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Subject Topic: Charging battery while towing. Post Reply Post New Topic
Personneilandali
03/8/2012 at 11:01pm
 Location: wigan
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This is a very basic query, but if I am towing with black and white towing sockets connected, does the caravan battery get charged up.

Any advice would be appreciated


Persontango55
03/8/2012 at 11:06pm
 Location: Lichfield
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They are called 12N (black) and 12S (white/grey). The black one is solely for the lights and indicators on the rear of the caravan and the white/grey is for charging the caravan leisure battery and operating the fridge on 12 volt power plus I think that the rear fog lights (if fitted) also are powered via the white/grey socket too.

Post last edited on 03/08/2012 23:12:08


Personneilandali
03/8/2012 at 11:25pm
 Location: wigan
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Thank you


Persontango55
03/8/2012 at 11:48pm
 Location: Lichfield
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You're welcome


Persontango55
03/8/2012 at 11:56pm
 Location: Lichfield
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Make sure that the car/van rocker switch inside the caravan is switched over to the car position after you have connected up the 12S plug and socket though otherwise there won't be any power coming through to charge the leisure battery. There are 3 positions on the rocker switch which is car, van and neutral (centre position) and I always switch it to neutral first before connecting up otherwise as there is a live feed coming from the car it could possibly blow a fuse if you get a spark upon connection. Once connected then switch to the car position and the gauge should read about 13 volts which indicates that the power is being transferred from the towcar to the caravan.


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Persontimtheenchanter
04/8/2012 at 10:10am
 Location: Yeadon Leeds!
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Quote: Originally posted by tango55 on 03/8/2012
Make sure that the car/van rocker switch inside the caravan is switched over to the car position after you have connected up the 12S plug and socket though otherwise there won't be any power coming through to charge the leisure battery. There are 3 positions on the rocker switch which is car, van and neutral (centre position) and I always switch it to neutral first before connecting up otherwise as there is a live feed coming from the car it could possibly blow a fuse if you get a spark upon connection. Once connected then switch to the car position and the gauge should read about 13 volts which indicates that the power is being transferred from the towcar to the caravan.


that is incorrect.
The switch has no bearing on the charging of the battery, mine charges regardless of the switch position.
The switch simply chooses where the 12V power for the van comes from, the leisure battery or the 12S socket.

The switch/power selector draws its power from a different pin on the 12S socket, one that is permanantly live.
the battery and fridge are fed from pins that are only live when the engine is running (usually needs 2-2.5K revs to prevent the van fridge, or discharged battery pulling power from the towcar, and leaving it with a flat battery.
The 12V switch should be off when towing.


Persontango55
04/8/2012 at 10:21am
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When the rocker switch is in the central neutral position it registers '0' at the power gauge therefore I understood that no power from the towcar car was being delivered and that you needed the rocker switch on the car position with the gauge showing the electrical current from the towcar car in order to charge the leisure battery. So what you are saying is that even when the rocker switch is on the neutral position an electrical feed is still currently being delivered via the 12S supply?


PersonDaveCoaches
05/8/2012 at 4:00pm
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The fog lights are powered by the blue wire on the 12N. The Reversing lights (where fitted) run from the 12S socket.

When the 12S is connected and the car engine is running, the habitation relay overrides the switches so that the battery charges and the fridge is powered. If you switch the engine off, the relay drops out and the car / Van switch enables you to draw power from the car battery rather than the leisure battery. It still doesn't charge the leisure battery or power the fridge though. If the engine is running then the caravan's internal electrics should be switched off by the habitation relay, only allowing the charging circuits and the fridge to work.


Personsunshinetours
08/8/2012 at 3:03pm
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So to run the fridge on 12v to keep it cool (will pre cool it on EHU at home) just need to flick the fridge switch to 12v and not touch anything else on the car/van rocker switch ie leave it on neutral/middle position?


PersonDaveCoaches
13/8/2012 at 10:32am
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Switch the fridge to 12volts. The rocker switch shouldn't make any difference as the habitation relay overrides it.



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