Tow Bar Electrics.

If it is twin, they will have the same number of connectors, but the male/female orientation of the pins will be different so you can't plug them in the wrong way round

I can't find a decent photo, but you can just about make out the detail in this one

IIRC the twin electrics sockets are colour coded to match with your twin electric caravan. Grey and black. Black being the "base" and grey for supplemental.

Also, some of the pins are mismatched male to female. So you can't even get the socket in.

All you might need is a 13 pin to twin electric convertor if you have a 13 pin caravan socket.

Her old car had single electric connector which needed no additional connector to fit to her horse trailer.

Does the horse trailer have a reverse lamp? If not then it'll be 7-pin and you just plug into the black connector on the car.

Is the issue that there are two connectors, or that the new car has 7 and trailer 13 pin?

I need to have a proper look to understand whether her ‘new’ car has a 7 pin and a 13 or could it possibly have twin 7 pins?

Twin 7 pins would be unusual on a new car, unless it's an old car that's new to you. twin 7 pins was erplaced by a singel 13 pin several years ago. Even when I had a towball fitted to my bew car to tow a twin 7 pin caravan, I had a 13 fitted and bought an adapter

Concerned that if twin 7, then connecting to the wrong 7 may b*gger something…

You can't plug into the "wrong" socket - the black plug is the main carrier or electrics and has a line of three female connectors with 2 male above and 2 male below

The grey plug is for additional elctrics like fridges and other thigs, the central pin of the grey plug is solid so won't go into the black socket

If it's got a 13-pin, just buy a 13-to-7 pin convertor.

This is what we needed to do for my OH's new car as her horse trailer (and my old Thule rack) are both 7 pin.

13 pin is so much better, if the trailer is already 13 I'd put a new socket on the car, it's not hard unless you are colour blind.

No more faffing about trying to pull out a stubborn plug, or having to spread the pins open when the plug gets a lot of use.

The only thing to remember is with the 13 pin, just twist until it falls out, don't be tempted to pull at the same time.

The only horse trailer function that may be on the grey 7 pin is reverse lights, but often it's not wired up even when fitted. However, if you can be bothered you can rewire the internal lights so they run off the permanent live, this way you can see inside the trailer without having the car lights switched on.

PS Detachable towbars, if the indicator on the towball is 90% green, 10% red, it's not on properly! They sometimes need a bit of welly when attaching them.

Good morning all.

So...having checked things.

The horse trailer is 13 pin and the 'new' to us car has twin 7 pin.

I'll get the twin 7 changed to a single 13, but in the interim, is there any way to connect the 13 pin trailer to 7 pin car?

Thanks!

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/maypole-7-pin-vehicle-to-13-pin-trailer-adaptor-551776691?gclid=Cj0KCQjw48OaBhDWARIsAMd966DEGpNtjLY5yHsB5YKLO9hZd5f3k8lVpUPf-RiEKVtD3z9UmPKhHcYaApZfEALw_wcB

Ona horse trailer it's unlikely that the "extra" pins will be inuse but this is an alternative

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/maypole-adaptor-7-pin-12n-s-vehicle-to-13-pin-trailer-551772570

Thanks both - much appreciated.

The horse trailer has the usual legally required lights plus feed to an internal light from which there is a feed to internal camera system to allow us to monitor horsey during travel from the car.

YOu will probalby need the twin socket if you have non-standard fittings like the camera feed - I may be wrong but it's only a few quid difference

I’ll get the twin 7 changed to a single 13, but in the interim, is there any way to connect the 13 pin trailer to 7 pin car?

Yes, adapters available everywhere, Halfords etc. We use one for our caravan and have done for many years.

plus feed to an internal light from which there is a feed to internal camera system to allow us to monitor horsey during travel

Yep I have the same, which is another reason I used the permanent live pin to rewire the internal lights. It also means I can keep an eye on him without the lights flattening the battery when I've got my feet up with singletrack and a coffee whilst the other half watches horses go round in circles.

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