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Towbar electrics


walshie
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I've got a couple of lightboards for trailers and both have 7 pin connections on them. My truck has a 13 pin connection, so I use a 13 to 7 adapter. Both work fine and when indicating, extra turn lights come up on my dash and a buzzing sound.

My caravan has a 13 pin connector, so plugs straight into the towbar with no adapter - BUT even though the lights on the caravan work fine, the extra turn lights and buzzer in the truck don't. I assumed it was something to do with the  caravan, but as I check all my lights before travelling, it didn't both me too much. (Yes, I know what the legalities are.)

Yesterday I hooked up my trailer and the lights and buzzer don't work, but the lights on the board do, so I plugged in the other lightboard and that's the same. Obviously something has packed up somewhere, but what? Electrics isn't my "thing."

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You may find the ‘buzzer’ is near the light cluster inside the trim where you change bulbs from inside. 
 

it should be connected by a push fit connector and looks like a couple of aa batteries in size. 
 

easy enough to swap out. 
 

Some are wired up to work when the bulb IS NOT working. This seems to be more common on newer cars. 
 

take out a bulb or put a duff one in to see

Edited by ph5172
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1 hour ago, ph5172 said:

You may find the ‘buzzer’ is near the light cluster inside the trim where you change bulbs from inside. 
 

it should be connected by a push fit connector and looks like a couple of aa batteries in size. 
 

easy enough to swap out. 
 

Some are wired up to work when the bulb IS NOT working. This seems to be more common on newer cars. 
 

take out a bulb or put a duff one in to see

Yeah, I read that. Just seems odd it worked before when the bulbs were working and not now. Would it be one unit for buzzer and warning lights? I used to have both. 

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I doubt it I should think the buzzer is connected up to the indicator circuit. 
 

try the light board again. If it sounds then put the 13 pin adaptor in and take a bulb out the caravan and see if it goes off

failing that the buzzers are notorious for having a mind of their own. Leave your indicator on while moving the wires and buzzer itself. 
 

mine is temperamental I think due to not being fixed solid they are subject to a fair bit of movement 

Edited by ph5172
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10 hours ago, ph5172 said:

I doubt it I should think the buzzer is connected up to the indicator circuit. 
 

try the light board again. If it sounds then put the 13 pin adaptor in and take a bulb out the caravan and see if it goes off

failing that the buzzers are notorious for having a mind of their own. Leave your indicator on while moving the wires and buzzer itself. 
 

mine is temperamental I think due to not being fixed solid they are subject to a fair bit of movement 

Thanks for the advice. I'll give that a go at the weekend. 👍

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