b6x Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hi All. Just wondering if anyone has/had a new'ish ('06) Vectra with a Witter Quantum towbar installed with the "dedicated" wiring kit? Just wondering if there was any visable/audible signals in the car to say that the car has "recognised" it is towing? I've recently had the setup installed in my car, but I'm not convinced they've installed the dedicated wiring kit. .. and Witter customer service (and the fitter they contracted to install) have been appallingly bad. Personally would never ever use either again. After ordering and paying for twin electrics and dedicated wiring kit, the fitter has only installed single electrics. They're blaming Witter for not sending the correct stuff, Witter impossible to get hold of or never call back. Fitter now saying they'll happily install the twin electrics but they'll need to take the power feed from the car battery. Not sure if that's normal or not but I was under the impression that would have been connected to the dedicated wiring kit too. TIA. towcar #1: Vauxhall Vectra 1. 9 CDTi 150 towcar #2: Honda CR-V 2. 2 CDTi caravan: Compass Corona 475 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaydug Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Fitter now saying they'll happily install the twin electrics but they'll need to take the power feed from the car battery. That, together adequate thickness of wire is the best way to ensure satisfactory cooling on the fridge when on tow. Some 'dodgy' fitters have been known to take the supply from the boot light. Citroen C5-X7 Tourer+Avondale Rialto 480/2 https://jondogoescaravanning.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy B Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hi All. Just wondering if anyone has/had a new'ish ('06) Vectra with a Witter Quantum towbar installed with the "dedicated" wiring kit? Just wondering if there was any visable/audible signals in the car to say that the car has "recognised" it is towing? I've recently had the setup installed in my car, but I'm not convinced they've installed the dedicated wiring kit. .. and Witter customer service (and the fitter they contracted to install) have been appallingly bad. Personally would never ever use either again. After ordering and paying for twin electrics and dedicated wiring kit, the fitter has only installed single electrics. They're blaming Witter for not sending the correct stuff, Witter impossible to get hold of or never call back. Fitter now saying they'll happily install the twin electrics but they'll need to take the power feed from the car battery. Not sure if that's normal or not but I was under the impression that would have been connected to the dedicated wiring kit too. TIA. Don't know about the Vectra (Can-bus isn't it?) but my Omega has a factory installed socket in the boot with a 12v feed to power fridge etc. Not really convinced on whether it's big enough. If you ask the right people I'm sure that Opel - not UK Vauxhall - would have been able to supply a 13 pin socket / loom. Again I have one for my Omega even though Vauxhall say it doesn't exist (just need to take it out of the box & fit it ) Lunar Delta 520/2 towed by Omega 3. 0 Elite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerL Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 The Vauxhall power feed to the trailer socket hidden behind the trim on most models is only rated for 10A and isn't 2. 5mm2 cable. For all my Vauxhalls, and the Subaru, I used the power feed by adding the missing fuse but only to run the by-pass relay (all my cars have been pre-canbus. I then add a double run of 2. 5mm2 cable from the battery, via a H/D 40A fuse to the Smart Relay I use for the equivalent of 12S connections. There are third-party wiring kits made for specific cars - Towsure supply them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy B Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 The Vauxhall power feed to the trailer socket hidden behind the trim on most models is only rated for 10A and isn't 2. 5mm2 cable. .... I can't look at mine now, I'm at work, I thought the fuse was 20A Lunar Delta 520/2 towed by Omega 3. 0 Elite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave11a Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hi All. Just wondering if anyone has/had a new'ish ('06) Vectra with a Witter Quantum towbar installed with the "dedicated" wiring kit? Just wondering if there was any visable/audible signals in the car to say that the car has "recognised" it is towing? I've recently had the setup installed in my car, but I'm not convinced they've installed the dedicated wiring kit. .. and Witter customer service (and the fitter they contracted to install) have been appallingly bad. Personally would never ever use either again. After ordering and paying for twin electrics and dedicated wiring kit, the fitter has only installed single electrics. They're blaming Witter for not sending the correct stuff, Witter impossible to get hold of or never call back. Fitter now saying they'll happily install the twin electrics but they'll need to take the power feed from the car battery. Not sure if that's normal or not but I was under the impression that would have been connected to the dedicated wiring kit too. TIA. Our Vectra was fitted with a witter towbar and dedicated twin electrics plug in wiring Kit but the fitter also ran a seperate fused lead from the battery for the fridge suppy. The dedicated wiring kit didn't give an audible / visual signal to say the van was connected but the fitter plugged in like a hand held computer at the time of fitting, he said to update the car electronics to allow the light failure systems etc. to work with the van on the back. I had a van indicator lamp fail and the car indicators slowed right down and bulb failure warning came up on the screen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b6x Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Our Vectra was fitted with a witter towbar and dedicated twin electrics plug in wiring Kit but the fitter also ran a seperate fused lead from the battery for the fridge suppy. The dedicated wiring kit didn't give an audible / visual signal to say the van was connected but the fitter plugged in like a hand held computer at the time of fitting, he said to update the car electronics to allow the light failure systems etc. to work with the van on the back. I had a van indicator lamp fail and the car indicators slowed right down and bulb failure warning came up on the screen. This is very useful. Thanks very much. I'm not sure about any bulb failure enablement etc as I didnt see the install happening. I would assume that judging by the installers efforts so far, that this wasn't done. Although nice it's not the end of the world. I was expecting a call from Witter this evening to clear up the confusion, but unsurprisingly this hasn't happened. So I think I'll take the car down to the towbar place tomorrow as planned to get the fitter to run a feed from the battery. Although this wasn't how I assumed it all worked, it sounds like it's the best/safest option. Thanks all. towcar #1: Vauxhall Vectra 1. 