Towing sockets

[elpeede]

Can anyone please advise me.. is there a plug I can just plug the 12s socket into hidden away somewhere or do I need to splice in to wires in the car?

The car already has 12n (normal light socket)

I've not got it yet so can't have a poke around and we're due to hook up the van for Easter so keen to get it sorted once it lands.

 

[rustic]

Can anyone please advise me.. is there a plug I can just plug the 12s socket into hidden away somewhere or do I need to splice in to wires in the car?

The car already has 12n (normal light socket)

I've not got it yet so can't have a poke around and we're due to hook up the van for Easter so keen to get it sorted once it lands.

I would be very surprised if the wiring was in place for the 12S socket, as some of the wires need to be quite hefty, and I can't imagine Nissan fitting wiring that won't be used in 95% of cases.
The 12N I can understand, my rover 620 had a pre-wired connector in the boot for the tow-bar.:thumb2
The 12N socket is used for caravans, small camping trailers and lighting boards for bike racks.


12S wiring may include power for the fridge, heating control charging the caravan battery via a split charge relay, reversing lights etc.
On my maverick I put a junction box with fuses and relays in the passenger footwell, and run heavy duty cables under the carpet to the 12S socket.

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

fraid not, though all you need is one really good ( heavy) cable down from battery
- no connecting to a boot light like some bodgers do. fuse it near front/battery.

can be routed under edge of door plastic sill covers.

theres room in offside rear corner as i recall, perhaps both as now thinking about
it my wires down near side of car and across back of rad but that was so could
loop thru a second battery i had planned.


how olds yer tin tent, as latest vans charge of live pin 4 in the van rather
than a dedicated pin like the fridge does still.

think in ltest arrangement theres a seconf earth pin in 12s, can pull a link in from
revrse light too.

all that said how far do you tow, as if youc can chill fridge on mains or even gas
at home dont really need 12s plus battery likely charged at home too. wouldnt
let it not being wired up get in way of a good trip away.

 

[Deleted account DD]

Dont forget either that a caravan fridge (give or take very slight variations) wont go from ambient temp to chilled on the 12v system. The 12v system is designed to maintain it at the pre chilled temp during travel only :thumb2

So as TTT2 says, you may not need to worry about it.

We often go to sites around an hour from home and I have forgotten a couple of times to switch the fridge over to 12v and its made bugger all difference tbh

 

[elpeede]

Caravan is a 2008 Bailey Senator Carolina.

Distances.. well we tend to migrate over to France for the summer Holidays. I try to limit trips to around 250 miles between sites. We go down typically as far as Biaritz which is West coast of France about 20 miles from the border with Spain.. or if we do the other leg we go down to Lake Como in Italy takingin some Swiss mountain passes on route via Interlaken.

Here it is stopping for a breather at 7000 feet

More locally our trips are say 140 miles up to the lakes. Not really fussed about the fridge to be honest.. more the reverse lights and topping up the 12v battery.. but keeping the fridge cool is kind of essential on the summer holidays as otherwise the contents is bloated due to the heat over their. 1st year we went 2004 there were closures on the autoroutes due to the tarmac melting ... down side is folk dying due to the heat and forrest fires but when I get on that Beach its all worth it.

Maybe this is something Nissan should look to wire in.. My Disco's since '96 , RRC and current Rangies are all a matter of plugging in a harness. Still not to worry.. only needs to be done once

 

[Deleted account DD]

Does yours at that age not have the single euro 13pin ? (0ur 2008 bailey has as std) theyre the muts bitz if you have got it. Faffing around with an adapter? change it !!! :thumb2

As far as wiring in goes check out the fuse to the rear load area power socket , if its sufficient just take a feed into a voltage sensing split charger (loads on ebay) I did that on one, worked fine no problems.

 

[Deleted account DD]

ps have a look at the unicorns and think part ex for your senator

we've been looking at the unicorn Barcelona (stupid name) today :thumb2

 

[elpeede]

No twin leads on ours.. it was a display model thoughso probably an early 2008 one. As for trading it in.. were due another caravan in about 10 years... :lol :lol this ones not dirty yet. I do like the concept of the new ones though and the way they are assembled. Will give it some time to be sure they don't have any teething problems as the Alutech method is relatively recent.