NSW firms up state breakaway caravan brake battery rego requirements
Break-Away battery (l) and CTEK charging system.
Interstate visitors towing Recreational Vehicles (RV's) registered in another State or Territory and travelling through NSW are not subject to the NSW breakaway brake monitoring provisions under the current version (Aug 1, 2013) of the Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulations, Roads and Maritime Services NSW says.
But breakaway brake system batteries in NSW registered caravans must have a remote readout in the tow vehicle the RMS said.
GoSee understands that leading RV builder Jayco has begun installing relevant wiring in its caravans as a standard fitting.
Our friends at Jayco Canberra told GoSee today that retro-fitting a breakaway monitor costs about $250. For older caravans additional wirings adds about $50, they said.
For trailers with a GTM exceeding 2 tonnes, the braking system must be capable of being applied from the drivers seat. Overrun brakes are not acceptable.
Break-away system monitor wiring
Earthing or grounding systems for the trailer brake units must be specifically and individually wired (i.e. one earth wire to each brake unit) and not via the trailer suspension components, wheel bearings or tow couplings, Roads and Maritime Services said.
A RMS NSW Inspectors bulletin says the law is satisfied if the trailer mounted battery is constantly charged by the towing vehicle and a warning device is fitted to alert the driver (from the normal driving position) if there is not enough charge to activate the breakaway braking system in the caravan/trailer.
An acceptable warning circuit must incorporate either a visual or an audible warning device, the RMS says.
The Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulation 2007 requires that all trailers with a Gross Trailer Mass (GTM) exceeding 2 tonnes have a braking system which will operate automatically if it breaks away from the towing vehicle. Braking should be maintained for at least 15 minutes, RMS NSW says.
So a battery needs to be carried on the trailer which is always fully charged.
When a caravan is presented for inspection, the towing vehicle must be equipped with a compatible charging system which is connected to the caravan/trailer and is fully operable.
Any caravan/trailer equipped with electric brakes, must have a label affixed which says that any vehicle used to tow it must be equipped with an acceptable charging/warning circuit.
Break-Safe remote battery monitor
The Redarc Break-Safe Break-Away system shown in the pictures with this Information Article is designed to apply the trailer brakes and brake lights if the trailer or caravan is accidentally separated from the tow vehicle.
The makers say the system has a built in battery that can be charged from the tow vehicle's auxiliary line or by a battery charger. An easy to operate test button is used to indicate the level of charge in the battery. This should be checked before the trailer is towed.
The Series 6000 suits 2 and 4 wheel trailer brakes.
Series 6000XP suits 2,4 and 6 wheel trailer brakes.
The RM6000 remote monitor shown provides an accurate way to monitor the breakaway battery condition, and will give an audible and visual signal if the battery condition falls below the acceptable levels (using a volt meter to monitor the Break-Safe battery is dangerous, as it will not give a true indication of the battery condition).
The RM6000 remote monitor operates each time the brake pedal in the tow vehicle is pressed. The additional circuitry in the Break-Safe 6000 and 6000XP disconnects the Break-Safe battery from the charge wire and then connects it to a small electronic load.
Should the Break-Safe battery be good, a green light will illuminate on the front panel of the RM6000. If the battery is below the safe level, a red light flashes and a buzzer sounds for about 10 seconds.
The CTEK professional MXS25 fully automatic battery charger pictured in this Information Article is a classic example of the truth in the adage that you only get what you pay for. CTEK told GoSee that the 1.9kg automatic eight-step charger is designed to propel battery performance into the top bracket safely. Editors note: There is a link to the free Information Article on the CTEK MXS25 in the GoSee free library at the end of this story.
Break-Safe battery has test ability
Editors note: Wikipedia the free online encylopedia reports that Roads and Maritime Services is an agency of the New South Wales Government responsible for building and maintaining road infrastructure and managing the day-to-day compliance and safety for roads and waterways.
The agency was created on 1 November 2011 from a merger of the Roads and Traffic Authority and NSW Maritime. Planning responsibilities were transferred to Transport for New South Wales, which was created on the same day. Its website Transport for NSW is responsible for improving the customer experience, planning, program administration, policy, regulation, procuring transport services, infrastructure and freight. Transport operating agencies have been freed up to focus on service delivery providing safe, reliable, clean and efficient transport services.
For more information contact: Garth Morrison Editor Go See Australia and Go See New Zealand Directory Email: garth@contact.com.au
iana said
08:34 PM Apr 7, 2015
What I was trying to find is whether the "in house" batteries can be used as the break away battery. Since they are (usually) charged by the towing vehicle then they should be OK.
