Caravan electrics

[Toomanytoys]

Hi all,
New to Amaroks and new to the forum, hoping someone can help me out with some information regarding tow electrics.
Vehicle is 2017 V6 Ultimate, it appears to have a factory fitted towbar and electrics but the tow socket is 13 pin Euro with an adapter to a 7 pin flat.
I am in the process of buying a caravan so need to convert the 13 pin euro socket to a 12 pin flat socket, I have seen an adapter online
13 pin euro round plug to 12 pin flat Australian caravan socket plug adapter - Australia Tow Bars & Performance store
but it seems a bit pricey at $275 plus shipping, is there anything special about these other than a straight forward wiring exercise if I buy a 13 pin plug, a 12 pin flat socket and some proper gauge 12 core cable and make up one myself?

[joecepi]

Sorry if you have worked this out already, just joined today.

Recently went through this myself with a 2017 V6. I think it all depends on what was ordered with the tow bar from the factory. Mine had the 13 pin euro to 7pin. The only additional wire in the 13pin factory socket was a perm 12v. You may have more if it was specked when ordered. I ended up just wiring a couple of 12v lines on relays for fridge and charge for the brake away. Just swapped the 7pin for a 12pin flat and wired directly into it. Still used the VW loom for all the regular lines for light etc.

I also had to run an extra line for the brake controller. It was easier to just run these directly to the 12 pin flat rather than into the 13 pin socket and then through the loom to the 12 pin flat. There is also no 12 or 13 core wire available in Aus.

Hope that helps.

[Hillbilly]

Sorry if you have worked this out already, just joined today.

Recently went through this myself with a 2017 V6. I think it all depends on what was ordered with the tow bar from the factory. Mine had the 13 pin euro to 7pin. The only additional wire in the 13pin factory socket was a perm 12v. You may have more if it was specked when ordered. I ended up just wiring a couple of 12v lines on relays for fridge and charge for the brake away. Just swapped the 7pin for a 12pin flat and wired directly into it. Still used the VW loom for all the regular lines for light etc.

I also had to run an extra line for the brake controller. It was easier to just run these directly to the 12 pin flat rather than into the 13 pin socket and then through the loom to the 12 pin flat. There is also no 12 or 13 core wire available in Aus.

Hope that helps.

Your brake controller wire for van should always be on Pin 5 of any connector so what is the extra wire for

[joecepi]

To confirm, it is running to pin 5. just meant had to run that line from the dash (Redarc tow pro) to the trailer plug. Wired directly to the 12 pin flat rather than through the euro and then into the 12pin.

[Hillbilly]

To confirm, it is running to pin 5. just meant had to run that line from the dash (Redarc tow pro) to the trailer plug. Wired directly to the 12 pin flat rather than through the euro and then into the 12pin.

hope you bought the TOW PRO ELITE proportional controller and not the old ****ty Tow Pro that you dial up the force you want and hope it works The difference here

[Toomanytoys]

Hi guys
thanks for the responses, I ended up doing the same as Joecepi and using the lights/indicator feeds from the 13 pin and running separate circuits for charging/fridge/brake controller/sway control/breakaway etc.
I went with the Towpro elite and mounted the button controller in the spare switchplate next to the shifter, nice bit of kit.
Still waiting for the van to arrive which should hopefully be in the new year so have not been able to test everything yet, I still dont know how well it will charge the van battery or whether I will need a DC-DC charger.
Also not totally sure how well it will go with the LED lights on the van and whether it will sense the trailer correctly, worse case scenario is making up a box with resistive loads to fool it.
I also bought one of those combo sockets with 12 pin flat, 7 pin round and 2 Anderson sockets all in one unit, great idea but the internal wiring connections between the 7pin and 12 pin were totally $h1t, the blue on pin 5 must have been 20 gauge and very thin, I would not think it would take much to fail, same with the earth return, some serious quality control issues I think, if anyone buys one please check the internal wiring connections.