Guest ray52 Posted January 17, 2011 Posted January 17, 2011 Hi everyone, I'm looking to buy a towbar and fit 12N and 12S sockets to feed the caravan's needs. Advice on the web is copious, but unfortunately fails to specify the exact model year of the car involved. Searches on here have left me convinced I need a 7 way bypass relay for the lights, but this has been categorically refuted by the online vendor, who insist this is only necessary for the face-lifted 2004 C5 onwards. So...... who has a 2001-2004 Mk1 C5 wired for N & S with or without?? many thanks for your advice Ray Quote
Guest womble Posted January 17, 2011 Posted January 17, 2011 Don't know if you technically need it but I've just had a towbar fitted to my Berlingo and had a bypass relay with twin electrics even though the age of my car suggests it doesn't really need it. The bit I am coming to is as you probably know, all the lights on the caravan or trailer are connected via a direct live feed through the bypass. I can honestly say that they lights seem to illuminate better and in the event of a malfunction or short on the caravan/trailer it will have no effect on the towing vehicles electrics. This is the first motor I have used full bypass on and wouldn't hesitate to do it again for the sake of a bit more wiring and c.£25.00 Quote
paul.h Posted January 17, 2011 Posted January 17, 2011 It is 4 years since I wired up the towbar on our 2004 mark 1 2.2 hdi VTR hatchback but I used the 7 way relay for the lighting and a smart type relay for the caravan electrics (12S). Supplied by Towbars Direct in Warrington. The towbar is a Tow Trust one (part no. TC639) and was a good fit, I have had some makes in the past where a bit of filing was needed. There is a trailer socket connector in the car at the back but the voltages were a bit odd so I preferred the 7 way relay - the alternative would be a car specific wiring kit to the connector which would be a lot easier to fit but at a price. For the 12S socket a supply has to be taken from the battery so it is not much more effort to take a second one for a 7 way relay. There are a few posts on here on towbars and a good search should find them - there is one on page 43 of Technical subforum - Towbar electrics started by Leon Nov 2006. Quote
Guest ray52 Posted January 19, 2011 Posted January 19, 2011 Hi, Many thanks to womble and paul for your replies. I've gone down the twin relay route fed from the battery. I can also recommend onlinetowbars.co.uk who replied very quickly to my requests, and delivered in under 24 hours. once again, many thanks to this wonderful resource and its contributors Ray Quote
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