Brenda and Alan said
08:54 AM Apr 8, 2015
Can't see why you couldn't Iana, but in the event of a breakaway the chances are that the brakes on the van will be on for a very long time. I would rather destroy a relatively cheap 7Ah battery than my much more expensive 200Ah house battery.
Alan
Olley46 said
09:16 AM Apr 8, 2015
I think if the caravan decides to leave the tow vehicle I would be more worried about the van than a battery.
Lance C
Dougwe said
10:04 AM Apr 8, 2015
IMO, I see no reason why they can't run of van/house battery.
I have mine connected the the van batteries and they are always being charged by Solar, 240v or car. Even when the van is not being used as now while house sitting, the solar is busy doing it's thing.
As my van is registered in VIC I have no need for the in-car monitor but will look into it tomorrow when a Auto Elec will be doing some work for me. I'm pretty sure other states will follow NSW.
Bruce and Bev said
12:38 PM Apr 8, 2015
bloody public servants - obviously someone keeping their job safe writing this rubbish!!
Ours is the standard industry one. It has its own breakaway system with a dedicated battery kept charged from the van or tow vehicle in the front boot of the van. It also has a red/green LED on it as well as a test button.
Rather than this latest load of over the top regulations, let them tell us how many vans came off their tow vehicles in the past 1 or even 5 years, compared to how many people had a heart attack or some other medical emergency where they hit another vehicle or drove into a shop, hurting and killing people in the process - the latter seems to happen across the country every few months now. Then maybe fit alcohol breath test disablers to all vehicles (including the pollies cars) so that if youre over the limit, your vehicle wont go............ahhh......but that would be politically very unpopular with the voting public, so lts not do that.
Just a bunch of paper writing idiots making life more difficult for a small voting percentage of the population!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!! I will now take my wooden box and go home lol
Phil C said
08:29 PM Apr 8, 2015
Dougwe wrote:
IMO, I see no reason why they can't run of van/house battery.
I have mine connected the the van batteries and they are always being charged by Solar, 240v or car. Even when the van is not being used as now while house sitting, the solar is busy doing it's thing.
As my van is registered in VIC I have no need for the in-car monitor but will look into it tomorrow when a Auto Elec will be doing some work for me. I'm pretty sure other states will follow NSW.
Dougwe be a bit careful. When I was playing with batteries in the airforce it wa not a good thing to put low AH batteries in parallel with higher AH batteries. Thi may be different now days but I would seek some tech advice if I was you, I think that the reason they seperate those breakaway batts.
iana said
06:57 AM Apr 9, 2015
Another question, when you get your van serviced, do the service people replace the battery? , the instructions say replace every two years.
Treecrest14 said
10:05 AM Apr 9, 2015
Sorry iana, but batteries are consumables and therefore replaced by owners.
deverall11 said
04:41 PM Apr 9, 2015
Dougwe wrote:
IMO, I see no reason why they can't run of van/house battery.
I have mine connected the the van batteries and they are always being charged by Solar, 240v or car. Even when the van is not being used as now while house sitting, the solar is busy doing it's thing.
As my van is registered in VIC I have no need for the in-car monitor but will look into it tomorrow when a Auto Elec will be doing some work for me. I'm pretty sure other states will follow NSW.
On the first point, it maybe that if the house battery runs flat, the breakaway battery will take over. But I think it is more likely that whoever came up with this in NSW had to find a reason to be kept employed.
On the second point, yet another example of inconsistencies between states. How does this make a van registered in VIC, QLD, SA or anywhere else other then NSW not as safe as one registered in NSW? It's either a national requirement or none. Maybe the next step would be to stop vans at the border into NSW and ask them to upgrade their brakes before they are allowed in NSW. Not to mention it is the most expensive state to register a van. For your average Joe Public who lives in NSW, works fulltime and goes on holidays with the van 4 weeks of the year, this costs $100 per week.
Bruce and Bev said
09:53 PM Apr 9, 2015
Larry - you get me on my soap box on what you say about the stupid State laws - and it goes right across our lives, not just vehicles. Australia must have one of the highest employment of public servants per head of population in the world with Federal, States, low councils/shires, regional councils and the list goes on.
These ****s make up many of these stupid regulations and laws just to keep themselves in a very well paid comfy bloody job !!!
Thank you listeners, I will now take my soap box and put it back under my bed till next time :)
iana said
06:23 AM Apr 10, 2015
Bruce ----- off topic!
deverall11 said
11:57 AM Apr 10, 2015
Bruce and Bev wrote:
Larry - you get me on my soap box on what you say about the stupid State laws - and it goes right across our lives, not just vehicles. Australia must have one of the highest employment of public servants per head of population in the world with Federal, States, low councils/shires, regional councils and the list goes on.
