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Subject Topic: Towbar fuse blows when connecting caravan Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonMontydog2
08/9/2019 at 6:34pm
 Location: Aldershot
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Hello everyone
Hopefully someone will be able to help me with this problem.
The caravan lives on a site in storage. I connected the caravan to the car in May to see if everything worked and it was fine. When we went to tow the caravan in July as soon a I turned on the right indicator one of the 10amp fuses blew. All worked as long as I didn’t use the right indicator. We weren’t going far so I just drove it there. I found out the cars socket was rusty. Once home I changed the socket and bought a socket tester. All ok. Went to tow the caravan yesterday still blows the fuse. I have now put wires in the socket with a bulb and it works as it should. The tester says the caravan is ok. I have connected a 6 volt battery to the caravan socket and the indicator glows so it’s ok. According to the tester it’s ok and all the tests I have done it’s ok but still blows the cars fuse when connected together. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thank you.


Persontango55
08/9/2019 at 11:30pm
 Location: Lichfield
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Well, if you have conducted all the necessary tests and all proved to be okay then there's not really any further advice you can receive on here therefore the best solution it to request a professional moblile service engineer to take a look as they have the appropriate equipment to trace the underlying fault whether it be the towing vehicle or the caravan.


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Personbirdman101
via mobile 09/9/2019 at 8:33am
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Have you checked the 13 pin plug on the caravan. The connections are so close together it only needs one single strand of wire to be touching the next pin connector to short and blow fuse.


PersonMontydog2
09/9/2019 at 11:15am
 Location: Aldershot
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Thank you for your replies.
I haven’t checked the caravan plug. I didn’t want to take it apart here on site just in case I can’t get it back together as it a push fit.
It’s reassuring that you say a single wire could be causing the problem. When I tested the caravan indicator with the battery, I didn’t connect it through a fuse. In one way it shows the indicator works the other it doesn’t prove anything as any stray wires would just heat up.


Persontango55
09/9/2019 at 1:17pm
 Location: Lichfield
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Quote: Originally posted by Montydog2 on 09/9/2019
Thank you for your replies.
I haven’t checked the caravan plug. I didn’t want to take it apart here on site just in case I can’t get it back together as it a push fit.
It’s reassuring that you say a single wire could be causing the problem. When I tested the caravan indicator with the battery, I didn’t connect it through a fuse. In one way it shows the indicator works the other it doesn’t prove anything as any stray wires would just heat up.



You stated in your first post that the tester says that the caravan is okay which to me sounds like the caravan electrics are fine.


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Personchrisn7
09/9/2019 at 1:34pm
 Location: West Yorkshire
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Since you have satisfied yourself that the car socket is ok, and that the R/H indicator also works, then the only remaining things to test are the 13 pin socket, and perhaps the cable from the plug to the van.
Some people store the caravan plug in a moulded holder in the A frame fairing , but this may still allow water to enter down the cable. Best to keep the green cap on, and the whole under a cover.


Persontango55
09/9/2019 at 2:07pm
 Location: Lichfield
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Is the socket on the car the older twin electrics or single 13 pin socket?
If it's a 13 pin socket what connection is on the caravan, two plugs or just one 13 pin plug?
Just a thought, if you have changed the caravan connections from twin electric plugs to a 13 pin plug then that could very well be the problem. I did this with my caravan whereby I changed the black and grey plugs to one single 13 pin plug to save using an adaptor but had problems identical to what you are experiencing and a complete nightmare to say the least even though I strictly followed the wiring diagram. I connected the twin plugs back up and everything worked fine again but when I spoke to my service engineer he told me that for strange reason they are not compatible due to the caravan older wiring circuit. He went on to say that it had been tried several times by other caravanners and some ended up with lighting issues especially with the indicators. I've never had a problem since then but thought it was worth mentioning just in case the caravan plugs had been changed over at all.


Personwelshwom
09/9/2019 at 7:32pm
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well if the socket is ok when tested and only blows when connecting the caravan on then theres your clue check the caravan plug maybe a wire is loose and shorting.


PersonBroadside
via mobile 09/9/2019 at 10:36pm
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Can you plug a trailer lighting board in to the car as a test to confirm that the car is ok? You need to absolutely discount it being the car before trying to trace the fault further.


PersonMontydog2
09/9/2019 at 11:25pm
 Location: Aldershot
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That’s a good idea. I do have a light board at home. Thanks 👍


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Personchrisn7
10/9/2019 at 12:53pm
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Quote: Originally posted by Montydog2 on 09/9/2019
That’s a good idea. I do have a light board at home. Thanks 👍


In your OP you said you had bought a socket tester and that all was OK?


PersonMontydog2
10/9/2019 at 2:19pm
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Yes the tester said everything is ok. I have now taken the caravan plug apart. It is a bit rusty, but seems ok. The wiring colours on the caravan are totally different to the cars socket. I just going to see if I can find a wiring diagram.


PersonMontydog2
10/9/2019 at 4:54pm
 Location: Aldershot
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Hello everyone
Well I think I have found the problem. I took the caravan plug apart, a bit rusty but nothing to worry about. Looked at it quite carefully, but nothing seemed untoward.
Connected it to the car and it worked and then it didn’t. This went on for a bit. I then noticed that one of the pins in the plug was lower than the rest. Took the plug apart again and it was touching the r/h indicator terminal. Pushed it back out, and it’s working. The caravan will be serviced soon, I’ll get them to change the plug as I don’t have the tools with me.
Thank you for all your help.


Persontango55
10/9/2019 at 11:52pm
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You don't need any tools apart from a flat blade electrical screwdriver and a good pair of reading glasses!



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