law on towing elecs

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

hiya, is there a law saying that if you have a towbar fitted the electrics must either be audio or visual.

when we had the new hyundai wiring loom fitted they say because the van is an extention of the wiring if a bulb does go it will flash on the indicators and you will hear it going faster.

is this okay?.

jo-anne

 

[ThePlotter]

I would have thought not it should be eithe audio or visual as you say what they say used to be the case when cars only had a rlay to operate two indicators now with repeater s and hazards a bulb going will not make it flash faster.

 

[Dustydog]

Jo-anne

See below which is an extract from the CC guide. It is possible where a manufacturer@s wiring harness is utilised that a different bulb failure warning may be employed from the usual buzzer or additional warning light. Does your Santa Fe have a bulb failure warning system? I'm no expert but I'm sure a good towbar engineer can tell you what's right or wrong.

3.5.8 Indicator Circuits

A heavy-duty indicator relay may be needed to operate the additional caravan flashers without overloading the standard unit, or affecting its flashing rate. On recent cars, this may not be necessary. It's a legal requirement that the towcar 'shall be equipped with an operational tell-tale for front and rear indicators (including any rear indicator on the rearmost of any trailers drawn by the vehicle)' (Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations, 1989.) This is sometimes referred to as the 'C1' and 'C2' functions ('C1' refers to the telltale for the car's indicators - C2 is the extension of that function to the caravan). This tell-tale can be audible or visual. Some show the correct functioning of the indicators, perhaps via an instrument panel light or boot-mounted buzzer. Others operate by altering the standard flasher function to an alternative 'warning' signal if a fault is detected. This latter option is in essence an extension of the car's built-in bulb failure monitoring system, and is increasingly the most common option especially with vehicle manufacturer-supplied wiring kits, and vehicle-specific aftermarket wiring kits. Note that this tell-tale function is sometimes neglected when the towbar wiring is fitted - this is illegal. Do check with your system supplier as to how the tell-tale functions, however, before assuming the C2 function has been ignored - some owners expecting a separate warning light or buzzer have been surprised to learn they have a function integrated into the car's bulb failure warning system instead.

Cheers

Alan

 

[GeorgeB]

Jo-Anne

Technically if a warning light or a buzzer to indicate whether the indicators on the caravan (or any other trailer for that matter) is not fitted then you are breaking the law as it stands at the moment.

copied below is part of a post from me on this subject on another forum.

I've done a bit more research re the Road vehicle lighting regulations 1989, & to save you a painful search i've put the relevant sections & web site locations below.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1989/Uksi_19891796_en_2.htm#(Ti)3interpretation
"Operational tell-tale"

A warning device readily visible or audible to the driver and showing whether a device that has been switched on is operating correctly or not.

If you note the interpretation of the "operational tell tale" it clearly states "A warning device readily visible or audible to the driver and showing whether a device that has been switched on is operating correctly or not."

Note the "HAS BEEN SWITCHED ON" a bulb failure warning device wont tell you that information, it merely tells you that, some where in the lighting circuits, a bulb has failed. so therefore it cannot be legal to rely on a bulb failure device to be your operational tell tale.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1989/Uksi_19891796_en_12.htm#nsch7
10. Electrical connections-

(a) All indicators on one side of a vehicle together with all indicators on that side of any trailer drawn by the vehicle, while so drawn, shall be operated by one switch.

(b) All indicators on one side of a vehicle or combination of vehicles showing a flashing light shall flash in phase, except that in the case of a solo motor bicycle, a motor bicycle combination and a pedal cycle, the front and rear direction indicators on one side of the vehicle may flash alternately.

11. Tell-tale-

(a) One or more indicators on each side of a vehicle to which indicators are fitted shall be so designed and fitted that the driver when in his seat can readily be aware when it is in operation; or

(b) The vehicle shall be equipped with an operational tell-tale for front and rear indicators (including any rear indicator on the rearmost of any trailers drawn by the vehicle).

All the above extracted from www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1989/UKsi