Tow bar electric plug testing

Porl - google 7 pin flat trailer plug - and it will take you into sites with all types of trailer electrical connections.

Find the sort that you have connected to your car.

Use your multimeter to work out if power is coming through each connection - remember which wire is the earth.

A J

Hi Porl

Not necessarily will you have power in the remaining 6, in my case you only have power in 4 of them, that is 2 for blinkers, one for driving lights and one for brakes. and of cause the negative.

cheers
Robert

Maybe ask a neighbour if you can connect to his trailer/van to try it.

Hi there. Please don't overlook the fact that a heavier trailer may have electric brakes. These are NOT powered by the brake light wire which is part of the 'normal' 7 pin payout. The electric brake actuation will have to be provided separately. In my case, they used the 'normal' reversing light connectors, and wired the controller to that.
So be ready, if you pick up a ready wired CT with electric brakes: you'll need a controller (unless they have fitted a drawbar controller) and suitable wiring to the connector.
The electric brake wiring will not b shown in the usual pin layout diagram.
Does this make sense?? Hope so.
Regards

If you have never towed, then start carefully and do some research on correctly loading your trailer. Try braking and cornering and different surfaces at different speeds.

I amazes me that we don't have to have specially endorsed licences before we tow. Even 6x4 trailers are killers until experienced.

Good luck...

To see if the car attachement is working I bought a new 7 pin attachement - the bit that goes on the caravan. It has lights on it to tell you if the car ones are working. I just plug that one in.

Not the best way to do it but it tells me if the car is at least working OK.

Would be good the other way around ie plug in to the camper but would need a power source


Richard

G'day Porl. The standard plug these days is flat so I'm assuming that is what you have.I use a test light but a multimeter does the same. The centre pin is always earth.The RH outer is Right blinker,the next one in is tailights. LH side is Left blinker and the next one in is brakelights. The two either side of centre are auxilliary and reverse lights. The caravan brake controller normally operates through the auxilliary pole. Hope that helps. Bob.

uhm, i hope you have all confused each other cause I am whacked, though will faithfully try every post before I give up and find a trailer to plug it into. Electric brakes hmmm, ok, will put that one on a postie on the dashboard ...