Caravan and trailer wiring in Melbourne

Planning a trip and need caravan and trailer wiring in Melbourne sorted first? This page lists auto electricians who focus on 4WD, caravan and touring work, and covers what to check before you hitch up and head out of the city.

Caravan and towing auto electricians in Melbourne

• Able Auto Electrics Carrum Downs
• Aztek Auto Electrical Kingston
• Budget Mobile Auto Electrics Casey
• Caravan Electrics Cardinia
• DJS Automotive & Electrical Boroondara
• GP Vehicle Accessories Altona North
• Hot Spark Auto Electrical Hume
• Jocaro Motors Braeside
• Julz Auto Electrix Altona Meadows
• Les Richmond Automotive Campbellfield
• Melbourne Auto Electrics Hume
• Mont Eltham Auto Electrics Banyule and Nillumbik
• RS Automotive World Melton
• Waterdale Auto Electrics Banyule and Nillumbik

14 businesses listed.

These are businesses in the directory’s 4WD, caravan and touring category. If there are only a few, the complete list of Melbourne auto electricians includes everyone.

Plugs, sockets and brake controllers

Most Australian vans and trailers use a 7-pin flat, 7-pin round or 12-pin plug, and it is common to buy a van with a different plug to your car. An auto electrician can fit the right socket or an adaptor and check every circuit works. If your trailer has electric brakes, the tow vehicle needs a brake controller wired in, mounted where you can reach it and set to suit the load.

Trailers with an ATM over 750 kg need brakes, and those over 2,000 kg also need a breakaway system. Detailed requirements differ between states, so check the current rules with VicRoads before you rely on a particular setup.

Charging and power on the road

Many Melbourne caravanners head for the Great Ocean Road, Phillip Island, Gippsland or the High Country on long weekends. If you plan to camp off-grid, ask about:

• A DC-DC charger to charge the van battery properly from the car
• Correctly sized cable from the car battery to the rear plug
• Solar input and a battery monitor
• Fridge wiring that does not drain the starting battery

Get it checked before the holiday rush

Bookings fill up before school holidays and Easter, so arrange work early if you can. Bring the van with you if possible, as it is much easier to test plugs, lights and brakes with both halves connected. Mention whether you also tow a boat trailer to Port Phillip ramps, because saltwater is tough on trailer lights and plugs.

Common faults worth a look

Plenty of towing problems come down to the connection between car and van. Corroded pins, a loose earth or a cable pinched in the towbar area can cause lights that flicker, indicators that flash too fast or brakes that only work some of the time. A van that has sat in a driveway or storage yard through a Melbourne winter can also have moisture in the plug or light housings. Before a big trip, have someone walk around the van while you work the lights, indicators and brakes, and note anything that is not right. Telling the auto electrician what you found makes the fault quicker to trace.

Leaving from the outer east or south-east? See Knox and Cardinia. You might also want mobile auto electricians, dash cam installation or truck auto electricians.