Caravan wiring help (12v system)

kam1nsk1

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Hello everyone! 1st post, hope someone can help - we bought a very old caravan a few weeks ago and I need some help with the electrics. I can't afford to pay anyone to do it and it really isn't important enough anyway, but I get the feeling it wouldn't take much for me to get it going if only I knew how!

The mains hook up connection works absolutely fine, as does the running lights from the car (brakes, indicators etc).

The only thing that I have yet to get working is the 12v system.
The previous owner said that although it had recently been redone (this does seem correct as the mains and running lights are all new) they had always had hook up and had never used it and didn't really know how.
The original grey plug on the caravan had been left to drag whilst towing so needed replacing, but before I replaced it I charged the leisure battery up and also hooked up the knackered plug to the car just to see if anything happened. This got some of the 12v lights working.

I have since replaced the grey plug but am unsure if I have done this correctly as I understand the wiring standard changed a few years ago but it the van was built in 84 so I'm not sure which wiring diagram to follow.

Also, the leisure battery is knackered and doesn't hold a charge. Now even when connected to the car nothing on the 12v system works. Does this mean the the 12v system will not function even when connected to the car if the battery itself is dead?

Can anyone give me any pointers?
I could even take some photo's of the wiring set up if this would help.

Cheers in advance
 
your 12v system should work regardless of having a leisure battery in it.

under one of the seats(next to my water heater) in my caravan i have a big brown charger with 2 fuses in it, have you checked yours, there is also fuses under another seat and in the kitchen area by the switches for the pump, awning light, fan and the main switch to switch from car/caravan or off
 
your 12v system should work regardless of having a leisure battery in it.

under one of the seats(next to my water heater) in my caravan i have a big brown charger with 2 fuses in it, have you checked yours, there is also fuses under another seat and in the kitchen area by the switches for the pump, awning light, fan and the main switch to switch from car/caravan or off

Next to where the battery goes under one of the front bench seats is a relay sort of thing with fuses and the like. This is the only place I have found any fuses or electrics at all, I think all the electrics come in and out of here.

Should the lights etc work then even if the battery is flat? They only worked the once and then nothing. The trouble is there are so many things that might be wrong that it is difficult to use a process of elimination! Can anyone suggest a good starting point?
 
Next to where the battery goes under one of the front bench seats is a relay sort of thing with fuses and the like. This is the only place I have found any fuses or electrics at all, I think all the electrics come in and out of here.

Should the lights etc work then even if the battery is flat? They only worked the once and then nothing. The trouble is there are so many things that might be wrong that it is difficult to use a process of elimination! Can anyone suggest a good starting point?

A multi meter set to dc and start at the lights for a votage and work your way back to the power source checking for voltage.
Also continuity check the fuses if there are any.
 
Next to where the battery goes under one of the front bench seats is a relay sort of thing with fuses and the like. This is the only place I have found any fuses or electrics at all, I think all the electrics come in and out of here.

Should the lights etc work then even if the battery is flat? They only worked the once and then nothing. The trouble is there are so many things that might be wrong that it is difficult to use a process of elimination! Can anyone suggest a good starting point?

to me if your saying your battery is flat then it sounds like the charger is at fault, but i'd follow ians advice and trace backwards the voltage
 
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