These ****s make up many of these stupid regulations and laws just to keep themselves in a very well paid comfy bloody job !!!
Thank you listeners, I will now take my soap box and put it back under my bed till next time :)
You are more then welcome Bruce. Maybe one day I will get the chance to talk to someone with the view of making this country run under one government. The last time I tried we were in Canberra visiting the old and new parliament and they threw me out and suggested I star my own Party. I suppose if the Lambies of this world can do that then.....As the old saying goes 'I'll be back'.
Larry
migra said
01:29 PM Apr 18, 2015
In a caravan park last week there were 4 NSW registered vans parked in a row of which all had NO warning label attached to the A-frame near the breakaway unit and only 1 had the remote battery fitted to his vehicle.
At the same park, a chap came in with a NSW registered new van, first outing, the selling dealer DID NOT advise him that the remote battery monitor was a requirement, had no warning labels attached to the A-frame and allowed him to hitch up the van and go.....Where is the dealers duty of care by allowing this person to travel whilst in breach of this NSW regulation.
Found this on the web, maybe of interest.
NSW firms up state breakaway caravan brake battery rego requirements
Break-Away battery (l) and
CTEK charging system.
Interstate visitors towing Recreational Vehicles (RV's) registered in another State or Territory and travelling through NSW are not subject to the NSW breakaway brake monitoring provisions under the current version (Aug 1, 2013) of the Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulations, Roads and Maritime Services NSW says.
But breakaway brake system batteries in NSW registered caravans must have a remote readout in the tow vehicle the RMS said.
GoSee understands that leading RV builder Jayco has begun installing relevant wiring in its caravans as a standard fitting.
Our friends at Jayco Canberra told GoSee today that retro-fitting a breakaway monitor costs about $250. For older caravans additional wirings adds about $50, they said.
For trailers with a GTM exceeding 2 tonnes, the braking system must be capable of being applied from the drivers seat. Overrun brakes are not acceptable.
Break-away system monitor wiring
Earthing or grounding systems for the trailer brake units must be specifically and individually wired (i.e. one earth wire to each brake unit) and not via the trailer suspension components, wheel bearings or tow couplings, Roads and Maritime Services said.
A RMS NSW Inspectors bulletin says the law is satisfied if the trailer mounted battery is constantly charged by the towing vehicle and a warning device is fitted to alert the driver (from the normal driving position) if there is not enough charge to activate the breakaway braking system in the caravan/trailer.
An acceptable warning circuit must incorporate either a visual or an audible warning device, the RMS says.
The Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulation 2007 requires that all trailers with a Gross Trailer Mass (GTM) exceeding 2 tonnes have a braking system which will operate automatically if it breaks away from the towing vehicle. Braking should be maintained for at least 15 minutes, RMS NSW says.
So a battery needs to be carried on the trailer which is always fully charged.
When a caravan is presented for inspection, the towing vehicle must be equipped with a compatible charging system which is connected to the caravan/trailer and is fully operable.
Any caravan/trailer equipped with electric brakes, must have a label affixed which says that any vehicle used to tow it must be equipped with an acceptable charging/warning circuit.
Break-Safe remote battery monitor
The Redarc Break-Safe Break-Away system shown in the pictures with this Information Article is designed to apply the trailer brakes and brake lights if the trailer or caravan is accidentally separated from the tow vehicle.
The makers say the system has a built in battery that can be charged from the tow vehicle's auxiliary line or by a battery charger. An easy to operate test button is used to indicate the level of charge in the battery. This should be checked before the trailer is towed.
The Series 6000 suits 2 and 4 wheel trailer brakes.
Series 6000XP suits 2,4 and 6 wheel trailer brakes.
The RM6000 remote monitor shown provides an accurate way to monitor the breakaway battery condition, and will give an audible and visual signal if the battery condition falls below the acceptable levels (using a volt meter to monitor the Break-Safe battery is dangerous, as it will not give a true indication of the battery condition).
The RM6000 remote monitor operates each time the brake pedal in the tow vehicle is pressed. The additional circuitry in the Break-Safe 6000 and 6000XP disconnects the Break-Safe battery from the charge wire and then connects it to a small electronic load.
Should the Break-Safe battery be good, a green light will illuminate on the front panel of the RM6000. If the battery is below the safe level, a red light flashes and a buzzer sounds for about 10 seconds.
The CTEK professional MXS25 fully automatic battery charger pictured in this Information Article is a classic example of the truth in the adage that you only get what you pay for. CTEK told GoSee that the 1.9kg automatic eight-step charger is designed to propel battery performance into the top bracket safely. Editors note: There is a link to the free Information Article on the CTEK MXS25 in the GoSee free library at the end of this story.
