Camper wiring

[zildjian]

Here we would like very much a definitive answer to just what pin does what on both dual plug & 13 pin connections, there are any number of suggestions on the net so if we can decide what does which here that would be helpful

so any easy to follow guides, instructions, or diagrams, or pictures would be really appreciated




To start us off,
parked up with keys out of ignition, a camper shouldn't drain trucks battery yes/no

[sabconsulting]

Correct. Once the engine isn't running the camper should not drain the battery.

I have wired mine so the camper only draws from one of the 12v lines coming from the truck and that was the 'switched' one on the caravan socket which I had a charge relay on. I have since removed that charge relay because I now have a CTEK D250S DC to DC charger in the camper that takes input from the truck battery and the solar and uses MPPT electronics to charge the camper battery optimally. I removed the relay because the D250S will measure the battery voltage and if the truck is not running and the camper battery is full it will charge the truck battery off solar.

I'll have to see if I can tell from my notes which pins I used for this switched 12v

Steve.

[rubberrat]

With just the black 12N my camper used to drain the truck battery. Fitting grey 12S resolved that problem

[zildjian]

Well if there is a disparity between countries of manufacture it would be really helpful to know exactly how our trucks are wired and arrange plug wiring accordingly

[derestrictor]

[sabconsulting]

In case there wasn't enough confusion:

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/media/1022 ... ing-mo.pdf

Personally I don't like the camper pulling any 12v supplies from the truck for any reason if the engine isn't running.

I can understand the 3-way absorption fridge having a separate switched supply so its 12v heater is only run when the engine is running and is not accidentally drawing off the vehicle or camper battery at other times - hence the need for a separate wire for it.

If there were only one switched supply from the alternator and that supply was wired to both the fridge AND the camper battery it would mean the fridge would run from the camper battery when the engine was off

Hence if you only had one relay (and it was single-poled) you would want that relay on the wire powering the fridge, but not on the wire going to the camper battery.

Steve.

[zildjian]

Think I've got that, certainly agree on power at least going the one way, seems almost inevitable its going to catch us out like poor Grant
So running lights etc yes,
its this habitation option I never quite understood either why or how

[zildjian]

Was also told that wiring practise 'changed' around 2000 for some reason which only further muddies things

[rubberrat]

Thats the 13 pin stuff. There be dragons