I3 pin electrics again

[Morganic]

I have had a factory approved Skoda towbar fitted to my new Octavia Estate by the supplying dealer. The wiring is 13 pin(as is my caravan) I didnt ask but would you expect this system to be able to run the fridge and lights?

Is there an issue with the diameter of the cables as they seem thinner?

 

[Stephen_374341239]

Morganic

There was a thread on here on that very same issue. I have been trying to find it for you but have had no luck. No seach point on this forum. But back to your problem some 13 core cable is very very thin and the fridge when towing are giving problems.

I wish I could find the thread because the chap gave links to cable sizes and where to purchase and alll the problem all in one package.

I will carry on looking for you.

Steve

 

[GeorgeB]

Morganic,

If your fridge is not working when the 13 pin electrics are plugged into the car & the engines running, uncouple the plug, lift the flap on the socket on the car & check that there are actually pins in holes 10, 11 & 12 (situated about position 5 o'clock as you look into the socket)sometimes they're not there as the VWG (Volkswagen Group) suupliers from Germanay do NOT fit them, because on the continent they're not used, you may have to go back to your dealer & ask them to fit the suplimentary wiring kit, to enable the fridge & battery charging

 

[BigTim]

Hi Morganic

I'm no techie but I had a problem when having 13 pin wiring fitted to my new Kia Sorrento earlier this year. I wanted to get the wiring 100% correct as I was, also, having ATC fitted to my 'van AND I, also, wanted the Kia specific kit which would plug into the car wiring and turn of the reversing sensors when the 'van was hooked up. Contrary to my instructions a local towbar specialist (????) fitted twin N and S sockets and scotchlocked it into the car's wiring.

I gave up the above "expert" and ordered a Sorento specific wiring kit AND supplementary kit for fridge, etc from Towequipe for my usual mechanic to fit. Even though I had paid extra for the supplementary wiring kit when the mechanic had got the car all stripped down he found that there was still a pin missing from the 13 pin socket. Towequipe had to send out another pin and wire!!! The kit that Towequipe supplied was made by Westfalia, ie, German. The electrics are now all correct but what a faff about.

There seems to be an AWFUL LOT OF CONFUSION about fitting 13 pin electrics. There are different wiring colour diagrams and some UK dealers are providing 13 pin cable with wire cores of the wrong thickness I have a feeling that Western towing may have been previously mentioned as supplying 13 wiring cable with the correct sizes of wiring, ie, thicker core for the fridge connection.

I hope this helps.

Tim

 

[Morganic]

Many thanks to you all. I had the manufacturers kit fitted as it comes with a 3 year warranty-the same as the car. It came at a cost albeit I knocked them down to the price of an after market fitter .I then found out they had supplied a 13 to 2, 7 pin converter at a cost of