andysworkshop said:
Thank you for the info.
Another question. we have not had a caravan before, how does all the lighting work without hook up and what do we need to work water pump and lights.
Thank you
By 1979 most caravans will have a mixture of 12V dc and mains lighting. A few die hard models may have some gas lighting, but obtaining spare mantles may prove quite difficult these days. The mains lights will only work when you have hook up. The 12V dc lighting will need a battery, and there should be a proper ventilated stowage space for one in the caravan. The battery would be expected to be charged from the tow vehicle and the towing plugs should be wired for it. It worth mentioning the the fridge, which will also likely to be be three way powered, use mains when on Hook up, Gas when off grid, and 12V when being towed. However do double check the tow plug wiring in both plugs and sockets for battery and fridge operation as standards have changed. You can find lots of information about the latest wiring standards on line.
By 1979, there were quite a few 12V fluorescent lights being fitted, but by now teh fittings will have aged quite a lot. It would be worth looking to replace them with modern LED units, which will be far more efficient, and reliable.
Caravans with EHU (Hook up) will normally have a built in battery charger, but in 1979, most of the chargers were still very basic unregulated models. These must have a battery fitted to help smooth the chargers output, and to carry the peak loads when some items are used. There is also a danger from some unregulated models of charger they can overcharge a battery. I suggest you check the model you have fitted, and if its an unregulated output model, it may be worth considering replacing it with a more modern unit with multistage charging to prolong the life of the battery.
Water pumps - in 1979 even some upmarket vans (e.g. Castleton) had foot operated pumps! It's therefore difficult to know what you might have fitted in your caravan. Being a Carlight I anticipate it might have an electric water pump. there are the variations of Inboard or outboard, control system, of switched taps where every tap has its own micro switch which are linked in parallel to power the pump, or a pressure switched control system, and the type of pump either impeller, which tend to be exterior submersible pumps or positive displacement which are in board pumps, but becasue they reciprocate they can be relatively noisy, especially if they are mounted on a large wooden pane that can amplify the sound.
Water tanks, Up market models of caravan often used an inboard water tank as a selling point, so yours might have one.
P.S.
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