13 Pin Single or Double Tow Bar Electrics

Before you buy your new tow bar online you need to ensure that you order the right electrics to go with it depending on your towing requirements and the type of vehicle you will be putting the tow bar onto:

Should I have vehicle specific wiring fitted ?

An increasing amount of modern vehicles are now being equipped with electronic systems dedicated to towing. Such as:

• TSP (trailer stability programme)
  *This detects snaking on a trailer or caravan and uses the vehicles braking to bring it back under control.
• Fog light cut out
  *This turns the vehicles fog lights off when a trailer is plugged in.
• Reversing sensor cut out
  *This deactivates the vehicle reversing sensors when a trailer is plugged in.
• Dashboard indication
  *Uses a light to signal trailer indicators are working.
• Bulb failure detection
  *Can detect if a bulb is not working on the trailer.

*Vehicle make and model dependent

By fitting a vehicle specific wiring kit you can utilise these functions, (There may sometimes be a need for the vehicle to be recoded to allow the systems to operate correctly) where as a by pass relay will not utilise these functions.

What type of electrics do I require?

• Single Electrics
  Single electrics (also known as 12N) are used when all that is required are road lights, such as for a trailer or cycle carrier lighting board.

All our single electric kits come with all components and instructions necessary to install towing electrics to cars or vans which DO NOT HAVE:-

• multiplexed bulb failure
• digital controlled lighting
• mixed voltage lighting systems
• low voltage side light systems

* Suitable for use on 12V negative earth vehicles only. Not suitable for earth switched vehicles.

• Double Electrics & Relay
  Double electrics and relay incorporates the single electrics plus another socket (also known as 12S) to provide a permanent live feed into the caravan and with the aid of a relay allows the fridge and battery charge facility in the caravan to be used it also enables a reversing light to be wired should it be required.

All our double electric and relay kits come with all components and instructions necessary to install towing electrics to cars or vans which DO NOT HAVE:-

• multiplexed bulb failure
• digital controlled lighting
• mixed voltage lighting systems
• low voltage side light systems

* Suitable for use on 12V negative earth vehicles only. Not suitable for earth switched vehicles.

• 13 Pin Electrics
  13 pin is the new EU wiring that is slowly filtering into the UK, most used by caravaners it incorporates the double electrics and relay (12N and 12S) in one socket. All new caravans and some cycle carriers now come with a 13 pin plug.

All our 13 pin electric kits come with all components and instructions necessary to install towing electrics to cars or vans which DO NOT HAVE:-

• multiplexed bulb failure
• digital controlled lighting
• mixed voltage lighting systems
• low voltage side light systems

* Suitable for use on 12V negative earth vehicles only. Not suitable for earth switched vehicles.

If your vehicle does have:

• multiplexed bulb failure
• digital controlled lighting
• mixed voltage lighting systems
• low voltage side light systems

Then we would recommend a VIR

VIR

The Vehicle Interface Relay is a 7 Channel Car to Caravan/Trailer Towing Interface Relay is designed to act as a buffer to prevent voltage spikes being introduced into the towing vehicles digitally controlled road light circuits. It also eliminates the possibility of a fault within the towed caravan or trailer road light electrical circuits from damaging the towing vehicle's digitally controlled road light circuits. The Towing Interface Relay also includes a built in audible device which buzzes when the vehicle's directional indicators operate, alerting the driver that the towed unit's indicators are working correctly (only when coupled to a towed unit), this function is a statutory requirement under the UK road regulations.

All our VIR kits come with all components and instructions necessary to install towing electrics to cars or vans which HAVE GOT:-

• multiplexed bulb failure
• digital controlled lighting
• mixed voltage lighting systems
• low voltage side light systems

* Suitable for use on 12V negative earth vehicles only. Not suitable for earth switched vehicles, e.g. Jaguar S Type.

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