kennett Posted May 28, 2016 Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 Right this is doing my head in. The 13pin socket on my truck was playing up (spinning inside not locking up) so got rid of it and put a 7 pin socket back on because everything I tow is 7 pin any way. However I have now got an earth problem, I'm using the right earth for the towbar electrics, but that leaves a 12v caravan supply earth, and a fridge feed earth. Does anybody know if I need to do anything with these spare earth's to make the trailer work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keg Posted May 28, 2016 Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 I don't, but understand your frustration, i nearly took a hammer to mine in sheer frustration. £40 and an auto electrical specialist sorted it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TR1 Posted May 28, 2016 Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 As the earth is only a return circuit it they should be redundant. Tape them off individually and see if trailer socket works , or trace them back to the body connection point and disconnect. Make sure that the trailer earth is not spliced into one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoot and be safe Posted May 28, 2016 Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 Take it all apart, go and have a cup of tea, then read the instructions and tackle it again I fint tbat is what always works best for me, even on the jobs that i can do with my eyes shut can sometimes be a pain in tbe Harris. That little break gives the frustration time to calm down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason_ox Posted May 28, 2016 Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 Are you wiring it up to 12n or 12s? If you're not towing a caravan I suggest wiring to 12n which is standard trailer config. Have a Google of 12n plug wiring and that should help you out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted May 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 Wired up to 12n for a normal trailer light board. But all sorted now, some has added reversing sensors at some point and they had spliced into the earth for these, but bodged it and water and muck had made its way into the connection. Cut, re-connected and all seems good at the moment. And no I didn't need to do anything with the spare earth, cut them short and taped them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY R Posted May 28, 2016 Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 Its high time car manufacturers had cars equiped with b a standard good quality plug and play system, same with tow bar sockets, be produced for the application make and model of car. Mate came round with a VW caddy van last year, it had a warning light system, for lights and since he fitted a tow bar per instructions he had been getting told he had a light out, lights worked ok apparently, it was hammering it down with rain and i had a quick poke about with a multimeeter, could find no fault. Told him to bring it back in the morning, but he just kept running it like it was untill he sold it after the wildfowling season ended. Too many gadgets on new motors something as simple as a tow bar conection ends up causing another problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sishyplops Posted May 28, 2016 Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 As tr1 says an Earth is an earth and does not need to go anywhere but you can reconnect to the chassis if you wish for peace of mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted May 28, 2016 Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 Talking of towing, why on earth aren't we allowed to use receiver hitches like they use in America? Easily detachable towbars that you can have the tow ball with different drops depending on what you're towing and you can remove them when you're not towing to protect your shins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TR1 Posted May 29, 2016 Report Share Posted May 29, 2016 Detachable tow bars are available, for example the later Discovery etc have them and the tow ball arm is stored in the boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted May 29, 2016 Report Share Posted May 29, 2016 I've only seen those horrible looking detatchable swan neck things. The US style receiver hitch allows you to have the tow ball part with different length drops to suit different trailers, or to get the correct drop to allow the trailer to tow level. Does the Discovery solution allow that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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