Basically what they are saying is the the caravan was originally wired the old way which was via 2 x 7 pin plugs which one is black (rear lights and marker lights) and the other grey (battery charging, fridge operation and fog lights if applicable) but has now been wired via a single 13 pin plug which connects all wires respectively. If your car has a single 13 pin socket you need to do nothing except just connect the plug and socket together. However, if the car has a 2 x 7 pin sockets (black and grey) then you will need an adapter to make the connection from the car to caravan.
Hi these adapters can be purchased on eBay or caravan accessory shop , in different combinations, IE if your car has 13 pin and caravan has 2 x 7 pin, or if car has 2 x 7 pin and caravan has 13 pin , not expensive at between £13 and £22.
Cheers brian
A word of warning about 13-pin plugs, based on an incident I observed. The guy pulled away from his van, but forgot to disengage the 13-pin plug. Because this plug is of a "turn and lock" design, it will not just pull out of the socket - instead, the whole assembly will be torn apart and is then a major rewiring job with the fitting of new plug and/or socket.
Bertie.
Bertie, you make a valid point as the 7N/S fittings should slip apart under those conditions, but in reality, how often do you think this would occur? Personally I believe the reliability improvements of the 13 pin over 7N/S, outweighs any potential "mis hap".
I'm not a fan of adaptors either as you're just introducing further points of failure. They have their place for occasional convenience, but if the Op choses to buy the van, I would advise to swap over to 13 pin on the car; straight forward enough task and works well.
Paul, I agree that the 13-pin is technically superior. I now have a sequence ritual to disconnect the 13-pin plug, then the breakaway cable, and ONLY THEN unhitch the caravan. When hitching up, it is the reverse, and the 13-pin is the last to be connected.
I did once start to move the car after unhitching, and only remembered just in time that the 13-pin plug was still connected, thanks to being distracted by a bystander. I was about 50mm of slack cable away from disaster. I now discourage interruptions during the hitch/unhitch procedures.
Bertie.
Same here, electrical connection last thing to connect when hitching up and first thing to disconnect when unhitching, does not take long to get into that routine.
We have a 13 pin on our car and 2 old style pins on huge caravan and find an adaptor works perfectly fine. We have one similar to this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pin-Plug-12N-Sockets-SPLIT/dp/B007R4D9G4/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1421883759&sr=8-8&keywords=13+to+7+pin+adapter
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Quote: Originally posted by The 2 Tops on 08/1/2015
A word of warning about 13-pin plugs, based on an incident I observed. The guy pulled away from his van, but forgot to disengage the 13-pin plug. Because this plug is of a "turn and lock" design, it will not just pull out of the socket - instead, the whole assembly will be torn apart and is then a major rewiring job with the fitting of new plug and/or socket.
Bertie.
Been there and done that !!
I unhitched my trailer 3 nights ago and ripped the wire out of the plug..
I use the trailer every day I'm at work but just needs one lapse in the dark and you find yourself on a cold wet evening sat wiring the plug back on for the morning run... not a happy chap
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Topic: 13 pin plug
