13 pin towing socket
- Thread starter Stripy
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So, is this a ‘plug and play’ part, or does it entail coding?
Thanks for your replies.
Yes, the box is a standard trailer connection unit - the same comes with factory installed towbar.
You don't have a relay marked "643" under left seat? It would be factory relay powering trailer socket pin 10.
In the box pin 5 of the red connector (12 pin connector) would drive the "643" relay energizing trailer socket pin 10 when engine is running.
Thanks. It sound like the missing part therefore consists of the 643 relay with a +v input and a cable that goes to pin 12 on the red connector. Also a connection to ground and the output cables with the female connection to the plug in the photos. Does that sound right?
I haven’t had chance to look under the left seat today and I also haven’t looked to see if there’s any cable to pin 12 of the red plug. The entire space under the left seat seems to be full of leisure battery.
Aha. Thanks.
It looks like this should be a proprietary part. Presumably not a VW part though, otherwise VW tow bar fitters would have fitted it.
What you’ve shown here is a normal split charge relay. As you say, nothing special. I wonder if there are any issues of ‘recoding’ in order to adjust the current expected.
Thank you so much for this info.
Just to add to the discussion. I have a factory fitted towbar & electrics, when I tested pin10 in the trailer socket, nada, nothing, nowt. I have VCDS & it showed pin 10 disabled. When you go into the long coding, there are several options to enable Pin10, only one worked, it’s the 2nd one down IIRC. It changes the byte to 2, 0 is pin 10 off, 1 should enable it, but doesn’t, only “2” works.
Hi Mike,
Could you elaborate please?
I have the same wires (yellow & brown/white) into the same plug and wondered what the extra loom part number is and where it connects to?
Dan.
You will likely find that the yellow wire is pin 10 and the brown the earth on pin 11. You need a relay and associated wiring to connect.
westfalia is additional kit yes and yes i assume the 10pin is additional from vw even though its present at the socket. you could confirm this with a multimeter to continuity test pin 10 and 11 at the socket with your yellow and brown/white.
dont use a voltage sensing relay, needs to be a standard one otherwise the fluctuating voltage of the vans system will cause havoc.
dont use a voltage sensing relay, needs to be a standard one otherwise the fluctuating voltage of the vans system will cause havoc.
My factory fitted electrics were all wired in, & didn’t need any extra hardware to get pin 10 working. All I had to do was activate it in VCDS.
Which split charge relay?
The only relay normally involved in 13pin electrics is on Pin 10 to enable a 12v feed to a three way fridge while travelling (so it can't use gas or 240v) - as that's usually quite a heavy load it's conveniently switched with the ignition.
The only relay normally involved in 13pin electrics is on Pin 10 to enable a 12v feed to a three way fridge while travelling (so it can't use gas or 240v) - as that's usually quite a heavy load it's conveniently switched with the ignition.
@ roadtripper , I have one split relay to 13 pin as indicated ofr frige or other load in the caravan and another module for lights. The first one connects usually with starter battery and another too, but I was wondering whether I can connect both to LB as I have closer to it.
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Are you intending to use both circuits under load?
If so you will probably drain the leisure battery faster than it can be charged (if it's a current limited DC-DC) or possibly put the leisure battery wiring under excess load (if it's split charge)
How are you charging your leisure battery?
If so you will probably drain the leisure battery faster than it can be charged (if it's a current limited DC-DC) or possibly put the leisure battery wiring under excess load (if it's split charge)
How are you charging your leisure battery?
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