Socket Types
There are two types of towbar sockets. The one you need may depend on your vehicle, trailer, caravan or bike rack, as each will have different electrical requirements. Additionally, if your car and trailer have different towing sockets, you can purchase an adapter to convert the towbar electrical plugs to work in sync.
7 pin Towbar Wiring
7 pin electrics provide the normal or legal lighting requirements for towing. A 7 pin towbar plug will provide brake, indicate and tail light functions on your bike rack, trailer or caravan and is suitable for simple towing.
If you have a towbar mounted bike rack which covers your vehicle lights, you will need a lighting board on your bike rack so your light signals are still visible. Additionally, if you only need basic light functions on a small trailer, 7 pin towbar wiring will support these needs as you are unlikely to require functions such as trailer stability control when carrying bikes on your towbar.
To help you understand how 7 pin towbar wiring works, our helpful diagram will help you visualise how the functions connect with towbar wiring colours.
13 pin Towbar Wiring
13 pin electrics combines both the basic and advanced electrical features needed for towing within one plug. This makes a 13 pin plug tidier and easier to use as all of the functions are encased within a single plug. Each pin in the 13 pin towing socket has a specific function with a corresponding colour which allows you to see which wire in the plug provides which electrical function.
If you are towing a trailer or caravan, you will benefit from a 13 pin towing socket as this will connect to your vehicle’s advanced features. This includes trailer stability control and providing power inside your caravan for appliances such as the fridge, which would be essential if you need to keep food fresh while travelling.
See how a 13 pin towing socket works in our helpful colour coded diagram, showing you which pins supply which electrical functions.
