I have just made up my own Breakaway Battery Monitor,I bought aBattery and Alternator tester $20.00, 9 mtrs of 4 mill wire $35.00 hard wired the van to the plug,and hard wired the Prado to the plug through a switch on the dash the reason for wiring it through a switch was so I don't have LED lights in my eye,s all the time I can just switch them off,I know it is only law in NSW but I will be ready if the law changes.
All that monitor does is shows whether there is charging power going to your breakaway battery unit. It will not tell you if your battery is capable of holding a charge or not. The approved battery monitors operate by doing a load test each time you apply your service brakes. Also these monitors are only capable of being fitted to particular models of the same manufacturers breakaway units. In other words, those who are required to fit monitors will find that not only do they have to purchase a monitor but if their monitor is not capable of working with one of the monitors on the market then it will have to be replaced as well.
__________________
PeterD Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top Retired radio and electronics technician. NSW Central Coast.
This device does not comply with the NSW regulations.
I suggest you discuss this with R V Electronics 08 8261 3500 or Google their web site.
If you read the "OWNER OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS" for the Breakaway system, it explains in detail the operation of the breakaway system.
In addition, for compliance, you need to attach a label on the A-frame of the van stating "ALL VEHICLES TOWING THIS TRAILER MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH A 12 VOLT CHARGING CIRCUIT AND A BREAKSAFE REMOTE BATTERY MONITOR".
If you read VIB 6 effective 1998 and VIB 6 revision 2007 and VSI 22 issued April 1998, it will also offer an explanation in greater detail.
I recently called into our local caravan park and was surprise how many NSW registered caravans owners that where not aware of the above and are traveling non-compliant. They are a target for the highway patrol/RMS and could invalidate their insurance if involved in an accident.
The question has to be asked "How did they pass registration"
New caravan owners are not being advised by the caravan selling dealer this is a requirement and the caravan should not leave the lot unless the tow vehicle is fitted with a compliant remote battery monitor.....they have a duty of care under the NSW DFT law.
The above has been discussed and discussed in many forums, so why are so many NSW registered RVers traveling non compliant.
Well I don't live in NSW for a start ,this unit that I have fitted tells me what condition my battery is in, low, half charged, or fully charged,to me that is enough to tell me that it will operate the breakaway breaks ,if the battery won't charge over low it would be time to replace it,as far as only showing charge going to the battery is incorrect ,if the car is not running it shows you what charge is in your battery, at leased I can check my Breakaway Battery for charge without pulling half the van to bits to get to it.
