I've only had my tow bar on for a week and today I opened the cap for the electrics just nosing around and a load of water came sloshing out. I've been through a couple of deepish puddles in the last week. Is this just part and parcel of having a tow bar? Should I go back to the fitters? I've read on other forums that some just remove the door so that it can drain. Is this a fault, or something I've just got to live with? I don't want to plug my caravan in one day and discover all the contacts are corroded.
Water in tow bar socket
- Thread starter Christhecaravanner84
- Start date
The cable inlet to the front of the socket should be sealed watertight. The sockets come with a grommet which may/may not fit tight around the cable, but a decent fitter would ensure this possible water entry point is sealed properly. The fitter should take it back and fix it.
Although mine is tucked just beneath the bumper I always use a silicone cover available for about 4.50 on EBay. Maybe this could prevent recurrence as the socket should be sealed by the pointy grommet at the rear so maybe worth checking that too. (Search ‘13 pin socket cover’)
The pointy grommet you mention at the "rear" is the same one I mentioned at the "front". We both mean the same, and the only grommet.
The flippin' cable hasn't even been put in with a drip loop. Towbar place is on my way to work. I'm going to call in tomorrow morning and see what they've got to say for themselves. The way I see it, brand new socket on a brand new tow bar fitted by a professional ought to be watertight.
I know what is meant by a water loop, but I have never seen one put there. Cable is too thick I think. I have had many many sockets and never had your problem. What can be done to form a drip in the cable is put a couple of cable ties around it to stop water tracking.
When I have fitted my own, apart from making sure the cable gland is good, I pack the terminal housing with electrical gel. I think silicone grease would work.
John
I’m wishing I had done a DIY fit. It really annoys me when you pay good money for a “professional” job and it’s not so professional. Last “professional” job I had done was my dual fuel cooker to keep housing association happy. Six month later, when cleaning behind it discovered the neutral conductor not secured in the clamps, just resting there against the terminal, potentially arching away and heating up. “Unprofessionallly” corrected myself, no problems since.
Since I paid good money for this installation, I’m going back to the “professionals” and will insist it is corrected.
My electric socket is tucked behind the bumper and it has a cover on never been a problem so i hope you get yours sorted
In over 35 years of towing I have never had water in the socket. Unless you have been wading through water up to the socket it should not happen. I suspect the grommet, but whatever it is the fitter should put it right.
Spoke to the fitter today on the phone. Went to call in on the way to work but they're all shut up - two blokes who work there , both ill. He seems very willing to put it right and said I can go an see them next week and they'll sort it. Don't really want to attempt anything myself or I risk voiding the guarantee.
Went back to fitter today but don't really feel like I got anywhere. He inspecting it and couldn't find anywhere water could be getting in. Could have been due to a deep puddle I went through. Basically he said to see how I go. He suggested that maybe the cap flicked open on something but seems very unlikely to me, There was some mud around the seals. I suppose I'll have to check after this rain and see if there's any more in there. I have bought a rubber cover for it, I'll put that on when it comes. If it still gets water in it with the cover on then surely it has to becoming in through the grommet.
The terminals are behind the pins. The cable via grommet at the rear must be sealed or rapid corrosion of the terminals will arise. The spacing on the face side , what you see , isn’t that big. Are you sure ? Seems kind of hard to envisage the amount of water you say you saw. Not doubting you but just intrigued.
Interesting.... . Inspected after a good drive in the wet. Indeed, the outer cable casing feeding into the rear of the socket appears to be wet, as one might expect. The cable is not perfectly round and the grommet does not seem to make a seal against it, leaving channels where potentially water could track in. Should there not be some kind of sealant there? Otherwise I don't see how the grommet makes a waterproof seal against the cable. I am thinking of liberally applying some silicon..
A good clean around the cable and grommet with meths or brake cleaner, "not contact cleaner as this leaves a film. And then silicon sealer, good luck.
Begs the question, why isn't the grommet properly sealed? And also why it takes a layman like me to spot that something isn't right, when the people fitting them every day can't see any issue?! 
When I picked up my Brand new Sante Fe, with Factory fitted Towbar, pluged in the caravan, the fridge, charging system and ATC would not work, I had to take the plug apart, and there was no earth return to the car.Begs the question, why isn't the grommet properly sealed? And also why it takes a layman like me to spot that something isn't right, when the people fitting them every day can't see any issue?!
Thankfully I can sort these thing out.
!
Off topic, but your story reminds me of the "professional" who installed my cooker. Pulled it out one day and noticed it had reset the clock. So carefully gave the cable a good wiggle and heard the familiar arcing sound of a loose connection. After shutting off the power and investigating further, I discovered that the neutral wire was not secured in the terminal clamp, for nearly a year it had just been resting against the terminal! It's lucky there wasn't a fire with all that current potentially arching away.
Off topic, but your story reminds me of the "professional" who installed my cooker. Pulled it out one day and noticed it had reset the clock. So carefully gave the cable a good wiggle and heard the familiar arcing sound of a loose connection. After shutting off the power and investigating further, I discovered that the neutral wire was not secured in the terminal clamp, for nearly a year it had just been resting against the terminal! It's lucky there wasn't a fire with all that current potentially arching away.
The cable going into the back of the socket is available in a variety of sizes. Some cable used for 13 pin plugs/sockets only has 12 cores, and some 13 core cable contains only 1.5 mm cables, others some 2.5 mm, and some cables are thin wall cable. All this means the black outer sheath can vary enormously.
The latest 13 core cable suitable for caravanning should be 8x1.5 and 5x2.5 sq mm. (Until recently there were only 4x2.5 mm, and 9x 1.5 sq mm).
This is a very fat cable and should be a good, tight fit in the grommet.
The latest 13 core cable suitable for caravanning should be 8x1.5 and 5x2.5 sq mm. (Until recently there were only 4x2.5 mm, and 9x 1.5 sq mm).
This is a very fat cable and should be a good, tight fit in the grommet.
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I tended to use non setting, flexible electrician putty for sealing the cable entry. Also used it for sealing the motor mover cables into the mover, as Powrttouch cable boots kept cracking within a relatively short time. 2-3 years.
Putty
To be pedantic. it is a gland as opposed to a grommet. With modern materials the gland will normally compress around the cable successfully and watertight without the need for additional help. This is achieved by tightening the outer nut which is shaped to compress said gland.
wiki.opensourceecology.org
It could be that the socket is not up to standard.
John
Cable Gland - Open Source Ecology
It could be that the socket is not up to standard.
John
Putting a couple of appropriately sized Ty-Raps round the cable entry tube on the rear boot is often enough to prevent water ingress.
Did you tell the fitter that he must install fridge wiring on your car?
Did you tell the fitter that he must install fridge wiring on your car?
A half decent fitter would ask what you are towing and what wiring your need. After all they stand to make more money from you. But also you would think they would want to supply a full service to the customer. But it has been reported on here that some just put in the basic lights wiring.
It makes no sense to me but that's how it is.
John
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