Wiring for lighting board.

[kdband]

Switching my attention from regular DIY to preparations for our Summer holiday. We like to be able to take bikes away with us and a number of years ago bought a cycle carrier that fitted onto the towbar of our old car, I also bought a lighting board so we were fully legal. I now have a different car which doesn't have a towbar fitted, I'm not planning on keeping this car very long so don't really want to go to the trouble and expense of getting one fitted. I have been given a rear-mounted cycle carrier which will hold two bikes so plan is just to take kids bikes this time. Problem is that it obscures the number plate and the lights. I have a lighting board which I could use but since I don't have a towbar I don't have anywhere to connect it to. Does anyone know whether it's possible to wire the lighting board into the existing loom in a way that I can easily remove it when not required ? I'm thinking that it should be possible to wire in the same type of connector which is fitted to a towbar but leave it floating freely inside the boot. Is there a better solution ? I can't believe I'm the only person to come across this problem. All suggestions greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Kevin

[Elessar]

I fitted a towbar wiring kit (from

to the rear light cluster loom using the supplied scotchlocks, took it out the boot through a drain hole and secured it to the spare wheel cradle when not in use.

-- LSR

[Christian McArdle]

Yes, you can buy the sockets separately. I'd mount it behind the bumper to somewhere convenient, rather than have it float about the boot.

Christian.

[fred]

In article , Christian McArdle writes

I went for the trailing socket approach to avoid mounting anything on the outside. I used a pre-wired kit of about a metre long that just pokes out of the boot in use. The boot seal is deep enough that there's no risk of pinching the cable. Instructions with the kit were good and all the connections were available at or near the o/s light cluster. Think I got it in Halfords at maybe a little over a tenner.

[Ian_m]

Or you could get pulled over by the Police in the New Forest, like I once saw, for obscuring his number plate and brake lights. Motorist got asked to remove the bikes, "now car is legal Sir, off you go". Anyway a call out car electric man, from a list given by the Police, fitted electrics and a lighting board at side of road (actually car park) for £120 I think. Not a bad profit considering a lighting board is only £15 at Towsure.

[Set Square]

But check for any 'modern' features in your vehicle wiring which may mean that simply tapping into the harness near the lighting clusters may not be the way to go.

One such complication is a bulb failure warning device. Another is multiplexed wiring - with one heavy cable feeding everything - and local electronic switches for individual lamps. In either case, you need to proceed with caution, and find out what is the approved way for the connection of trailer electrics.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Think you'll find most of these have provision for caravan etc lights anyway.

[Set Square]

Yes, but that often involves buying a special wiring harness - and sometimes using relays - rather than just tapping into the existing lamp supply. For example, on my Volvo V70, trailer lights (some of them, anyway) need to be connected *before* the bulb failure unit - otherwise that won't work properly. The easiest way to do this is by using the rather expensive Volvo accessory harness which has all the right plugs and sockets built in - although you *can* do without if you know what you are doing.

[Fred]

Whilst I hate Halfords they do have an inline (free) socket for use with a lighting board. I think it costs £12.99. I've done 2 now and it takes me

1/2 hour or so with a meter etc to see which wire does what.

Make sure the lighting board has the correct rectangular reflectors and a fog lamp. Most boards from the likes of Towsure don't comply with regs. Email them and see what they say. LOL Post it here when you get one assuming hell hasn't frozen over first.

[fred]

In article , Fred writes

Agreed on all points (in this case) they are selling well made, reasonably priced units.

Fair enough but I think you are far more likely to be pulled for having obscured lights/plate than having a trailer board not complying with the latest EN21345XFUNKFUNKBAHULA standard, (Sir).

[kdband]

I was passing the indespension dealer on the way home from work yesterday and decided to call in for their opinion. They confirmed that I could use an "in-line socket" which would just stay in the boot with enough lead to allow it to hang out the back when required. I was quoted =A330 for them to fit it for me including parts. This seemed like a reasonable price but still more than I really wanted to pay out for something I'm only likely to use once on a car I'm not planning on keeping. He then said he could give me a wiring diagram and gather all the parts together for me to fit myself for around =A310. This seemed like a much more reasonable proposition. I had a look in the boot last night and there appears to be a ready made connecter which I could use without needing to cut any of the existing wires. The obvious problem with this is that I would almost certainly need to go to a main dealer to get the correct part to plug into this connector and I don't imagine that would come cheap. I might just pop along to my local scrap yard to see if there are any suitable vehicles which already have towbars fitted that I can take the parts from.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Have a look at:-