Burrum Heads

Got a boat, a caravan or a holiday house in Burrum Heads and need an auto electrician? Most of the work here starts at the river mouth, where trailers go into salt water and vehicles sit for weeks between visits.

• Need it fixed? Get a quote from an auto electrician near Burrum Heads, including mobile businesses that come to you.
• Doing it yourself? Order quality parts online from Ozautoelectrics.
• Auto electrician in Burrum Heads? List your business on this site to win more customers.
• Are you a trade customer? Apply here for trade pricing.

Common auto electrical jobs in Burrum Heads

Burrum Heads sits where the Burrum, Isis and Gregory rivers meet Hervey Bay, about 25 km from the city. With three boat ramps, a big fishing crowd and a long history as a holiday town, the jobs lean towards towing, launching and vehicles that don't get driven every day.

Trailer lights at three busy ramps

Between the ramps at Burrum Street, Ross Street and the end of Burrum Heads Road, plenty of trailers here get backed into the river every week. Tidal salt water finds its way into globe holders, plugs and joins, and the first sign is usually a dead indicator or a tail light that only works when you wiggle the plug. Sealed LED lamps, heat-shrunk joins and a plug that's rinsed and dried after each trip last far longer. Our guide on why trailer lights stop working walks through the usual faults.

Get it done: get a quoteDo it yourself: shop LED trailer lights

Cars left at the holiday house

A lot of homes in Burrum Heads are weekenders or seasonal stays, and the car or second ute often stays behind in the carport. Modern vehicles draw a small amount of power even when locked, so a few weeks of sitting can leave the battery too low to crank. Fitting a battery maintainer on a timer or a simple isolator switch before you leave saves a call-out when you come back. If the battery still dies quickly, it's worth having the parasitic drain measured.

Get it done: get a quoteDo it yourself: shop battery maintainers

Charging the boat battery from the tow vehicle

The drive from Hervey Bay or Maryborough to the ramp is a good chance to top up the boat's cranking or sounder battery. That needs a proper charging circuit from the tow vehicle, usually heavy cable back to an Anderson plug on the drawbar, with a fuse at the battery end and a DC-DC charger if the vehicle has a smart alternator. Thin cable and missing fuses are common faults on home-built setups. See our guide on wiring an Anderson plug.

Get it done: get a quoteDo it yourself: shop Anderson plugs

Reversing cameras for ramp work

Backing a trailer down a wet ramp with a queue waiting is easier when you can see the drawbar and the water line. Many owners add a reversing camera to the tow vehicle, or a wireless camera on the trailer itself. On the trailer, salt is the enemy, so the camera, its power lead and the plug need to be properly sealed and mounted where they won't sit underwater during launching. A wired camera on the vehicle is usually the more reliable option.

Get it done: get a quoteDo it yourself: shop reversing cameras

Caravans that arrive with flat batteries

Burrum Heads draws caravans and campers for the fishing and the national park, and plenty of them pull up with a house battery that didn't charge on the drive. The cause is usually a voltage drop in long, thin charging cable, a worn 12-pin plug, or a vehicle with a smart alternator that drops its output when it's cruising. A DC-DC charger and proper cable size fix most cases. Our guide on caravan batteries not charging while towing explains why.

Get it done: get a quoteDo it yourself: shop DC-DC chargers

Burrum Heads auto electrical questions

Should I disconnect my trailer plug before I back the boat into the water?

Yes, it's a good habit. Unplugging stops current flowing through wet, hot globes, which is when they tend to crack, and it keeps the vehicle side of the plug out of the salt. Leave the plug hanging somewhere dry, reconnect once the trailer is back out, and do a quick light check before you drive off. A dab of dielectric grease on the pins helps keep corrosion out.

My car sat at our Burrum Heads place for a month and now it won't start. Is the battery finished?

Not always. A battery that has gone flat once can often be recharged and will test fine, but one that has been flat for weeks may have lost capacity for good. Charge it fully with a proper charger, then have it load tested. If it fails, replace it. If it passes, look at how long the car sits and fit a maintainer for next time.

Do I need electric brakes on my boat trailer?

Trailers over 750 kg loaded must have brakes, and over 2,000 kg those brakes must be operable from the driver's seat. Many lighter boat trailers use mechanical override brakes, which cope better with being dunked than electric brake magnets do. Check your trailer's compliance plate, and talk to a trailer specialist if you're unsure what suits your rig.

Auto electricians near Burrum Heads

See the Burrum District listings for auto electricians and mobile services that cover Burrum Heads.

Looking for parts in Burrum Heads?

Need sealed trailer lights, an Anderson plug or a battery maintainer in Burrum Heads? Search quality parts from Ozautoelectrics, dispatched Australia-wide.

Nearby: Toogoom · Beelbi Creek · Burrum River · Cherwell · Woodgate · Buxton

Run an auto electrical business in Burrum Heads?

• New to Ozautoelectrics? Apply for trade pricing on quality auto electrical parts.
• Already a trade customer? Log in and order parts at your trade price.
• Want more local customers? List your business on this site so drivers in Burrum Heads can find you.