12 pin wiring for 4wd to tow van

My caravan arrived, new, with a 12 pin flat which I did not want as I had the 4WD set up for large 7 pin round and an Anderson plug, also electric braking.
It took about half an hour, a new 7 pin plug and Anderson plug to change it and not $400.00.
That was my experience.
Cheers
Duncan

If you have a 7 pin flat, to keep the dealer happy, buy a 12 pin, wire it in yourself and be done with it. About 10 mins work.

Perhaps you tell us exactly what he has quoted you for?

Just fitting a plug is small money but if he is running extra cables for electric brakes etc then there is a lot more labour and material cost involved.

Could be a 200 series and need the Toyota black box to capture power at the back.

Brian
I think Malcolm is right, we need to know what the situation is regarding the required connections and what is already there on both van and vehicle.
The normal services, ie, lights and brakes are easily done by a 7 pin flat. However, if there is a high current path required for 12v fridge and/or battery flow then a dedicated Anderson plug in addition to the 7 pin would be needed and suitable wiring provided. If no additional wiring is needed and only plug modification the $400 seems 4 times the expected cost.

So, do you require additional heavy wiring anywhere????

Perhaps the van wiring is all together in the one 12pin plug but it can easily be changed to a 7 pin and the Anderson.
If using an Anderson then, NO, you don't need a 12 pin anything.
7 pin are cheaper and smaller, easier to source and replace than a 12pin when it has dragged on the road if that happens.

If requiring heavy charge current to van I wouldn't use a 12 pin.

If you don't already have an electric brake controller, then $400 is probably fair enough.

If you do already have a a controller, then he is dreamin.

1/2 to an hour in the drive should be enough to convert one of the plugs to match the tow vehicle. It would probably be easier to buy a new 12pin and attach it to the tow vehicle in the standard configuration and then collect the van.

A 12 pin plug will be around $60 for a good one and if you can use a screwdriver and aren't colour blind, then you could swap it yourself.

A standard 7 pin flat from the trailer will fit the 12pin flat connector on the tow vehicle if you have a boat or a box trailer as well.

I recommend you ask the dealer why a 12 pin is needed.

Our AOR Q+ has one and it is vital for the operation of the electrical system in the camper. Pin configuration as follows; 1 yellow= Left indicator, 2 spare, 3 white earth return, 4 green RH indicator, 5, blue service brakes, 6 red, stop/brake, 7 brown clearance, side and rear lamps, 8 spare, 9 purple brake safe monitor wire, 10 black disk brake actuator power supply-negative, 11 red disc brake actuator power supply positive, 12 black REDARC.SAT ignition switch wire

So 7 pins won't cut it if you caravan is fitted with the above in any variation. As well many cans are fitted with ESC which can be wired to terminate in the 12 pin plug

As well of course you will require an anderson plug for your BMS. REDARC has some useful wiring guides for their products here https://www.redarc.com.au/wiring-diagrams

$400 sounds a pretty good price given the amount of work and fuses that need to be run. Add more if you need a brake controller

Rob

Some new vans use the extra pins for things like running the fridge and charging the breakaway system. By the time you run 4 to 6 wires to the rear with circuit protection and possibly ignition switched relays on a modern 4x4 you could easily blow $400. And this is done by a qualified tradesman who covers his work with warranty.