standard Yeti (or most cars) towbar fitting and requires a separate feed from the front of the car.

 

Fred

 

Posted at the same time as your reply!

Johann

My Yeti came with 13pin socket as standard, what's this 12pin one you a talking about?

Why are you thinking about split charging? In practice I rarely use the facility. It's not part of the standard Yeti (or most cars) towbar fitting and requires a separate feed from the front of the car.

 

Fred

 

Posted at the same time as your reply!

 

I mean whatever is standard.  (the 7 pin is called 12N or 12S and that is what confuses me sometimes in calling it a 12 pin!) So I have a converter to make the 7 pin caravan fit my 13pin Yeti... and I should really have made the van 13pin now...  Oh well.

I'm just keeping my options open at the moment in regards to split charging.  Got a quote for £75 so for so little cost I might as well be able to run the fridge as I'm driving...

Graham.....

^^^^ on jollies in France currently!!

All depends on what sort of sites you use.

We always use sites with mains hook-up, which charges the battery via the inbuilt battery charger! Switch off all 'leccy on leaving the site and there's more than enough power to get home and put the 'van in storage using the motor movers ... and get it back out again.

Over winter we take the battery off and keep it in the garage on a battery optimiser and never needed the charging from the car (actually, come to think of it, not even sure we had it on the octi)

Personally I wouldn't worry about it unless you have the spare cash and must have it! I'd try it a few times and see how you get on

Personally I wouldn't worry about it unless you have the spare cash and must have it! I'd try it a few times and see how you get on

 

Thanks...  I think that is what I will just do.

 

After all this I realised I should ask the van service people to just change the van to a 13 pin. He was going to fix a broken split cable socket anyway. Alas I let him know too late... :-( He's already done that bit so no can do.  I'll speak to him tomorrow to see how much he'll charge me to just do it anyway.  Then I don't need to use the 13 to 7 converter anymore.

 Then I don't need to use the 13 to 7 converter anymore.

After using one of these on the Octi, when we put the 'van on the back of the Yeti, just to see how it looks, just folding down the socket and plugging it in seems sooooooo easy.

Another thing when you hook up your caravan to the mains - make sure the battery chargers working ( check battery voltage before you plug mains in ~12 to 13 volts, with charger connected 14.8 volts if memory serves me correctly) and if it's not, before panicking, check that the switches are turned on and fuses / trips are ok. People on touring sites are lovely and very helpful ;-)

What I don't get though is why can't Skoda offer full functionality?  VW do, hence I have ordered  the factory bracket on my new Tiguan.

What I don't get though is why can't Skoda offer full functionality?  VW do, hence I have ordered  the factory bracket on my new Tiguan.

The split charging facility apparently is not used in Europe. It's only the UK that seems to ask for it.

My method is to pre-cool the fridge at home by plugging in to the house mains and put freezer blocks in the fridge. The freezer blocks have still been frozen when we arrive on site.

Unless your journey is VERY lengthy you're not likely to need the split charging.

 

Fred

Johann,

 

Why do you need the split charge facility? Only caravaners in the UK have this. I understand nobody on the continent has this facility, and it is generally warmer there......

 

All you really need from the 12S is to wire up a reverse light to your existing 13 pin plug.

 

All the split charge facility does is provide power WHILE the engine is running to the lights and to the fridge.

 

Now I know you don't keep your caravan at home and can't plug in your fridge before you go away. Driving the caravan to where ever you are going and cooling using the fridge will barely cool the contents down. 

Best to visit the caravan a day or 2 before you are going away and check it over and put the fridge on using gas. Turn off the gas when you drive off though!!!! don't open the fridge whilst it isn't on. Turn it on again when you park up.

 

 

 

Simples.....

 

(just noticed Fred is saying roughly the same)

PS,

 

I'm not bothering to add split charge to my Freelander, but I have added a wire so that I can add the reversing light to it.

My towbar cost £190 for the parts and nothing for labour - 8 bolts. plug into existing socket for the wiring. About 1 hour to fit as I took my time.  No programming required.

My towbar cost £190 for the parts and nothing for labour - 8 bolts. plug into existing socket for the wiring. About 1 hour to fit as I took my time.  No programming required.

What a genius you are.

What a genius you are.

 

 

Thank you. 

 

 

:moon:

Moi?

 

Currently sat in a hotel in Auray, but Johann, don't bother. The amount o charge it gives it isn't worth the bother.

As usual I disagree on this one ... I need and want split charging and wiring for my ATC.  Again if VW can do it why not Skoda?

^ Good point

As usual I disagree on this one ... I need and want split charging and wiring for my ATC.  Again if VW can do it why not Skoda?

My ATC works fine on Skoda factory fit wiring. Tbh never checked split charging as not bothered about it, but now I'm curious - next time I hook the van up, I will try and remember to look!

Seems few of you want cold beer after putting the awning up! But in saying that, I've camped in my tents for ten years now and with some ice packs in my insulated fridge plugged into the boot of the Yeti, I've always had a cold beer after putting the tents up... So this tradition (and the "fridge" running in the car) might just have to continue.

But for just £75 split charging won't hurt.

I've asked the service place about re-wiring the van to a 13 pin and he said it's a big job and not worth the money. So I'm sticking with my 13 to 7 converter and a separate (unused) split cable.

But for just £75 split charging won't hurt.

I've asked the service place about re-wiring the van to a 13 pin and he said it's a big job and not worth the money. So I'm sticking with my 13 to 7 converter and a separate (unused) split cable.

Sounds like he doesn't know what is involved.

A new 13pin plug.

Google the wiring -plenty wiring diagrams available.

Remove the old 12N & 12S sockets.

Push cables through the 13pin plug. Wire them up.

And bob dog (where is he) is your uncle.

Or have I missed something?

As for adding the split charge bit, £75 sounds awfully cheap.......the parts must almost cost that..... Running cables from the front of the car, taking trim out to get the cables to the rear of the car....... If labour rate is minimum wage.

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