Do you keep your caravan 'wired' to your car for a 15 hr ferr...

[Mike_5041040]

Hi,

We're travelling on the Hull-Rotterdam Nth sea ferry next weekend and wondered whether or not I should disconnect the grey cable to my caravan to prevent discharging my battery ?

We will be on board for approx 15 hours and although I'd like to keep the fridge cool, I didn't want a flat battery in the morning !

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Bri-C]

Hi..

In theory it should make no difference as your car should only power the van when the engine is running via a split charge relay. I use the word SHOULD advisidly.

However speaking as a person who has never bothered to fit a grey plug to any of my cars (I dont even know if my fridge works on 12v)I have to say that if you put a couple of 4 pinters of the white stuff in your home freezer a couple of days before you leave then transfer it to your caravan fridge for the journey, a ferry crossing will be no problem.

I did on a previous caravan have a grey socket on the drawbar which fed the caravan battery back to the fridge for long journeys this proved to be fine so long as you have a means of charging your caravan battery when you arrive

Regards Brian.....

 

[cooky1]

A few years ago we had boarded the ferry at Hull heading for Zeebrugge. We were siting in the bar having a beer when my car reg was announced over the tannoy and I had to go to eception. The lady told me my lights had been left on. I went down to the outfit and all my caravan lights were on - side lights, indicators, reversing lights etc. I had to unplug both black and grey sockets to get the lights to go out. I then locked the car and went back upstairs to finnish my beer. It turned out to be my car doing a circuit check 20 mins after it has been locked and not liking the caravan being attached.

Since then I always disconnect both sockets when we board and plug them in when we set off the following morning. I can enjoy my drink and get a good nights sleep and not worry about he car and van.

Graeme.

 

[Lutz]

I think you'd be pushing your luck a little bit too far. Depending on how much charge you were using before boarding the ferry, even a couple of hours can already be too much. Speaking from experience, I've had to use jumper leads to get off a ferry before now - very embarrassing, especially when you're at the front of the queue and you've got a whole line of cars behind you in a hurry to hit the road.

 

[Pat_374304630]

HI,

To be on the safe side I always disconnect the grey plug,but ensure you keep a couple of ice packs in the fridge.

Pat

 

[mcghee]

You do know that you can buy milk in belgium?

 

[Robert_374242026]

Reading all your responces to whether to or not disconnect ,we never disconnect as nothing is live unless you leave lights on as for fridge that is automaticly disconnected when turning off ignition. Last time i got a flat battery was in Keswick petrol garage and forgot to disconect the fridge in the time it takes to fill up, mind you this was in our Sprite Alpine ,1964.

 

[Stephen1956]

I Always disconnect the grey socket it is not unknown for the cut out relay to stick, to keep the fridge cool we freeze a carton of orange juice keeps the fridge cool and we have something to drink with breakfast first morning on the site

 

[KeithJ]

Mike - it all depends on the wiring of your car socket and caravan. Assuming the 12S car socket was wired by a competant person and a modern relay fitted (this only supplies current to the fridge when your engine is actually running) - also that your caravan is fairly modern and the wiring is original, as supplied by the manufacturer - then your car battery will not discharge. If I were you I would test the 12S socket using a meter (or test bulb) - there is a diagram in the caravan club handbook. If all is correct you will have no problems. I have taken various outfits on the Portsmouth/Bilbao ferry (30 hours) without giving the subject a thought. Hope this helps. Keith