Break-Safe battery has test ability
Editors note: Wikipedia the free online encylopedia reports that Roads and Maritime Services is an agency of the New South Wales Government responsible for building and maintaining road infrastructure and managing the day-to-day compliance and safety for roads and waterways.
The agency was created on 1 November 2011 from a merger of the Roads and Traffic Authority and NSW Maritime. Planning responsibilities were transferred to Transport for New South Wales, which was created on the same day. Its website Transport for NSW is responsible for improving the customer experience, planning, program administration, policy, regulation, procuring transport services, infrastructure and freight. Transport operating agencies have been freed up to focus on service delivery providing safe, reliable, clean and efficient transport services.
Also see -
MXS25 pro charger propels top level RV battery performance safely says CTEK
For more information
contact: Garth Morrison
Editor Go See Australia and Go See New Zealand Directory
Email: garth@contact.com.au
Can't see why you couldn't Iana, but in the event of a breakaway the chances are that the brakes on the van will be on for a very long time. I would rather destroy a relatively cheap 7Ah battery than my much more expensive 200Ah house battery.
Alan
I think if the caravan decides to leave the tow vehicle I would be more worried about the van than a battery.
Lance C
I have mine connected the the van batteries and they are always being charged by Solar, 240v or car. Even when the van is not being used as now while house sitting, the solar is busy doing it's thing.
As my van is registered in VIC I have no need for the in-car monitor but will look into it tomorrow when a Auto Elec will be doing some work for me. I'm pretty sure other states will follow NSW.
Ours is the standard industry one. It has its own breakaway system with a dedicated battery kept charged from the van or tow vehicle in the front boot of the van. It also has a red/green LED on it as well as a test button.
Rather than this latest load of over the top regulations, let them tell us how many vans came off their tow vehicles in the past 1 or even 5 years, compared to how many people had a heart attack or some other medical emergency where they hit another vehicle or drove into a shop, hurting and killing people in the process - the latter seems to happen across the country every few months now. Then maybe fit alcohol breath test disablers to all vehicles (including the pollies cars) so that if youre over the limit, your vehicle wont go............ahhh......but that would be politically very unpopular with the voting public, so lts not do that.
Just a bunch of paper writing idiots making life more difficult for a small voting percentage of the population!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!! I will now take my wooden box and go home lol
Dougwe be a bit careful. When I was playing with batteries in the airforce it wa not a good thing to put low AH batteries in parallel with higher AH batteries. Thi may be different now days but I would seek some tech advice if I was you, I think that the reason they seperate those breakaway batts.
On the first point, it maybe that if the house battery runs flat, the breakaway battery will take over. But I think it is more likely that whoever came up with this in NSW had to find a reason to be kept employed.
On the second point, yet another example of inconsistencies between states. How does this make a van registered in VIC, QLD, SA or anywhere else other then NSW not as safe as one registered in NSW? It's either a national requirement or none. Maybe the next step would be to stop vans at the border into NSW and ask them to upgrade their brakes before they are allowed in NSW. Not to mention it is the most expensive state to register a van. For your average Joe Public who lives in NSW, works fulltime and goes on holidays with the van 4 weeks of the year, this costs $100 per week.
These ****s make up many of these stupid regulations and laws just to keep themselves in a very well paid comfy bloody job !!!
Thank you listeners, I will now take my soap box and put it back under my bed till next time :)
You are more then welcome Bruce. Maybe one day I will get the chance to talk to someone with the view of making this country run under one government. The last time I tried we were in Canberra visiting the old and new parliament and they threw me out and suggested I star my own Party. I suppose if the Lambies of this world can do that then.....As the old saying goes 'I'll be back'.
Larry
In a caravan park last week there were 4 NSW registered vans parked in a row of which all had NO warning label attached to the A-frame near the breakaway unit and only 1 had the remote battery fitted to his vehicle.
At the same park, a chap came in with a NSW registered new van, first outing, the selling dealer DID NOT advise him that the remote battery monitor was a requirement, had no warning labels attached to the A-frame and allowed him to hitch up the van and go.....Where is the dealers duty of care by allowing this person to travel whilst in breach of this NSW regulation.
Hi Guys,
Does anyone know where one could obtain the sticker label: Hauling unit must be equipped with an acceptable charging unit and warning device.
My Van is Registered in WA but my tow vehicle is registered in NSW, the van was checked in WA and complies to WA law.
But just don't know how I'd go with the Hauling vehicle rego being NSW.
Any thoughts Gents and Ladies