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Hi,

Just changed over from a motorhome to a caravan and seem to have problems with the caravan electrics when we stop at a service station, etc, for a break.  We cannot seem to get any power for lighting, etc, and had to resort to using torches.  Any one got ideas what we are doing wrong.

Many thanks

you could ask on the caravan forum .lol

could be the change over switch on the control panel needs switching over when stopped .could you tell us caravan /panel name . 

We have an abbey aventura 340 - will have to check the panel when I next go to it.  Still learning ropes of having a caravan but am getting there.  A friend said it might be that we might have to unplug the electrics from the car when we are stopped, but I don't know if that is correct.  Seems really strange to me.

Many thanks

Yes we do.  Somebody suggested that we should remove them when we stop which seems a really strange idea, especially if it is very bad weather as we want to get into the caravan as quickly as possible. 

Many thanks

This question really would have been better asked on the caravan forum.

The age of the caravan is relevant - in older vans when the car is attached you could run the 12v from the car battery, or switch to the caravan battery, simply by changing the position of the rocker switch on the control panel from car to van.

On newer vans I believe they are wired so that you cannot run the 12v system in the caravan whilst the electrics are attached to the car (only the fridge will work) - this is a safety measure to stop you driving off down the motorway with the lights on in the caravan.

If neither of those solutions work then probably one of the relays is playing up.