DIY caravan/trailer circuit tester?

muddyl

Hi all,

Im wanting to make a tester to test (well duh ) that the connections on the back of my car work correctly.

I know these can be bought, and not too expensively, but its more the fact that id like to make one as a project.

Does anyone know of any sites that have wiring diagrams for these? I have it roughly in mind but would like to check before i decide to make one. I have looked around but keep finding foreign ones and im not sure if they are the same.

Any help appreciated.

marlot

http://www.westerntowing.co.uk/acatalog/Trailer_Caravan_12N_12S_wiring_diagram.html

muddyl

marlot wrote: »

http://www.westerntowing.co.uk/acatalog/Trailer_Caravan_12N_12S_wiring_diagram.html

Thanks, that will give me a good start.

mttylad

Whats the plan?
Have a plug with a long cable on so that you can sit in the car operating the controls and see the result with some LED's on a box at the other end of the cable?

Simple LED's and resistors should suffice.
You can even make a similar one to test the caravan using a battery and switch box on long cable.

muddyl

mttylad wrote: »

Whats the plan?
Have a plug with a long cable on so that you can sit in the car operating the controls and see the result with some LED's on a box at the other end of the cable?

Simple LED's and resistors should suffice.
You can even make a similar one to test the caravan using a battery and switch box on long cable.

Yes, that pretty much is the idea. I'd have to keep my caravan away from home so would like to be able to test before I set out. Would be annoyed if I got there then found a problem.

I'll look around for cheap cable and socket and see what's available

Rolandtheroadie

Personally, I'd buy/build a trailer board for the lighting and a multimeter for the charging/power supplies to the caravan equipment.
Probably cost about £20 all in.

colino

It's nuts that a narrow trailer board is around a tenner from the likes of MACCESS, but to test trailer electrics for the MOT, garages "need" the £49 recommended tester.

skivenov

I bought a set of magnetic trailer lights for about a tenner years ago, probably one of the best things I've ever bought.

forgotmyname

But when a dodgy wire stops the MACCESS trailer board working its not going to fail someones correctly wired car for the MOT.

Where is the backup or test to see if a bulb fails on the tester?

Simple solution, Dont use 13 pin plugs, Seems they are starting to have issue now also.
Not the perfect solution after all.