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Jun 23, 2019
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After some years of will we/won't we...we did! We bought a 2006 Fleetwood sonata prelude. It has 2 x 7 pin plugs, our car has a 13 pin so i bought an adaptor.to split my cars 13 tp 2x7 and assume the darker plug is for the tail lights...the lighter plug is for the electrics...? I was told i may need a new battery. the previous owner had only one 7 pin on their car. is changing the battery complicared? any other advice?
 
Nov 11, 2009
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jayw said:
After some years of will we/won't we...we did! We bought a 2006 Fleetwood sonata prelude. It has 2 x 7 pin plugs, our car has a 13 pin so i bought an adaptor.to split my cars 13 tp 2x7 and assume the darker plug is for the tail lights...the lighter plug is for the electrics...? I was told i may need a new battery. the previous owner had only one 7 pin on their car. is changing the battery complicared? any other advice?

No just open the battery locker and you will see the battery and it’s terminals. You often have to slide it towards you to access the terminals so have a support ready. I use the caravan step. Disconnect the two terminals and you will see the battery name/ model on its side decals. Then just search the web for compatible types making sure any new one has the same or similar dimensions as battery lockers can be a tight fit. I would check the battery in case all it requires is recharging. Charge it then leave for 2-3 hours and measure voltage using a multimeter.
 
Oct 12, 2013
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I think anybody who is in the market for a new ish caravan and is DIY competent for fitting things and fixing things ; a deal could be done with this company for a decent caravan at quite a low price if like recent posts have said if no warranty is included with the way things are ! :unsure:
 
Mar 27, 2011
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As OtherClive said changing battery is easy but just in case you are totally in the dark regarding changing it, the terminals are marked + and - when you disconnect it, disconnect the - terminal first and when you connect the new or recharged battery connect the + and the - last.

BP
 
May 7, 2012
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If the caravan battery is sound I do not see why you need to change it, I would get the caravan home and check it first. Basically the dark plug is for most things and the lighter one the fridge and earth. For more advice look up https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/advice-and-training/technical-advice/towbar-wiring/
 

Damian

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Mar 14, 2005
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Quote " Basically the dark plug is for most things and the lighter one the fridge and earth."

Not quite right.
The dark plug powers only the road lights and nothing else.
The lighter one supplies the power to the fridge and battery charge circuit, and the reverse light (if fitted)

Also your car must be fully wired in the 13 pin socket, a lot are not so you need to have this checked or the fridge and charging circuits will not work.
 
Jun 23, 2019
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Damian-Moderator said:
Quote " Basically the dark plug is for most things and the lighter one the fridge and earth."

Not quite right.
The dark plug powers only the road lights and nothing else.
The lighter one supplies the power to the fridge and battery charge circuit, and the reverse light (if fitted)

Also your car must be fully wired in the 13 pin socket, a lot are not so you need to have this checked or the fridge and charging circuits will not work.
the car (skoda superb combi, 2017 2.0ltdi) is being fitted with a 13pin, fully wired, I have an adaptor ordered
 
Mar 14, 2005
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May be too late but I would have the caravan changed to a 13 pin plug and avoid the adaptor - more joints to go wrong.
I have seen such plugs fitted to the caravan wiring directly, or you can add a waterproof junction box mounted under the A frame cover of the caravan. These connection could be much better and with better protection from the weather than the adaptor.

The 13 pin pair is very much better engineered than the previous 2 x 7 pin connectors and, if the conversion is done correctly, you are much less likely to have problems in future.
 

Mel

Mar 17, 2007
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If you stick with the adapter just be careful at how much extra cable some have. Make sure any extra doesn’t drag on the ground when towing. Of course this has never happened to us. :whistle:
Mel
 
Nov 16, 2015
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Mel said:
If you stick with the adapter just be careful at how much extra cable some have. Make sure any extra doesn’t drag on the ground when towing. Of course this has never happened to us. :whistle:
Mel

No us neither, :dry: , but have been told a bungee cord hooked around the cable to lift it out of the way helps.
 
May 7, 2012
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Mel said:
If you stick with the adapter just be careful at how much extra cable some have. Make sure any extra doesn’t drag on the ground when towing. Of course this has never happened to us. :whistle:
Mel

Good point. When we used one we ran the cable over the hitch to make sure it was clear of the road. I still do that with the 13 pin plug, as the cable is a bit too long for my liking.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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EH52ARH said:
Mel said:
If you stick with the adapter just be careful at how much extra cable some have. Make sure any extra doesn’t drag on the ground when towing. Of course this has never happened to us. :whistle:
Mel

No us neither, :dry: , but have been told a bungee cord hooked around the cable to lift it out of the way helps.

I use a length of Velcro tape to just support the cable. It doesn’t interfere with the breakaway cable run.
 
Jun 23, 2019
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RayS said:
May be too late but I would have the caravan changed to a 13 pin plug and avoid the adaptor - more joints to go wrong.
I have seen such plugs fitted to the caravan wiring directly, or you can add a waterproof junction box mounted under the A frame cover of the caravan. These connection could be much better and with better protection from the weather than the adaptor.

The 13 pin pair is very much better engineered than the previous 2 x 7 pin connectors and, if the conversion is done correctly, you are much less likely to have problems in future.
I did fear the extra cable so I got an adaptor with no cable. It's just a 13 pin on one side and two seven pins on the other . Neat thing but I'll wait for problems. I might get the plug on the caravan changed to 13 pin.....
 
Nov 6, 2006
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RayS said:
May be too late but I would have the caravan changed to a 13 pin plug and avoid the adaptor - more joints to go wrong.

The 13 pin pair is very much better engineered than the previous 2 x 7 pin connectors and, if the conversion is done correctly, you are much less likely to have problems in future.

Our old Bessacarr had what was once an up market set up of detachable cables. This meant a 12S &12N socket mounted on the A frame fairing, followed by coiled cables to a 7 pin to 13 pin adapter and then to the car. Talk about multiple potential failure point!
I would definitely agree with changing the van to 13 pin - a time will come when there is a failure and troubleshooting is a darn sight easier with just one plug and one socket.
 
Nov 16, 2015
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As others have mentioned, pay the cos t to get the car plug changed to the 13 PIN, I done it to one of my cars myself , easy, enough for myself, a dedicated Towbar person may take maybe an hour. And "Should" connect up all the earth returns correctly, and separetly. and not lump them into one one point.
 
May 7, 2012
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jayw said:
RayS said:
May be too late but I would have the caravan changed to a 13 pin plug and avoid the adaptor - more joints to go wrong.
I have seen such plugs fitted to the caravan wiring directly, or you can add a waterproof junction box mounted under the A frame cover of the caravan. These connection could be much better and with better protection from the weather than the adaptor.

The 13 pin pair is very much better engineered than the previous 2 x 7 pin connectors and, if the conversion is done correctly, you are much less likely to have problems in future.
I did fear the extra cable so I got an adaptor with no cable. It's just a 13 pin on one side and two seven pins on the other . Neat thing but I'll wait for problems. I might get the plug on the caravan changed to 13 pin.....

I did hire a trailer to move some garden things and had a converter plug that worked the other way round and it was no problem.
 

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