13 pin socket. Extension cable.

[oldagetraveller1]

I have a German van which is not equipped with on-board battery. It's never a problem as I use gas for the fridge and all lighting is LED. I find I can get by without difficulty for 5/6 days at a time. However, I do need to be connected to the car which is normally OK. I am now thinking about making up a connection cable to allow me to park the car a little away from the tow bar. A 3 metre length would be fine.
Can an electrician amoungst us tell me which pins I would need to connect? I assume I'll need no more than 2 or 3 core cable?

 

[Sproket]

Not the cheapest but possibly the safest way to do it ( plug-n-play ) ‹(•¿•)› unlless you buy all of the bits seperate

 

[RayS]

You can buy the necessary plug and socket easily and use twin core or three core cable between them. The plug/socket box will most likely have wiring diagrams showing the pin connection either printed on the box or as a leaflet inside. But check that your car wiring has a fuse in the line leading to the socket. You will also find two 12v feeds = one ignition controlled and one not, although on some modern cars even the 'not' connection may switch off after about 3 or 5 minutes = this is done to prevent you leaving something (say a cool box) running continuously in the car and flattening the battery.
You will run the same risk using the 12v feed to the caravan and some items e.g. some televisions can have quite high operating current.

 

[MichaelE]

Very easy to make up a cable, its just the cost, around £25 for the plug and socket alone.
Only connections you will need are 9 for + and 13 for earth

Be careful if you buy an extension lead as not all have the full amount of pins, ie will only have 8 for lighting not the supplementary circuits

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

You can buy the necessary plug and socket easily and use twin core or three core cable between them. The plug/socket box will most likely have wiring diagrams showing the pin connection either printed on the box or as a leaflet inside. But check that your car wiring has a fuse in the line leading to the socket. You will also find two 12v feeds = one ignition controlled and one not, although on some modern cars even the 'not' connection may switch off after about 3 or 5 minutes = this is done to prevent you leaving something (say a cool box) running continuously in the car and flattening the battery.
You will run the same risk using the 12v feed to the caravan and some items e.g. some televisions can have quite high operating current.

OR you could just buy a socket and a few mtrs of 30strand 2.5mm twin core wire and a 20amp inline fuse plus couple of crocodile clips for the car battery,
after all this is how caravanners got by for 30years untill EHU and lesiure batteries came along isn't it!!!

 

[paws]

Ah! Yes!, Colin, I remember those days well, and the gas mantles, and the sheer luxury when we managed to get a foot operated pump for the cold water. No fancy water containers then... we used an old enamel jug with no lid!
I also used to have to perform some fancy maths to work out for how long I would need to drive the car the next day, and at what revs so the "dynamo" could do its stuff and hopefully keep a reasonable amount of charge in the car battery...
Happy Days!

 

[RayS]

Absolutely right Colin and probably what I would have done myself, but feel we have to be a litttle careful with this sort of advice in this day and age. So I suggested the standard plug and socket.
I too remember thee good old days of 1967 when my Alpine 12/4 cost £315 on the road. I also remember seeing another owner who had adopted the croc clip approach but had seriously undersized his cable and/or put a very heavy load on it. Result was it got very hot, melted the insulation and left a lovely scorch mark across the wing of his brand new Mk 1 Cortina.

 

[MichaelE]

Sproket did point out it wasnt the cheapest but probably the safest.

As you would still have to buy the cable , socket why not buy a plug for £5 instead of the clips and also ditch the fuse?
What could be simpler than just plugging in a cable,no lifting the bonnet and unclipping when you want to go out.
Sounds like you will spend the same amount of money to make life more difficult?

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

Absolutely right Colin and probably what I would have done myself, but feel we have to be a litttle careful with this sort of advice in this day and age. So I suggested the standard plug and socket.
I too remember thee good old days of 1967 when my Alpine 12/4 cost £315 on the road. I also remember seeing another owner who had adopted the croc clip approach but had seriously undersized his cable and/or put a very heavy load on it. Result was it got very hot, melted the insulation and left a lovely scorch mark across the wing of his brand new Mk 1 Cortina.

spot on Ray, and that is why I wrote " 30strand 2.5mm cable and a 20amp fuse" this is the size and capacity of the 13pin wire if the connector doesn't overheat the lead wont,

Michael E wrote "Sproket did point out it wasnt the cheapest but probably the safest. As you would still have to buy the cable , socket why not buy a plug for £5 instead of the clips and also ditch the fuse?What could be simpler than just plugging in a cable,no lifting the bonnet and unclipping when you want to go out.Sounds like you will spend the same amount of money to make life more difficult? one would tend to agree providing the car socket is perminantly live not all are.