P38 Tow bar wiring

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B

bryhp

Active Member
Posts
138
Location
Glasgow
I have fitted a tow bar to my 1997 4.6HSE only problem is i cant find wiring diagram to connect wires from tow bar electric socket to the spare loom behind drivers side rear lights. Can anyone tell me which port on connector goes to which colour wire on the car?

Many Thanks

Brian
 
Wiring colours on car:
LH RH
Indicator- Green & Red Green & White
Tail - Red & Black Red & White
Stop- Green & Purple Green & Purple
Fog- Red & Yellow Red & Yellow

GROUND-BLACK


12N Trailer socket colours & pins.

No.1 Yellow-LH Indicator
2 Blue- Rear fog
3 White- GROUND
4 Green- RH Indicator
5 Brown- RH tail lamp
6 Red- Brake lamps
7 Black- LH tail lamp


If you need colours for 12S socket (Grey lid) just shout.:behindsofa:
 
Didn't come out as I wanted....The first pair of colours under "Car" are for the left hand and second pair of colours are for right hand.
e.g.
LH indicator-Green & Red RH indicator- Green & White


Sorry for the confusion...................:bolt:
 
Irishrover said:
Wiring colours on car:
LH RH
Indicator- Green & Red Green & White
Tail - Red & Black Red & White
Stop- Green & Purple Green & Purple
Fog- Red & Yellow Red & Yellow

GROUND-BLACK


12N Trailer socket colours & pins.

No.1 Yellow-LH Indicator
2 Blue- Rear fog
3 White- GROUND
4 Green- RH Indicator
5 Brown- RH tail lamp
6 Red- Brake lamps
7 Black- LH tail lamp


If you need colours for 12S socket (Grey lid) just shout.:behindsofa:
Click to expand...

Does the loom not provide for a reversing light connection?:confused::confused:
I'm about to change mine from the UK 7 pin connector to the European 13 pin connector which provides for reversing light and an unswitched live to run the caravan fridge etc. I believe 2 sockets are used to achieve this in the UK. I've just run the live direct from the battery, suitably fused of course.:D
 
The reverse light is powered from the 12s (Supplementary) socket.
Behind the lh rear lamp cover there is a spare connector with, I think 3 wires.
One of the wires is a reversing light feed, another is a ground-but low amperage capacity and the third is an "Ignition on, live feed. The Ignition live and ground are used to power the towing relay for powering the Caravan battery charge, Fridge supply and 12v "Ignition off" for caravan interior lights, pump etc.
You have correctly run a fused 12v feeder from the battery to the rear end which should be suitable for carrying around 25A and allow for voltage drop in view of the length of run. 4mm or 6mm sq. should be ok. The relay can be mounted behind the lh access panel for the rear light cluster. A 20 amp relay with double N/O & N/C contacts which are available from RS components or similar supplier so the fridge and battery charge can have their own contacts fed from the single battery feed. The Ground wire from the 12S socket should be terminated by a screw attachment directly to the car body.:behindsofa:
 
The Caravan fridge and battery charge MUST go through a relay and only energised when the engine is running...the reason being that the fridge can draw up to 10A and depending on the state of the caravan battery, this can also put a drain on the car battery....result...flat car battery, warm fridge and flat caravan battery. Tha caravan accessory 12v feed for interior lights and water pump etc. only draws a small current and should not cause too many problems with a good car battery, but use of a TV especially colour can flatten the car battery.
 
Irishrover said:
The reverse light is powered from the 12s (Supplementary) socket.
Behind the lh rear lamp cover there is a spare connector with, I think 3 wires.
One of the wires is a reversing light feed, another is a ground-but low amperage capacity and the third is an "Ignition on, live feed. The Ignition live and ground are used to power the towing relay for powering the Caravan battery charge, Fridge supply and 12v "Ignition off" for caravan interior lights, pump etc.
You have correctly run a fused 12v feeder from the battery to the rear end which should be suitable for carrying around 25A and allow for voltage drop in view of the length of run. 4mm or 6mm sq. should be ok. The relay can be mounted behind the lh access panel for the rear light cluster. A 20 amp relay with double N/O & N/C contacts which are available from RS components or similar supplier so the fridge and battery charge can have their own contacts fed from the single battery feed. The Ground wire from the 12S socket should be terminated by a screw attachment directly to the car body.:behindsofa:
Click to expand...

Hi Irishrover, thanks for the info on the connections. I have not checked the connector on the lefthand side yet for the reversing light as it seems to be used to power the CD changer. Maybe there is another I have missed. No matter, My wiring is a little different from your scheme of things as I want to make the accessory socket in the boot permanantly live, so my feed goes from the battery (in 4mm) to the accessory socket, the original feed to the accessory socket (which operates from key position 2) operates the relay. I can now use the accessory socket for my solar panel to keep the P38 battery charged when it's left as the whole thing seems so marginal. The solar panel sits very well on the rear parcel shelf. My Pajero had 2 batteries as standard split with one for starting and one everything else, my Transit is the same (2 X 110 amp hour), so I have never bothered with the relay before, obviously it's a must on the P38. I'm a bit late with a response as it's been a busy couple of days. Thanks for all your info, not just on this thread, a great help to me in becoming familier with the beast. I presume you are a proffessional.
 
Last edited:
I am only proffessional cause I attended the University of Life & learnt the hard way!!
The spare lead with 3 wires should be by the light cluster,probably tucked away, anyway it's on the opposite side of the car to where the spare socket is for the towbar lighting pick up-don't know if LHD are wired opposite???.
When you wire the 12S socket up, there is a connection which is permanently live anyway and if this is connected to a N/C contact on the double pole relay, when the ignition is off (Engine not running) the wire becomes live. Google 12S wiring and you will see the way that the 12S socket on the towbar should be wired
 
I'm RHD, cos LHD cost more than twice the price! 12S doesn't exist here in France, the new European standard is a 13 pin socket. I have all the info for the socket, but you save me the chore of looking at Rave which seems to be hard work and time consuming as there is no search facility. You learnt in the same school as me then!
 
I need to buy a tow bar for my range rover and i have seen some advertise where the electrics have a white plug attached. can anyone tell me if there is a socket to take this plug provided somewhere in the car please.
 
Ray0706 said:
I need to buy a tow bar for my range rover and i have seen some advertise where the electrics have a white plug attached. can anyone tell me if there is a socket to take this plug provided somewhere in the car please.
Click to expand...

Rear off side behind the trim, might be able to reach it through the emergency petrol filler flap access cover, and rear nearside for the 12S socket
 
Brilliant!! Stuck on a piece of stick tape behind the emergency petrol release cover in the boot exactly as you said.

Thanks
 
If yours is a R.H. drive car, the white plug behind the petrol filler is for the 12N (Black) trailer socket..tail lights, indicators, stop lamps etc.

The spare plug on the L.H. side, by the sub woofer is for the 12S (Grey) caravan socket.

A 12N prewired socket/cable/plug assemby is available from the stealers and are sometimes available on Ebay.
 
Irishrover said:
If yours is a R.H. drive car, the white plug behind the petrol filler is for the 12N (Black) trailer socket..tail lights, indicators, stop lamps etc.

The spare plug on the L.H. side, by the sub woofer is for the 12S (Grey) caravan socket.

A 12N prewired socket/cable/plug assemby is available from the stealers and are sometimes available on Ebay.
Click to expand...

damn your good john.:D:D:D;)
 
Any suggestions as to where I can get a good quality (OE) swan neck tow bar kit with electrics and approx how much I should expect to pay?
 
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