ARW wrote:

I have a feeling that it is going to get gutted.

Even that may not be as simple as you might think. Caravans of
that era were effectively assembled by screwing into the various
items of furniture through the sidewalls, which were then
insulated (a little), any pipes and wiring run, and the aluminium
skin added.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK
@ChrisJDixon1

Plant amazing Acers.

In article , ARW
writes
On 17/08/2019 11:20, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
ARW wrote:
Bert, you know I said it was a woman in my local pub asking about
rewiring her sister's caravan in Bristol. Well she was in the pub again
last night and had had a few too many. It turns out it's her caravan
(although it is in Bristol and officially her sister owns it) she has
just not told her husband yet.

It's a 1960's caravan and is ****ed.
Good luck working on that. Remove anything from an old caravan and
you'll
have problems replacing it. Everything rusted or rotten. And you'll have
to do lots of dismantling for a re-wire.


I have a feeling that it is going to get gutted.


To summarise

Towing it back

Ensure it is roadworthy, brakes tyres road lights.
Check tyres for cracked walls esp if it has been stood for a long time.
Blowouts on caravans can wreck a chunk of bodywork.
Likewise brake mechanism may well be seized up.

Traffic cops esp on holiday routes do take an unhealthy interest in
dodgy looking caravans and you don't want to get pulled over.

Older caravans are much heavier than modern day ones. Check weight is
within your vans towing limits. If you have a full size Trannie van type
then you should be OK. Remember it's plated weight (if you can find a
plate) not actual weight. Watch out for hitch weight as this can affect
stability. If close to limit or close to kerb weight of towing van keep
speed down.

Electric connection to towing vehicle will be old style 12N socket. Open
up male pins slightly with a fine screw driver and spray with WD40.

Unlikely to have mains hook up when manufactured. ( my first (new)
caravan 1982 didn't have it). May of course have been added. I added a
hook up to mine but there was no Part P in those days.

Probably no provision for on board battery. They relied on 12v supply
from towing vehicle. (wiring diagram for 12N socket easily found via
google.)

Very little use of 12v maybe a couple of fluorescents. Maybe electric
water pump controlled through microswitch taps, but more likely foot
pump. These taps notoriously unreliable.

As I have mentioned in an earlier reply advisable to run a damp meter
over it as any rewiring would be wasted if it is beyond reasonable
repair. Resealing is d-i-y able otherwise expensive.

So ultimately what is customer expectation?

To upgrade to anything approaching a modern van is a lot of work.

But it would be relatively easy to upgrade to make it more usable.
As I suggested previously call in at a dealer and have a look round a
modern van and maybe any older 2nd hand ones in stock.
Battery box which includes 240v input socket
Mains control box, rcd, reverse polarity detection circuit breakers
Charger/12vcontrol unit with fuse boxes.
Mains sockets usually one in an under-bed locker for external use.
Mains appliances - heater water heater lighting fridge
12v supplies for control of these units, led lights.
Probably wont need 12s socket as van will not have fog lamps or
reversing lights, but you could install them in which case either add
12s or go to euro plug (depends on proposed towing vehicle also).

HTH
--
bert

bert wrote:
[snip many useful and sensible comments]

Electric connection to towing vehicle will be old style 12N socket. Open
up male pins slightly with a fine screw driver and spray with WD40.

Please no to WD40! After a short while it will make the socket gooey and
horrible and attract dirt like a magnet. Just clean it up and, if you
have it, apply some contact/switch cleaner or lubricant.

[snip more useful and sensible comments]

--
Chris Green
·

On 18/08/2019 15:23, bert wrote:
In article , ARW
writes
On 17/08/2019 11:20, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Â*Â*Â* ARW wrote:
Bert, you know I said it was a woman in my local pub asking about
rewiring her sister's caravan in Bristol. Well she was in the pub again
last night and had had a few too many. It turns out it's her caravan
(although it is in Bristol and officially her sister owns it) she has
just not told her husband yet.

It's a 1960's caravan and is ****ed.
Â*Good luck working on that. Remove anything from an old caravan and
you'll
have problems replacing it. Everything rusted or rotten. And you'll have
to do lots of dismantling for a re-wire.


I have a feeling that it is going to get gutted.


To summarise

Towing it back

Ensure it is roadworthy, brakes tyres road lights.
Check tyres for cracked walls esp if it has been stood for a long time.
Blowouts on caravans can wreck a chunk of bodywork.
Likewise brake mechanism may well be seized up.

Traffic cops esp on holiday routes do take an unhealthy interest in
dodgy looking caravans and you don't want to get pulled over.

Older caravans are much heavier than modern day ones. Check weight is
within your vans towing limits. If you have a full size Trannie van type
then you should be OK. Remember it's plated weight (if you can find a
plate) not actual weight. Watch out for hitch weight as this can affect
stability. If close to limit or close to kerb weight of towing van keep
speed down.

Electric connection to towing vehicle will be old style 12N socket. Open
up male pins slightly with a fine screw driver and spray with WD40.

Unlikely to have mains hook up when manufactured. ( my first (new)
caravan 1982 didn't have it). May of course have been added. I added a
hook up to mine but there was no Part P in those days.

Probably no provision for on board battery. They relied on 12v supply
from towing vehicle. (wiring diagram for 12N socket easily found via
google.)

Very little use of 12v maybe a couple of fluorescents. Maybe electric
water pump controlled through microswitch taps, but more likely foot
pump. These taps notoriously unreliable.

As I have mentioned in an earlier reply advisable to run a damp meter
over it as any rewiring would be wasted if it is beyond reasonable
repair. Resealing is d-i-y able otherwise expensive.

So ultimately what is customer expectation?

To upgrade to anything approaching a modern van is a lot of work.

But it would be relatively easy to upgrade to make it more usable.
As I suggested previously call in at a dealer and have a look round a
modern van and maybe any older 2nd hand ones in stock.
Battery box which includes 240v input socket
Mains control box, rcd, reverse polarity detection circuit breakers
Charger/12vcontrol unit with fuse boxes.
Mains sockets usually one in an under-bed locker for external use.
Mains appliances - heater water heater lighting fridge
12v supplies for control of these units, led lights.
Probably wont need 12s socket as van will not have fog lamps or
reversing lights, but you could install them in which case either add
12s or go to euro plug (depends on proposed towing vehicle also).

HTH

Thanks. It was helpful. All I have ever towed before is the odd car with
a tow rope [1] and the longest tow was 20 miles. You have to know and
trust the person been towed when doing that.

When I get details I'll make another post. They do not rush things down
Bristol way.

[1] And more dragged out than towed when I and a very good apprentice
got a cherry picker and the van we were using to pull it out stuck on a
school playing field. We got a bill for the playing field repairing on
that cock up (when our MD turned up he said it looked like a WWI
battlefield and could be used for course work).

--
Adam

On 18/08/2019 15:56, Chris Green wrote:
bert wrote:
[snip many useful and sensible comments]

Electric connection to towing vehicle will be old style 12N socket. Open
up male pins slightly with a fine screw driver and spray with WD40.

Please no to WD40! After a short while it will make the socket gooey and
horrible and attract dirt like a magnet. Just clean it up and, if you
have it, apply some contact/switch cleaner or lubricant.

[snip more useful and sensible comments]


Believe it or not I have contact cleaner in the van:-)

--
Adam