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Hi

When towing on sunday in heavy rain as I indicated around a roundabout all the caravan lights went off including brakes

Is this due to a failed fuse ? Is it likely to be a fuse in the car or caravan ?

Not realy good with electrics so advice gratefully received

cheers

gazza1000

All the circuits are fused separately, either at the car end or sometimes in the trailer as well. Very unlikely they would all blow at once. The one thing that would cause all the lights to fail at once is the earth lead in the 12N plug (the black one). Interesting they failed going round a bend, at a time when there would be pressure on the lead. Check the plug and socket carefully, a wire may be loose, or the pin may be loose(prise the pin out slightly by inserting a small screwdriver in the cross slot). Use the link for wiring connections.

http://www.electronics2000.co.uk/pin-out/trailer.php

If is doubt get it professionally checked out. Better safe than sorry.

Martin

I would check the earth connection inside the 12N plug(and/or socket)on terminal 3 white wire

There may also be a fuse in the caravan earth near where the 12N cable enters the bed box

Thanks for all the advice guys

Will check the 12N plug , pins & cables

cheers

Gazza1000

Quote: Originally posted by JohnG on 02/7/2008

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I would check the earth connection inside the 12N plug(and/or socket)on terminal 3 white wire

There may also be a fuse in the caravan earth near where the 12N cable enters the bed box

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Hi Crypto

Could add that if the car fuse for a particular element went then the appropriate light in the car would not work either.

Crypto

 A fuse in the earth could prevent feed back etc

I did say "may be" but maybe there isn't one after looking on the Swift wiring diagram

Bailey don't fit any at all in the 12N circuit and I fitted a bank of fuses myself but none of them blew including the earth

John

The purpose of a fuse is to prevent the cable being overloaded and overheating. The earth return has to be a heavier cable to carry the current of all the bulbs in the caravan lights and a fuse in the earth  similarly would have to be a higher rating. Therefore the appropriate fuse of the live cable to any of the lights would blow first. In other words it would serve no purpose.

I don't understand the term "feedback" in this context. Do you mean reverse current? If so a fuse would have no effect here. A doide would prevent reverse current, though I am not sure how you could get reverse current in a12N circuit.

Martin

Point taken