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 Topic: Tow pin converters
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13/9/2017 at 1:38pm
Location: East Herts
Outfit: 1992 Elddis Wisp 450CT + X Trail
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As well as what Tango55 says, the wiring for charging, fridge, etc simply isn't there on a car equipped with only a 12N socket. The 12S socket provided these facilities. To save having two plugs and sockets, and two cables, the 13 pin socket was introduced.
If you connect a caravan with a 13 pin plug to a car with only a 7 pin socket, (via an adapter) only the 7 wires for the road lights are used. The remaining wires from the caravan for charging & fridge, are terminated inside the adapter. Nothing from the car will be connected to them.
Personally, I have never found the need for running the fridge or charging the battery while on the move, but if you do I would suggest you have your car wired with the additional circuitry and 13 pin socket.
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Best Regards,
Colin
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23/7/2024 at 2:12pm
Location: London
Outfit: Lunar Cosmos 524
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As said, you can't 'add' the functional features of the 2nd 7 pin plug (known as a 12S plug/socket, and grey or white coloured) with an adaptor (which is why they don't exist!)
This is likely to be a pre Sept 2008 caravan if it has two 7 pin plugs, if it's October 1979 to 31 August 1998, the wiring/functionality differs from post August 1998 manufacture slightly, just to complicate things further! Post Sept 2008, the current 13 pin plugs/sockets were used. If it's pre August 1998, it would only have one black (12N) plug.
That ALL assumes it hasn't been modified since manufacture! - many older vans do get modified, and they can be a bit of a guessing game as to what's been done!
If it's a August 1998 - pre Sept 2008 UK built caravan, then the functionality is as follows.
The 12N (black coloured plug/socket) covers BASIC road lights:
L H Indicator
R H Indicator
R H Tail Light*
L H Tail Light & Number Plate*
Stop Lights
Fog Light(s)
* the front, side and high level running lights will be included in that.
The 12S (White or Grey plug/socket) covers mostly internal caravan items, but also the (technically, legally required!) reversing lights:
Interior Lights and Caravan Battery Charge (Permanent Supply)
Fridge (Ignition-Controlled Supply)
Reversing Light(s)
You'd be very unfortunate indeed if anyone checked your outfit for legal road use, so the reversing lights not working (assuming you continue with your single socket on car), are not likely to have repercussions beyond the inconvenience of you not being able to see behind caravan in the dark, and (IMHO a valuable feature!) warning others you are reversing!
That said, on technicalities, your outfit 'may' be deemed not roadworthy because caravan reversing lights not functional (when they are legally required to be fitted!), BUT it's a grey area as functionality depends upon tow vehicle, and no legal obligation for tow vehicle to provide that function! (I've seen the argument ramble on without conclusion for some while now!) - the law being a classic ass and conflicting with itself! There are quite rare stop and inspect roadside spot checks carried out by Police/VOSA, mostly aimed at commercial trailers, but occasionally they include a few caravans, for roadworthiness and loading limits - chances probably up there with Lottery wins!
If you want the extra functions then an upgrade to the car tow-bar wiring is needed, and TBH going to a current 13 pin socket is a good option (your caravan will need either a 13pin to 2x7pin adaptor or rewiring to a 13pin plug - which is the better option), as the 13pin plugs/sockets are more waterproof and generally less troublesome.
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