So after many years of camping we have now bought a nice shiny new caravan. This has the new 13 pin style plug and my car has the two 7 pin sockets so I need to use and adapter.

Should I change the two 7 pin sockets for one 13 pin socket, or just leave it as it is?

TIA You are either at Le Mans or waiting for Le Mans

RSW MKIII V2 All Comms in Central Scotland

funny, my 2002 has a 13 pin on the (original) armature, with a small 13-7 pin screw in converter. -and I would need to use a y piece accessory to change it to a twin grey and black etc. I think you can buy the loom part like this to directly plug into the car loom. ie 13pin

Buy a new loom part. Depending on year they are slightly different, the 2010 ones are a lot shorter but not overly expensive and vastly superior to the 'Y' type converters which are available.

The 13 pin plug has a 90 degree turn to lock the plug in the socket and uses stainless pins. It really is much better overall.

I think the part you want would be YWJ500460

Thanks for the replies guys.

Well I have just returned from a well known trailer and tow\bar specialist. I explained the situation about a new caravan, the 13 pin plug and that my car had the two 7 pin sockets. I asked if it was best to swap the two sockets for one or simply have the reverse added to the existing grey socket. Firstly one of their employees tried to tell me that there was no facility on the grey 12s socket for a reverse light. He then also said that as it was a Range Rover that they couldn't do it as they could not recode the car. I explained that everything was already there and working, and asked was it not simply rewiring everything to the new socket, he said no. At which point I left when he then continued to argue that the 12s socket could not do the reverse lights.

As I got in the car to leave the manager came over and asked If everything was sorted, to which I said no and explained why. he said that the guy behind the desk should know that there was indeed a facility for reverse lights on the 12s socket. He then asked me to take my car over to the workshop so they could test the sockets, which they did and the reverse light circuit is wired. So either there was dirt on the pins when I picked the caravan up or its the adapter, although new it could still be faulty. SO for the meantime at least I am going to leave it as is.


While chatting to the electrician I asked if there was any benefit in changing to which they said no. He then showed me a 13 pin socket on a year old car that was quite literately falling to bits. He also said its not uncommon and that the old 7 pin style were more robust.

Anyone had problems with there? You are either at Le Mans or waiting for Le Mans

RSW MKIII V2 All Comms in Central Scotland

Like most things in life, there are cheap versions of everything. The LR genuine 13 pin socket is hard wired with potting resin at the back to keep it all waterproof and is a very good quality item. Mine was used every fortnight for over 2 years on my old car and was absolutely fine.

The thing is that aftermarket stuff is designed to be cheap so as to attract more buyers. LR genuine is designed with the potential use of the vehicle in mind, e.g. water submersion, getting covered in mud, and doing a lot of towing. All things which would destroy a cheap item in weeks.

13 pin socket is a testable item for an MOT whereas two 7 pin sockets are not. Fitting one just gives something else to fail an MOT. Adapters are not testable items.

7 pin sockets have been used since i was a lad and probably years before that, Why? because (looked after) they work.

It is correct that 13 pin sockets are subject to MOT, though not all stations test them.

Consider this: damage the seven pin socket that controls your trailer lights (12N) miles from civilisation, you can rewire your (12S) socket to get you going. OK you wont have the reverse or the fridge, but you will be mobile.

Damage the 13 pin socket and you will have to leave the caravan whilst you find a new one, not easy if you tour off the beaten track. Just a thought.

It's generally not the socket fitted to the car that causes problems, it's the one fitted to the van. 7 or 13 pins, these get neglected, dropped in the mud and water, trodden on. Open one up on even the most expensive vans- they are all cheap.

Disagree with some of the above.

If your car has wiring in place already then it is a simple case of replacing the loom, get a genuine lR part and it is a plug and play, so long as your current sockets are LR items. They wire back to the "fag packet" in the drivers side cubby, and simply plug in. If its all LR and works chances are its already been coded and swapping the loom will make no odds! The disco and ssrr need coding to a specific type of setup but the ffrr doesnt, some argue it doesnt need coding at all.

Click image to enlarge

It's easier than that

If you have the wiring in place, then you (or any competent auto electrician) can swap 2 x 7 pin sockets for a 13 pin one

Here's what I did, but could have easily done a straight replacement -

http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic25395.html

^^ also true, and easy to do, though i would argue marginally less robust, and a lot more fiddly than pulling out the old loom and laying im the new one, about a 15 min job i would say...... There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
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iphs wrote:

7 pin sockets have been used since i was a lad and probably years before that, Why? because (looked after) they work.

iphs wrote:

Open one up on even the most expensive vans- they are all cheap.