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Subject Topic: converting electrics Post Reply Post New Topic
Personashy55
07/11/2012 at 11:21pm
 Location: Bolton
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Can anyone advise me? I have a tow bar with single electrics for my trailer. What do I need to do in order to tow a caravan? Do I need to go back to my towbar installer or is there a connector I can buy? Sorry if this sounds stupid! I'm a towing newbie...

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Lakes and Wales... :-)


Personvivlee
07/11/2012 at 11:40pm
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Hi, just read your post, while waiting and hoping that someone will reply to mine, asked my hubby and he said you can tow your caravan with single electrics, it will work all your external lights such as brake lights and indicator lights, it just wont work your electrics inside your caravan (say if you wanted to pull up in a layby and use something electrical inside) thats the only thing you wouldnt be able to do.

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Viv


Personbirdman101
08/11/2012 at 7:21am
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With the single electrics you can tow your caravan but reversing lights will not work, but this is not legally required.If you need your fridge on whilst towing you will need the extra socket, then if this is wired fully your reverse light will also work.


PersonZafiral
08/11/2012 at 7:33am
 Location: Kent
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If you have a modern caravan with Alko ATC stability control then you need the extended electrics (either full 13 pin or a 2nd 7 pin socket) to power this.

If no ATC or equivalent is fitted, all a car full electrics will do while driving is charge the caravan battery & run the fridge. In my van, the caravan electrics (lights etc,) will only work if the car is disconnected.

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All year Dorset!!!


PersonOpensauce
08/11/2012 at 8:38am
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If you do not have the ability to do wiring yourself then you need to go to a towbar fitter. You can either have an extra 7pin 12s socket fitted, this to power fridge & charge battery in caravan or a single 13pin socket in place of 7pin you have now. If caravan is '09 or newer it will have 13pin plug, older & it will have the twin 7pin plugs.

As stated, you do not need to add/change socket to tow caravan, you can plug in just 7pin black plug or with 13pin plug you can get a small adaptor to fit into 7pin socket.


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PersonGrampian91
08/11/2012 at 2:14pm
 Location: Midlands
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I tow my caravan with single 7 pin electrics.

It does have the 2nd 7pin socket but i don't use it.

It only runs the fridge whilst towing and charges the battery.

But my battery is charged and i wouldn't want to charge it off my car anyway. Cars voltage is too high.

Don't like running the fridge on the move either.

Leisure batteries like a long slow recharge. Its not going to get that with my 14.5volts and 100Amps alternator is it.


PersonBERTIE
09/11/2012 at 6:34am
 Location: Plymouth
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On the Alko ATC FAQ'S it states this:

Can ATC also be fitted on caravans with a (7-pin) plug?
Yes. The system requires the use of electrical connections from the 12S(grey) plug. It also works with caravans fitted with the new 13-pin plug

Which I believe means that you do not need the 2nd electric or 13 pin to use ATC.


PersonOpensauce
09/11/2012 at 8:22am
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Quote: Originally posted by BERTIE on 09/11/2012
On the Alko ATC FAQ'S it states this:

Can ATC also be fitted on caravans with a (7-pin) plug?
Yes. The system requires the use of electrical connections from the 12S(grey) plug. It also works with caravans fitted with the new 13-pin plug

Which I believe means that you do not need the 2nd electric or 13 pin to use ATC.

The way I'm reading that, it states that you do need the extra 12S 7pin socket to make it work. It should presumably also have pointed out that 13pin socket needs to be fully wired which is not the case with some car main dealer supplied 13pin looms that need an extra loom to have all pins functioning.



Post last edited on 09/11/2012 08:28:54


Personbirdman101
09/11/2012 at 8:42am
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Tentz is spot on.The ATC needs a permanent live feed to operate.You only have this if 13 pin is fully wired or have two 7 pin sockets of which the grey has a permanent live.


Person664DaveS
09/11/2012 at 9:45am
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You can use an ATC equipped van with a single socket connection, it means that the ATC is not operative so the caravan brakes work as normal overrun brakes. You lose the added safety of the ATC (if fitted).

Not all vans have it,or reversing lamps.

Some cars need dedicated wiring as they have databus wiring systems.You cannot simply splice into these! Towsure do kits for most cars.

If not sure speak to a good towbar fitter,they know their stuff!



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DS-There's more to life than football!!!


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Personashy55
10/11/2012 at 5:43pm
 Location: Bolton
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Thank you so much for all your replies! I know a little bit more about it all now!

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Lakes and Wales... :-)



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