Caravan brake lights

[pitpony]

My neighbour across the road picked up his new caravan last weekend but when he connected up the electrics the brake lights on the caravan did not work and he was off for the weekend like you do to try out the caravan, we have a local tow bar fitter who fitted the tow bar and the electrics, a quick phone call and off he went back to the fitter who checked out the electrics and all was working ok, but what was required was a relay to be connected to the wiring loom which solved the problem, is this a common problem because of the electrics which are now on caravans,

 

[Woodentop]

My neighbour across the road picked up his new caravan last weekend but when he connected up the electrics the brake lights on the caravan did not work and he was off for the weekend like you do to try out the caravan, we have a local tow bar fitter who fitted the tow bar and the electrics, a quick phone call and off he went back to the fitter who checked out the electrics and all was working ok, but what was required was a relay to be connected to the wiring loom which solved the problem, is this a common problem because of the electrics which are now on caravans,

I think we need more detail of what the relay was used for and/or what it did. Its no use anyone on here guessing.

 

[Damian]

Yes it is quite common to have a relay fitted to operate the caravan side of the electrics.
Partly due to new caravans using LED lights which draw such a small load that the car does not recognise it as such and partly due to not using car specific wiring looms which plug into the CanBus and the car resetting to acknowledge that the van is present.

 

[pitpony]

Damian,
Thanks for that reply I will pass it on to the newbie caravanner,