Dethleffs 12S wiring colour

[john7]

After a disaster with a 12S plug I have to wire up a replacement one. But my Dethleffs 470 caravan cable coloring has no relation to the “standard” color’s used so am at a loss (as have been UK Geist) of how to ensure the replacement plug is correctly wired up.
Could someone please help me?
What I have are
What I have are:-
2 X thick blue and white cables (one was clearly on pin 7 so I think it likely the second is for earthling on pin 3?)
1 X thin brown which appears to work the reversing lights, so pin 1.
1 X thick blue cable
1 X thin dark blue cable
1 X thin brown and light blue cable crimped together.

 

[Sproket]

You don't say how your dissaster happened

This is how i would do it.......

By using a multimeter it would be quite easy ............

Drop the rear lenses off to help with colour identification of the earth wire......
If that dose not help,
Use a length of single core wire connect it to the earth plate on the rear lights.
unroll the wire & take the other end to the front of the van so that, this will help in identifying the earth wire by using a multimeter........
You will have to set the multimeter to continuity, ( on mine it is a audible beep )
once you have found the earth, by use of a 12v supply you can connect a wire to the other individual wires & see what lights up.........
Mark the wires & write it down, then re connect the plug accordingly ........

 

[john7]

Thanks for idea but I am dealing with the 12S not 12N where the lighting goes. the wiring is OK on that one and a car ran over the plug (must have been very effected by UV as it came to bits). The main one I have to work out is the fridge (feed and earth). So any ideas on how to check via a multi meter for fridge12vr wiring of much use!

 

[chrisbee1]

Adapt Sprokets method, running a cable from the fridge 12v fuse to the 12S plug area. Attach a multimeter probe to this wire and just touch the other probe to each 7 core wire till you have continuity.

 

[JTQ]

Surely you can identify them from the pins they go to on the 12S --?

 

[Sproket]

Thanks for idea but I am dealing with the 12S not 12N where the lighting goes. the wiring is OK on that one and a car ran over the plug (must have been very effected by UV as it came to bits).

opppppppp S !
12s & 12n ....

 

[john7]

I wish I could, it’s in bits (on concrete as hitching up and car went really close and ...!). Fron 3 still together I could see which was no 7 but
I will see if I can find a fridge fuse, there is likely to be one but I haven’t fond it yet.

 

[Sproket]

Have you got a handbook with the wiring diagram in ?
If not it will take some time to trace the wires back, but i would have thought that it should go to a distribution board near to the battery & charger are located ?

 

[john7]

There I s nothing so helpful as wiring information. The hand book covers motorhomes as well as caravans!
I have found on one side of the van an absolute maze of wires, many joined to together and a new set of cables going over to the EBL transformer (the battery/mains input is near it) so clearly the feed to the van comes from the battery and mains via this maze.
A second set runs to the middle of the van (coming up under the heater/fridge.
On the EBL there are a blocks of connexions, In the hand book one is for Input, including from the vehicle. Two (red and blue) complete a circuit with the thick blue cable in the 12S cable (which I thought might be for pin 4). But just as I was getting keen I found the earth on pin 7 also completed the circuit!
The 2nd white/blue cable worked on the earth in the EBL input block. So I really don’t know where I am with it again.

 

[john7]

Duplicate Post

 

[Sproket]

Can you just locate where the cable come's into the van ?
That would help you a lot, & you will be able to trace them either way then ?
To the fridge, battery, reversing light, earth, etc:
Take photos before you disconnect anything you are unsure of.

 

[john7]

I am able to trace where they come in, there is a maze of cables and crimp junctions. I can trace where they go to/come from to the mains/battery/transformer. As they are feeding to and from the transformer they then go in a number of bundles under the caravan . The bulk go under the caravan and come up where the fridge/heater are but some run in the locker, but these are for the heater controls and may be mains!.
I haven’t been able to trace ANY to final use as I can’t get at them to attach the multi-meter (fridge is a sealed on so to get at it I think it would have to come out).
I am thinking I will have to give up and get a workshop to sort it out as I am getting nowhere not being able to get fridge and getting conflicting continuity readings (blue and white/blue both getting readings on the same two wires on the transformer finished me off!).
The main lessen is don’t trust makers to follow standards when they can bodge them and save a bit!

 

[Parksy]

It might be worth contacting the Dethleff's Owners Club to see if they can help, John. They offer free English manuals and wiring diagrams for Calira control boxes to their members.

 

[john7]

have done so no reply as yet

 

[john7]

I have had a wiring sheet sent from Dethleffs which has sorted the problem. I have no idea if the owners club or technical support they run is still alive but I never had a reply from them so that will save a few pounds membership next year!