9 CDTi 150 towcar #2: Honda CR-V 2. 2 CDTi caravan: Compass Corona 475 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave11a Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 This is very useful. Thanks very much. I'm not sure about any bulb failure enablement etc as I didnt see the install happening. I would assume that judging by the installers efforts so far, that this wasn't done. Although nice it's not the end of the world. I was expecting a call from Witter this evening to clear up the confusion, but unsurprisingly this hasn't happened. So I think I'll take the car down to the towbar place tomorrow as planned to get the fitter to run a feed from the battery. Although this wasn't how I assumed it all worked, it sounds like it's the best/safest option. Thanks all. If Your caravan is fitted with ATC you will need another seprate fused wire run as well to control that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechSteve Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 With ref to the Vectra, you will need to put it through the dealers and have it TECH 2 ed so the canbus system can reconise when a trailer is attatched and allow the bulb failure system to work correctly i have had a vectra for 11 years and currently drive a 2. 2 vectra c Elite (my avatar) HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave11a Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 With ref to the Vectra, you will need to put it through the dealers and have it TECH 2 ed so the canbus system can reconise when a trailer is attatched and allow the bulb failure system to work correctly i have had a vectra for 11 years and currently drive a 2. 2 vectra c Elite (my avatar) HTH My Vauxhall dealer salesman (friend) sent me to a I used company for the towbar as they had the equipment to reprograme the computer etc when they fitted the bar and as he said would cost me a dam site less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave m Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Our Vectra was fitted with a witter towbar and dedicated twin electrics plug in wiring Kit but the fitter also ran a seperate fused lead from the battery for the fridge suppy. The dedicated wiring kit didn't give an audible / visual signal to say the van was connected but the fitter plugged in like a hand held computer at the time of fitting, he said to update the car electronics to allow the light failure systems etc. to work with the van on the back. I had a van indicator lamp fail and the car indicators slowed right down and bulb failure warning came up on the screen. We have a vectra as well and we do not get an audible signal but if we get a bulb go it shows on the display inbetween rev/speedo small display around 30mm square just take a stop/tail bulb out to try it. Also indicators flash quicker if bulb goes but not checked that. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerL Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 It is legal to have an audible/visible signal that the trailer indicators AREN'T working or to have an audible/visible signal that the trailer indicators ARE working. Some German-designed cars like VW don't give a confirmation that all is well, just a warning when there's a failure. Since the Opel Vectra is also German-designed, despite the Vauxhall badging, it may work on the same logic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave11a Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 It is legal to have an audible/visible signal that the trailer indicators AREN'T working or to have an audible/visible signal that the trailer indicators ARE working. Some German-designed cars like VW don't give a confirmation that all is well, just a warning when there's a failure. Since the Opel Vectra is also German-designed, despite the Vauxhall badging, it may work on the same logic. That's why I whent to the towbar fitter I did because he could update the car computer (as Dealer fit do) to enable the light failure system etc on the car to recognise the caravan which sounds like b6x in the first post hadn't had done by the fitter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b6x Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 I'm only assuming it's not been done by the fitter based on recent experiences with this nationwide so-called tow-bar "specialist". I really wish I'd just gone down the dealer route. Took the car in yesterday after having to take a day off work on holiday to get it all sorted. .. gets the car home and there's a weird clicking noise in the boot. The 12S electrics seems to have incorporated some "volton combi" box that's stuck to the side of car inside the boot. This is constantly clicking on and off. Plugged the caravan into the car and, with the ignition off, the fridge red 12V light is coming on and off in time to the random clicking in the boot. Seems like *another* days holiday going to be wasted getting the car back down there! I would urge anyone not to purchase direct from Witter and suffer the appalling customer service they have to offer. .. or the incompetence of their national fitters. towcar #1: Vauxhall Vectra 1. 9 CDTi 150 towcar #2: Honda CR-V 2. 2 CDTi caravan: Compass Corona 475 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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