quick question....

[jayjay]

I have an extension cable which plugs into the 12s grey socket on the caravan but I don't have twin electrics on the car... would it be possible to get some sort of adaptor for this so I could plug it into a plug socket while on EHU to charge the leisure battery or will I have to use a trickle charger?

http://www.smallmotorhome.co.uk/foru...1&d=1259954095

Here's the pic of the thing. The leads which connect the leisure battery are sort of permanently on you see, you couldn't attach the pegs/clips as well/at the same time, so it would mean detaching to charge from a trickle charger, and no 12v lights, etc whilst doing it.

ETA: I'd also like to know if I can get an adaptor for a two-pin shaving socket which runs off the 12v system, to plug a phone charger, etc into. Should add, the shaving socket has a label saying 'shavers only' on it... but if I could get an adaptor for other 12v things, wouldn't it be useful? My ladyshave in the house is two pin and I use an adaptor to plug into three pin house electric, so is it possible (in theory, if one can be bought) to plug an adaptor to cigarette socket?

[peterholden]

Hi Jayjay

In principle you cannot run 240V (mains) devices from a 12V source but I use an electric beard trimmer using a 150W inverter that plugs into a cigarette lighter socket and has a mains socket at the other end.

You can also charge phones this way or run a laptop but i have a car charger for the phone and a gadget to run the laptop from 12V.

[jayjay]

Here's the little unit. Although the shaver socket says something like Shavers only 230-240v This unit actually runs off the leisure battery (the light works, haven't tried the shaver socket yet!), so am I right in assuming that anything plugged into the shaver socket will also have to run off 12v? I was thinking of maybe plugging my phone charger into it (very low charge) and a few other very low voltage items. Obviously anything pulling a lot of power would soon run the leisure battery down!

[jayjay]

ooops! forgot to add the pic! Here it is..

[jayjay]

just found this on Ebay, will this work whilst towing?

Will have to go out and count the pins on my towing end on the car...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Caravan-hook-u...item3a5882fada

[pendel]

Extra strong velcro in an envelope ready to post in the morning. Hope it works. It should do, its hard to pull apart. I will see you at Wolverly. Penny

[peterholden]

The adapter on ebay is to adapt the new 12pin connector to the traditional caravan connectors

[jayjay]

Extra strong velcro in an envelope ready to post in the morning. Hope it works. It should do, its hard to pull apart. I will see you at Wolverly. Penny

Thanks Penny!

ETA: Can't wait to get out in this van, if I ever get the leaks fixed!!

[jayjay]

The adapter on ebay is to adapt the new 12pin connector to the traditional caravan connectors

I aven't got a 12 pin connector on my car , it seems to be a seven pin! good job I checked! So is there such a thing as a 7 pin single at the car end, to a 7 pin double to spit the charge between lights and charging battery at the caravan end, I wonder?

Or a 7 pin to 12pin adaptor and then one of the above, or am I getting really complicated here? That would be one adaptor into another adaptor! LOL!!

[Derek]

So is there such a thing as a 7 pin single at the car end, to a 7 pin double to spit the charge between lights and charging battery at the caravan end, I wonder?

Nope, if you only have one socket it should just be lights, it is called a 12N.
It will have flashers, tail, brake and rear fog lamp feeds.

The second socket (12S) has the split charge, fridge, reversing lamp and 12V feed.

Info here
http://www.autoelectrics.net/towbar.html

[jayjay]

Nope, if you only have one socket it should just be lights, it is called a 12N.
It will have flashers, tail, brake and rear fog lamp feeds.

The second socket (12S) has the split charge, fridge, reversing lamp and 12V feed.

Info here
http://www.autoelectrics.net/towbar.html

Thanks for that, Derek.

Well poo! So I will have to use a trickle charger if away for a long time to charge the leisure battery... Was hoping to get around it somehow! The leads on the battery are pull and fit ones, which go right over the terminals) so there's no space to attach the charger pegs without taking off the leads, so an overnight charge would mean no lights, etc whilst charging.

ETA: While we're on the subject, do the terminals on the caravan have to be oiled, vaselined or something? They look pretty ok, but they are quite old, just wondered if a bit of maintainance now might save tears later!

[Shubberdog]

Jayjay
Please do not plug any 12v equipment into the shaver socket. The output from it will be 230v ac and any 12v dc equipment connected to it will go with quite a bang!

If it runs from your battery it must have a small inverter built in to it.

Why don’t you have a grey socket fitted to your car?
:confused1:

[jayjay]

Jayjay
Please do not plug any 12v equipment into the shaver socket. The output from it will be 230v ac and any 12v dc equipment connected to it will go with quite a bang!

If it runs from your battery it must have a small inverter built in to it.

Why don’t you have a grey socket fitted to your car?
:confused1:

Not even a shaver/elec toothbrush charger???? These plug in in the house thru a two in adaptor into a three pin socket.... Haven't tried anything in the socket yet, but the light on it works thru the 12v leisure battery, not on EHU... got me suspicious now, many things are not what they seem in this van, so it maybe doesn't have an inverter built in. Will have to take it down and inspect I think.

Why don’t you have a grey socket fitted to your car? I will do when I have the money, pretty empty coffers at the moment, shelled out £480 more than I expected to when I bought the van.... and more....

What's more, I reckon the grey socket on the caravan doesn't work anyway, so pointless exercise, unless I have the van end rewired as well.

[Wanderer101]

RE;I have an extension cable which plugs into the 12s grey socket on the caravan but I don't have twin electrics on the car... would it be possible to get some sort of adaptor for this so I could plug it into a plug socket while on EHU to charge the leisure battery or will I have to use a trickle charger?


Hi Jay Jay

you will have to go to an auto electrician or the people who fitted the tow bar to your vehicle,the grey cable/socket will recharge the leisure battery & keep the fridge running when driving or when car engine is running.you can see both or single fitting at link below £12.78 for single grey socket/plug. £19.27 for double black&grey socket/plug.

Hope this helps
Exhausted now
My first major reply
http://www.autow.co.uk/towbars/plugs...rices_209.html

[Shubberdog]

Not even a shaver/elec toothbrush charger???? These plug in in the house thru a two in adaptor into a three pin socket.... Haven't tried anything in the socket yet, but the light on it works thru the 12v leisure battery, not on EHU... got me suspicious now, many things are not what they seem in this van, so it maybe doesn't have an inverter built in. Will have to take it down and inspect I think.

Hi Jayjay
Yes if you plug these small items into the mains at home then you can use them from your shaver socket. I was under the impression that you wanted to plug 12v things into it, which would not be a good idea, but I am getting very old and easily confused,
I just don’t want you to get hurt or cause a fire.