Caravans and Grey Nomads on the Fraser Coast

This guide is for caravanners staying on the Fraser Coast, whether you're passing through on the Bruce Highway, wintering in Hervey Bay or based here and heading off on long trips. It covers keeping your van's batteries charged on the road and at camp, the towing electrics that matter most, and which caravan jobs need a licensed professional.

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Why the Fraser Coast suits caravans

Hervey Bay's winters are mild. The Bureau of Meteorology's Hervey Bay Airport climate averages show a mean July maximum of around 22°C, compared with about 30°C in January. That makes the bay a comfortable stop in the cooler months, with easy day trips to Maryborough, Burrum Heads and the ferry to K'gari.

Most caravanners arrive via the Bruce Highway and turn off at Tinana onto the Maryborough-Hervey Bay Road, a run of about 45 km through Maryborough and on to the bay. After days or weeks on the road, a stopover is a good time to check the electrical side of your rig before the next leg.

Charging while you tow

The most common caravan electrical complaint is a van battery that doesn't charge while driving. The usual causes are thin cable over a long run from the car to the van, a voltage drop through the plug, or a smart alternator that drops its output once the car's battery is full. By the time charge reaches the back of the van, there may not be enough voltage left to do much.

Heavy cable, a dedicated Anderson plug for charging and a DC-DC charger mounted in the van usually fix it. Our guide on why a caravan battery isn't charging while towing goes through the diagnosis in order.

Solar for long stays

Many people who stay a few weeks on the Fraser Coast mix powered sites with time in national parks and free camps. Solar makes that easier. Winter days are shorter and the sun is lower, so panels make less than they do in summer. Shade from trees also cuts output sharply. Size your system for winter if that's when you travel.

Work out your daily use first: fridge, lights, water pump, TV and phone charging. Then size panels and battery storage to suit. Our guide on how much solar you need for a caravan has a simple method. A good solar regulator and a battery monitor make it much easier to see what's happening.

Plugs, brakes and breakaway checks

Larger vans usually use a 12-pin plug, which carries extra circuits for charging and other functions, while many camper trailers and smaller vans still use 7-pin. If your car and van don't match, an adapter will make the lights work but may not carry charging. Our guide to 7-pin vs 12-pin trailer plugs explains the differences.

Electric brakes need a brake controller in the tow vehicle, wired with cable heavy enough to carry the current. If your van's brakes feel weak or grab, or the controller shows a fault, have the wiring and earth checked before your next trip. Our guide on installing an electric brake controller covers the setup.

Queensland's rules on trailer and towing equipment depend on your van's mass. Check the Queensland Government's towing pages and your vehicle's towing limits, and confirm the current rules with Transport and Main Roads before you change your setup. If your van is registered in Queensland, the caravan registration page is the place to start for paperwork.

A pre-departure electrical check

Before you leave the Fraser Coast for the next stop, run through a quick list with someone watching from behind the van. It takes ten minutes and catches most problems.

• Indicators, brake lights, tail lights and number plate light on the van
• Clearance and side marker lights, especially on wide vans
• Brake controller reading and a gentle test of the van brakes in the park
• Breakaway battery charged and the system tested as the maker describes
• Plug pins clean and the cable not rubbing on the drawbar or jockey wheel
• Van battery charging when the car is running

Storing your van between trips

If you live on the Fraser Coast and your van sits in a carport, shed or storage yard between trips, its batteries are slowly losing charge the whole time. Small loads such as a gas detector, a radio memory or a battery monitor add to the drain. A lead-acid battery left flat for weeks can sulphate and never fully recover, and even lithium batteries have a lower limit they shouldn't sit below.

Before you park the van for a long stretch, charge the batteries fully and use the isolator switch if the van has one. A small solar panel or a mains charger with a storage mode keeps them topped up. Near the bay, salt air also works on plugs and light fittings while the van sits, so cover the drawbar plug and check the lights a week before your next trip rather than the morning you leave.

Jobs for licensed professionals

Caravans combine 12V systems with 240V mains wiring, gas appliances and sometimes air conditioning. The 12V side is auto electrical work. Fixed 240V wiring in a caravan must only be done by a licensed electrician. Refrigerant work on a van's air conditioner needs a licensed technician. Gas fitting is also licensed work. If you're unsure which category a fault falls into, ask before anyone starts.

Inverters sit on the boundary. A plug-in inverter powering a few appliances is a common DIY add-on, but hard-wiring an inverter into a van's 240V outlets is fixed wiring and needs a licensed professional. Our guide on choosing and installing an inverter explains the safe options.

Getting help while you're here

If something fails while you're staying in Hervey Bay, a mobile auto electrician can often come to your caravan park. Have the van's make and model, the battery type and any charger or controller details handy. For jobs on the way in or out, see our Maryborough page, which sits on the main route from the Bruce Highway.

Parts for this job

Order quality parts online from Ozautoelectrics, dispatched Australia-wide.

Get it done: get a quoteDo it yourself: shop 12-pin trailer plugs

Get it done: get a quoteDo it yourself: shop electric brake controllers

Get it done: get a quoteDo it yourself: shop solar regulators

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

Questions Hervey Bay drivers ask

Why does my caravan battery go flat at a powered site?

If the van is plugged into mains power and the battery still goes flat, the battery charger in the van may have failed, a fuse may have blown, or the battery itself may be worn out. Check that the charger has power and is showing a charge status. If it's mains-side, a licensed electrician is needed. The 12V side can be checked by an auto electrician.

Do I need a DC-DC charger in my caravan?

If your tow vehicle has a smart alternator, or the cable run to your van is long, a DC-DC charger usually charges the van battery much better than a direct connection. It's especially useful for lithium batteries, which need a specific charging profile. Check your van battery's requirements and your car's alternator type.

Can I use a 7-pin to 12-pin adapter?

An adapter will usually run the lights, but it may not carry auxiliary power for charging or other functions. It's fine as a short-term fix. For regular towing, fitting the matching socket to your car, with properly sized charging cable, is the better option.

Need an auto electrician in Hervey Bay?

Find local auto electricians and mobile services in the Hervey Bay directory, or start with your area: Hervey Bay, Maryborough.

Run an auto electrical business in Caravans and Grey Nomads on the Fraser Coast?

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• Want more local customers? List your business on this site so drivers in Caravans and Grey Nomads on the Fraser Coast can find you.

Not confident doing this yourself?

There’s no shame in handing it over. A local auto electrician can diagnose the fault properly and get it done safely, especially for anything involving brakes, airbags, hybrid systems or air-con gas.

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