chapmanmizen Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 I am a new Caravaner - and have so far enjoyed a few weekends away with family and friends; thoroughly enjoying the friendliness of other caravaners and the freedom touring gives me. I am trying to wire up an additional 12v socket in my 2002 Bailey Ranger 380/2 and need some help. I have found amongst a mass of wires by the fuse board what appears to be a spare + and - 12v connector (green and white wires) - would this be suitable to connect into for the additional socket and which colour is the negative and which on positive? Any help would be appreciated. Ben. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WispMan Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Use a multimeter and make sure the wires are protected with an appropriate fuse. Do you not have a 12V socket combined with a TV aerial. Quote Graham Unless otherwise stated all posts are my personal opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chapmanmizen Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 I have tired a multimeter and amps are registering which ever way round I put the probes (which in hindsight is correct as all I am doing is closing the circuit with the probes - so a current would register). The caravan already has a combined 12v and tv aerial socket but in the most obscure place, so I was hoping to install an additional one by the table - the most sensible place to have a tv. The aerial is easy to wire as the status booster has a spare output on it, but the 12v power is proving an issue. I didn't want to piggy back off the existing 12v socket as overloading could occur. I thought I had found the solution by finding the green and white spare cables by the fuseboard :/ Ben. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easy T Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 (edited) I can't see how 'piggybacking' would overload the circuit. If you overload the cirsuit a fuse will blow. What are you likely to have plugged into the existing 12V socket whilst the TV is on? Edited August 22, 2014 by Easy T Quote Alan 2005 Nissan X-trail 4WD diesel and Swift Charisma 540 2012 Lunar Clubman ES 2018 Lunar Clubman ES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chapmanmizen Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 I can't see how 'piggybacking' would overload the circuit. If you overload the cirsuit a fuse will blow. What are you likely to have plugged into the existing 12V socket whilst the TV is on? I am intending to run a 12v kettle and toaster on the existing 12v socket and tv from the new 12v socket. The fuse board is amass with wires so I cannot determine which circuit runs to the existing 12v socket - connection would therefore have to be by the existing socket. The other issue with piggy backing the exiting circuit from the plug is having to run the cabling behind the fridge and navigating the door. Any ideas on which cable would be the positive and negative - green or white cabling? There are spare circuits on the fuseboard (radio / omnivent etc) that are not used so I am assuming this spare cabling emanates from one of these circuits. Once the positive and negative are known I can determine which circuit I have connected into by way of removing each fuse one at a time. Ben. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl250 Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 A 12v kettle and toaster ? We use the gas hob and grill. ........... 1 Quote 2007 Bailey Series 5 Senator Arizona (4 berth, rear bathroom, side dinette) towed by a 57 Kia Sorento XS Auto with Kumho KL17 tyres, Reich Mover, Kampa Rally 390, Caravan Tyres : GT Radial Maxmiler CX 185/80 R14 102R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easy T Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Never come across a 12 volt toaster. What current does that require?? Ditto the kettle Quote Alan 2005 Nissan X-trail 4WD diesel and Swift Charisma 540 2012 Lunar Clubman ES 2018 Lunar Clubman ES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Never come across a 12 volt toaster. What current does that require?? More likely the wires would be brown before the bread me thinks 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders53 Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 errrm with a multimeter on Amps you join two wires and it registers DC current flow both ways round? Nope. Not possible. You will be on OHMS resistance range to do that. That means (probably) both wires are simply connected together at some point in the circuit. Switch it to DC VOLTS range and you can check for volts present. .. if a needle it will deflect backwads (below zero) if reversed polarity. ... {as it would on a DC current range - briefly - just before a protective fuse blows!}. If a digital type it will show - (negative) in front of the numbers. Do you have the Service Booklet for your 'van? Bailey include circuit diagrams and cable colours in them, which might help a bit ? 1 Quote 2012 Bailey Pegasus 2 Rimini towed by 2019 Ford Galaxy Titanium X, 2.0 EcoBlue, 8 speed auto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easy T Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 (edited) Halford do a 12 volt kettle. Seems to hold two cups and take around 20 mins to boil. Some reviews say 45 mins Edited August 22, 2014 by Easy T Quote Alan 2005 Nissan X-trail 4WD diesel and Swift Charisma 540 2012 Lunar Clubman ES 2018 Lunar Clubman ES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suandjas Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 (edited) i have a 700 watt kettle which i use on mains and that takes forever to boil . hoooooooooooow long is it going to take on 12v Edited August 22, 2014 by suandjas 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brecon Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Green will be +, white will be -. However, do NOT try running a 12v kettle or toaster on the circuit, Use mains or gas for those items. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chapmanmizen Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 The toaster is even worse. ..... 30 mins on last trip! think I may need to invest in some more traditional implements - whistle kettle and grill tray for toasting. Have checked the Bailey manual for wiring diagrams and by the fuseboard wiring is almost as confused as the wiring in the caravan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easy T Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 The toaster is even worse. ..... 30 mins on last trip! think I may need to invest in some more traditional implements - whistle kettle and grill tray for toasting. Have checked the Bailey manual for wiring diagrams and by the fuseboard wiring is almost as confused as the wiring in the caravan 30 mins is not toast! It has simply gone hard and stale due to age Hope you don't do your eggs on 12 Volt as well. Be lunchtime before you've had breakfast. 2 Quote Alan 2005 Nissan X-trail 4WD diesel and Swift Charisma 540 2012 Lunar Clubman ES 2018 Lunar Clubman ES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl250 Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 ! think I may need to invest in some more traditional implements - whistle kettle and grill tray for toasting. Yup ! Quote 2007 Bailey Series 5 Senator Arizona (4 berth, rear bathroom, side dinette) towed by a 57 Kia Sorento XS Auto with Kumho KL17 tyres, Reich Mover, Kampa Rally 390, Caravan Tyres : GT Radial Maxmiler CX 185/80 R14 102R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easy T Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 I know some lorry drivers use the battery for making a brew. Don't they have 24 volt though? Fair enough if you are stopped for lunch as probably get a brew in 10/15 mins on 24V. Just time for after your sandwiches. I didn't know anyone still made 12V toasters. Quote Alan 2005 Nissan X-trail 4WD diesel and Swift Charisma 540 2012 Lunar Clubman ES 2018 Lunar Clubman ES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil s Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 30 mins to do toast in 12v toaster, you could light the bbq and toast on there quicker phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WispMan Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 This is an example where use of a multimeter is best if you know what you want to do. You don't want to measure current but voltage. As Rodders says, have the MM on dc volts in a range to include 12volts. You have two probes - red and black - touch one each to the two ends. If display shows negative volts or analogue meter veers wrong way, then where the red lead touches is -ve and black is +ve. If reading shows meter positive volts or displays moves into positive area, then red lead is +ve and black lead is -ve. Quote Graham Unless otherwise stated all posts are my personal opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul_B Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Anyone wanting to use the flimsy caravan wiring for a kettle should buy a fire extinguisher and a good insurance cover 1 Quote Paul B . .......Mondeo Estate & Elddis Avanté 505 (Tobago) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreadly Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 These 12v appliances are very high current and IMHO should only be used in a vehicle on the main power outlet with the engine running. Caravan wiring is just not designed for this type of thing and melted wiring and other issues are assured long term. Also by the sounds of it you are very likely to go hungry. Better off buying low wattage mains appliances and using the Gas Quote An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind. Mahatma Gandhi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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