Checking lights before towing

[BigAl1]

I and many others check their caravan lights before starting a jorrney. Its usually done as the kids and / or dogs are climbing aboard the tow truck and everyone is eager to get going....BUT what happens if a light doesn't work? Do we delay our journey, get out screwdrivers and spare bulbs or do we think "oh well it's only a short journey, i will get fixed when convenient????

 

[Bazz1]

Big Al, we all fix it before setting off. If plod see's it, could lead to 3pionts on your licence. I think it's now a requirement in law to carry spare bulb's. Bazz.

 

[cooky1]

If one of the lights does not work then it's out with the screwdriver and replacement bulb.

 

[JimC]

A good question BA

How many of us carry a spare set of bulbs? I will get a set next time I'm at the dealers.

Jim

 

[cokey1970]

Having a defective light is not an endorsable fixed penalty offence so you won't pick up a

 

[MikeAce]

I am one of the lazy new age caravanners that use a cordless drill for upping and downing the legs, i also always carry a tool box, if it happened to me i would slip a phillips hex in the drill chuck and change the bulb.

in the 18 months of owning my ace not a single bulb has popped anywhere, i do carry a box of spares just in case though.

 

[Royston]

Hi Big Al,

Always check all the lights before going, I was pretty new to caravanning , on one trip hitched the car up to the van in torrential rain checked the lights okay checked the flashers nearside rear not working, still pouring with rain undid the rear cover box tried to undue the flasher bulb the glass broke off in my hand cutting my fingure, still raining had a plaster on my finger ,with the base of the bulb still jammed in its socket,decided to walk to the garage (save the hassle of unhitching the van) 15 mins walk asked the mechanic for the replacement bulb, he showed me three different baynet fixings, I bought the three on the understanding that I could return two for a refund.

Managed to get the base out of the socket , fitted new bulb , since then i have always carried a complete set of light bulbs

and always smear the metal base of the bulbs with vasoline to stop them sticking to the inside of the sockets.

Soaking wet the time I had finished, had a warm cup of tea and set off one hour later to our destination

Royston

 

[cris_408518]

I learned many years ago that the lights needed to work when I plug in as I used trailers for work as well as the van.

In Europe you have to carry spare bulbs by law and there is no excuse for not having a suitable bulb pack in the car, most Hypermarkets carry packs suited for different cars needs and they are quite cheap there.

Prevention is better than cure and I posted this elsehwere here-

"Apart from very valid comments on the likes of Scotchlok's having used very many tow vehicles over many years you should note the following. The cars sockets that your caravan/trailer plug into are under the car with the cables entering from the back into cable shrouds that are often far from water tight and prone to filling with water.

From experience most tow bar fitters want the job in and out in a flash hence the use of the corrosion prone Scotchlok and double sided tape to hold relays in position.

We only use Alluminium bodied Hella type sockets and the cable ends are carefully tightened on every pin and coated with a water proofing protective spray. The back plates are sealed as is the cable entry point with the cable being well secured and not left flapping under the car as we've seen many tow bar fitters seem to leave them and we to us bullet ( in place of Scotchloks) connectors as John suggests. A regular dose of WD40 on the pins in the car socket and on the caravan plugs helps, again good quality water tight caravan plugs are well worth fitting. The male pins on the plugs have split ends and if you regularly gently use a small thin blade screwdriver to maintain the splits gap, your electrics will work better. Check that the fitters have secured any extra relays with something better than double sided tape.

If you look at even the fanciest of newish caravans lights you can often see water inside them either as the seals are next to useless or there is a condensation problem. The metal plates that carry the current and hold the bulbs are often cheap and nasty and not realy ideal to act as sprung tabs behind the light bulbs end contact pins.Carefully drilled holes at the bottom rear of the lights bodies will let water drain and prevent condensation on any caravan or trailer light. And a good spray on the bulbs contacts will prevent bulbs not working."

I would add that the cheap and nasty metal used in most caravan lights soon looses its plating and rusts and corodes and is a major cause of problems.

Also find where the caravan earth cable end is attached, make sure the cable is well tied down and some mastic over the attachment point will prevent corrosion forming.

 

[chrissie2]

Checking that the lights all work is the last job before setting off - I stand at the back of the van, while my husband operates each set of lights in turn. If anything fails to work, it is investigated and corrected before we leave. And we always carry a full set of spare bulbs, both for car and caravan.

A couple of years ago, we had the misfortune to be following a large, newish caravan and tow vehicle along the M6. After it had changed lanes several times, without apparently signalling, we came to the conclusion that none of its lights were working. After witnessing a very close thing on the last occasion that it pulled without warning into the middle lane, my husband, against my advice, pulled out and accelerated above the 60mph limit (we were towing, too, at the time) and as we passed, I wound the window down and tried, with words and gestures, to warn them of the danger. A few miles further along, we came to a service area, and pulled in, and expected the faulty outfit, by then just behind us, to pull in too, at the very least to investigate. Needless to say, they did nothing of the kind, but sped blithely on, presumably to leave yet more road-users cursing caravans.

People who do not take even such elementary precautions do none of us any favours. No wonder caravanners have a bad reputation, when we ourselves witness behavious like this.