Tow Bar Socket Question.

macabethiel · 24-03-2020, 12:42

I want to take the reversing light power out of my tow bar as I have fitted a small LED for better reversing vision at night - especially up my drive between the houses when it's dark.

I have nothing to tow so it seems an easy option to just plug into the tow socket - also come MoT time I can unplug it & say it's for off road.

The one on the offside looks like its for a caravan - to supply lighting?
The one on the nearside has 6 connections with two male type prongs & 4 female type.
Not sure if they are both the same as one has flap cover missing & is corroded.
I can test the terminals to be sure which is which.

Am I right in thinking the one on the nearside is a standard socket and are all plugs the same size or are they make dependent?

WJ tow bar by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

jims-terrano · 24-03-2020, 13:43

The white socket on the left is the 12s socket. This is the one that will have the reverse light if it’s been connected. Sorry you’ll have to google 12s wiring diagram for the correct terminal but the wire should be yellow so that might be enough.

macabethiel · 24-03-2020, 14:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by jims-terrano

The white socket on the left is the 12s socket. This is the one that will have the reverse light if it’s been connected. Sorry you’ll have to google 12s wiring diagram for the correct terminal but the wire should be yellow so that might be enough.

Thanks Jim - so I need a 12s plug I'll look on flea bay. Cheers Ted

panelbeater · 24-03-2020, 15:16

surley it will be just as easy to tee of off reversing line at bulb holder,if your worried fit on/off switch in line.

macabethiel · 24-03-2020, 20:26

As Jim mentioned the reverse lamp power has never been connected so it's dead.
I traced the existing cable run to look for the connections for the left hand plug wiring - they are all hidden behind the nearside interior panel trim. The trim looks a big task to remove so gave that a miss.

I removed the nearside rear lamp - an easy two screw & ball fitting task with a view to doing as panelbeater has suggested - to fit a cable from the lamp connector loom.
I pulled out one of the wiring loom grommets to peer inside the quarter panel cavity to find 3 scotch locks inside the void. All dry so left them alone. I'm lucky all the lights at the rear are Ok.

I've run a cable from the lamp loom - for tonight it's a Piggy Back terminal until I can get a better connector. Fed the new cable through some spare plastic conduit left over from some outside light wiring job - what a pig it is feeding wires down a ribbed conduit! Note to self must buy some electricians rods one day.

It's now cold & dark so I will leave the other end until tomorrow when I sort out a switch arrangement on the earth side of the lamp circuit. I found the wiring layout on the internet - how did we manage before the world wide web !!

24-03-2020, 12:42	#1
macabethiel Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Derby Vehicle: Freelander & Jeep GC 3.0 Posts: 4,416	Tow Bar Socket Question. I want to take the reversing light power out of my tow bar as I have fitted a small LED for better reversing vision at night - especially up my drive between the houses when it's dark. I have nothing to tow so it seems an easy option to just plug into the tow socket - also come MoT time I can unplug it & say it's for off road. The one on the offside looks like its for a caravan - to supply lighting? The one on the nearside has 6 connections with two male type prongs & 4 female type. Not sure if they are both the same as one has flap cover missing & is corroded. I can test the terminals to be sure which is which. Am I right in thinking the one on the nearside is a standard socket and are all plugs the same size or are they make dependent? WJ tow bar by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

24-03-2020, 20:26	#5
macabethiel Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Derby Vehicle: Freelander & Jeep GC 3.0 Posts: 4,416	I hate Scotch Locks / Piggy Back connectors. As Jim mentioned the reverse lamp power has never been connected so it's dead. I traced the existing cable run to look for the connections for the left hand plug wiring - they are all hidden behind the nearside interior panel trim. The trim looks a big task to remove so gave that a miss. I removed the nearside rear lamp - an easy two screw & ball fitting task with a view to doing as panelbeater has suggested - to fit a cable from the lamp connector loom. I pulled out one of the wiring loom grommets to peer inside the quarter panel cavity to find 3 scotch locks inside the void. All dry so left them alone. I'm lucky all the lights at the rear are Ok. I've run a cable from the lamp loom - for tonight it's a Piggy Back terminal until I can get a better connector. Fed the new cable through some spare plastic conduit left over from some outside light wiring job - what a pig it is feeding wires down a ribbed conduit! Note to self must buy some electricians rods one day. It's now cold & dark so I will leave the other end until tomorrow when I sort out a switch arrangement on the earth side of the lamp circuit. I found the wiring layout on the internet - how did we manage before the world wide web !!

24-03-2020, 13:43	#2
jims-terrano Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: UK Posts: 12,965	The white socket on the left is the 12s socket. This is the one that will have the reverse light if it’s been connected. Sorry you’ll have to google 12s wiring diagram for the correct terminal but the wire should be yellow so that might be enough.

24-03-2020, 15:16	#4
panelbeater Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: clacton on sea essex Vehicle: nissan terrano 2 2.7 tdi Posts: 1,638	surley it will be just as easy to tee of off reversing line at bulb holder,if your worried fit on/off switch in line.