daver clasper Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Hi folksJust fitting a tow bar to the Vitesse to tow a trailer or maybe a small basic caravan in the future.Looking on the net, it seems moderns need more "things" for the wiring and for the use of high tech caravans.Cant find anything for old cars.Can I just tap into the the main loom in the boot, or is there more to it, due to the extra lights using more amps and would the indicators still work ok and be safe.Any advice much appreciated, electrics I find complicated even though it's supposed to be simple.Cheers, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky_spit Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 I have a towbar electrics socket inside the boot of my Spitfire (long story) and that is just connected to the existing wires that supply the lights, indicators and brakelights. It works okay, although the indicators flash a bit more quickly when a trailer board is plugged in.By law you need a device to tell you if the trailer indicators (or brake lights?) are working or not. This is usually a reed relay connected to a warning light you should mount on the dashboard. I'll let you guess as to whether I've got round to that yet....You could do it for the price of a 12N type 7 pin socket, some wire and a few scotchlok connectors. You get a diagram in with the socket which shows what wire goes where. I'm assuming you are not going for split charging and fridge feed for your trailer/caravan and need a 2nd auxiliary socket as well.https://www.google.co.uk/searc.....rc=fyLdA2BTTT2OTM%3A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve AKA vitessesteve Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 http://www.watling-towbars.co.uk/wiring_guides_watling_towbars.htmlAn old style electromechanic flasher unit will normally only run 4 lights - you can replace it with a modern unit that will run more lights.If you only require stop lights and tail lights a simple single plug/socket will be enough - a 12N type.I think it depends on the age of the caravan, so an old caravan or simple trailer and 12N will OK. Modern caravan and or car and you need more complex stuff.I would check out the caravan club for a pretty full write up. http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/media/1022790/towbar-wiring-mo.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nang Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 Don't use Scotchloks...horrible things. I can't remember how many times I've traced wiring faults to these horror of all horrors.I tend to do soldered joints and heat shrink sleeves when I do towbar wiring. Had no trouble personally with normal flasher units. Don't forget to run a earth wire from both ends.Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 Yu can get clever little boxes of electronics that are designed for modern cars with CANBUS ( ? ) wiring.Ideally suited for classics as well. Just tap into the wiring for the inputs, and supply a decent 12v feed from the battery. The towbar socket connects to the outputs. They put no load on teh existing wiring.They contained the required sqwarker as well for the indicators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky_spit Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 Yep, I've got CANBUS wiring on my modern's towbar. Easy to fit but they can be pricey if Dave is on a budget. Cheapest way is ebay for a 12N socket and some Scotchloks. Or Halfords if you are feeling flush. Use grease-filled Scotchlocks if you want, or a squirt of WD40; remember the connections will be made inside the boot and not exposed to the elements. Mine, and the original flasher relay, have lasted for 15 years or so without a problem. BTW - the Scotchlok principle is not inherently flawed if used properly with correct sized connectors for the cable size. Almost everybody's telephone landline will have at least 2, if not more, insulation displacement connectors of that type used on them and this has been the case since the mid-1970's, with an extremely low failure rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daver clasper Posted February 13, 2016 Author Share Posted February 13, 2016 Thanks so much for all your replies, has cleared up a lot of thingsIt's a Watling one off E Bay, that's complete and has a black 7 pin socket, so I think that's the 12N, the most basic one?.Tony. When you said it needs earthing at both end I'm not sure what you mean by this.The socket cable has a white wire which the Watling web page says is earth.Does this wire earth to the carbody, as these cars don't have have earth wire,s running in the loom do they?.If so is there another part that needs earthing please?.Thanks again, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky_spit Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 Yes, that will be a 12N socket; the basic one. Pin 3 (white wire) is earth. Just connect it to something metallic in the boot. A bumper-iron bolt, or one of the nuts for the lights or similar. Anything that's solidly affixed to the bodywork of the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nang Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 Quoted from daver clasper Thanks so much for all your replies, has cleared up a lot of thingsIt's a Watling one off E Bay, that's complete and has a black 7 pin socket, so I think that's the 12N, the most basic one?.Tony. When you said it needs earthing at both end I'm not sure what you mean by this.The socket cable has a white wire which the Watling web page says is earth.Does this wire earth to the carbody, as these cars don't have have earth wire,s running in the loom do they?.If so is there another part that needs earthing please?.Thanks again, Dave Sorry, what I meant was make sure you run a separate earth wire to the trailer too. Amazing how many run around here just relying on the towball connection as an earth. Jndicators on and brake lights flashing etc Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daver clasper Posted February 15, 2016 Author Share Posted February 15, 2016 Cheers for getting back Tony on that one.Still not what this means.I haven't got a trailer yet, but assume the trailer socket bit will have an earth, corresponding to the tow bar earth socket, so earthing to the car body.I'm not good on electrics.Do you mean run an extra/separate earth from trailer chassis, etc, to car body as a back up.Cheers, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nang Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Earth the trailer plug to a metal part of the trailer as well as earthing the car plug to a metal part of the car. When plugs are hooked up together you will then have a continuous earth from car to trailer.Hope this helps.Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkuser Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Maybe "earth" the SOCKET on the car to its frame and the PLUG on the trailer to its frame.i.e. both the socket and the plug best have a sound connection to the metal frames of each vehicle to which they are attached to complete the circuits satisfactorily.(I wonder if this will just cause further confusion?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daver clasper Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share Posted February 23, 2016 Cheers for all you imput.That's great and I understand it now.cheers, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gt6s Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 Quoted from sparky_spit I have a towbar electrics socket inside the boot of my Spitfire (long story) and that is just connected to the existing wires that supply the lights, indicators and brakelights. ] I have electrics socket mounted to the side of the bonnet hinge box on the front of Gt6, Short story, A frame !Laurence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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