13 pin towing socket caravan fridge wires

[Old Sid]

Hi. I have a genuine VW(Westfalia) tow bar with 13 pin electrics fitted to my T6 Ocean. I tow a small micro-caravan. The circuit that powers the fridge does not work. VW say they were unable to connect the appropriate wires and it is not possible on this vehicle. There is a pair of cables (yellow, brown/white) that are not connected to anything under the driver’s seat. Maybe these are the fridge supply, maybe not. VW UK have investigated and have confirmed that the fridge supply needs a ‘specialist’ to connect the fridge supply. This issue has been ongoing for a year now.
Has anyone had any experience of this problem? Are the loose wires the caravan fridge supply? Any advice?

 

[Raggedroy]

Surely if you employed VW to carry out the installation, and they excepted the work, they should complete the task they accepted. You could also try calling Hazzydayz.

HazzyDayz Online Retrofit Store

VW & Audi retrofit parts available online from HazzyDayz. We specialise in genuine vehicle electrics & fault diagnostics for Audi & Volkswagen vehicles. ADAS calibration

www.hazzydayz.com

 

[BerndRos]

I have a T5.1 with factory fit tow bar and 13 pin electrics. A couple of weeks ago I had to have a replacement socket fitted to the back of the van. They mentioned that the wiring was not there to power a caravan if towing one.

Surprising.

 

[Old Sid]

Surely if you employed VW to carry out the installation, and they excepted the work, they should complete the task they accepted. You could also try calling Hazzydayz.

HazzyDayz Online Retrofit Store

VW & Audi retrofit parts available online from HazzyDayz. We specialise in genuine vehicle electrics & fault diagnostics for Audi & Volkswagen vehicles. ADAS calibration

www.hazzydayz.com

Yes, absolutely, and they seem to recognise that and VW UK are looking further into the situation. In practical terms, it comes down to electrical expertise at the Van Centre and they have been cooperative about it.
Finally however, I am going to need to get something done about it and that involves someone with knowledge and experience. I wired my own T5 but I am aware that the T6 Ocean is likely to require some recoding and I am wary of not using an approved VW fitter.
I would be interested to know if the two wires under the driving seat are the 12v and ground for the caravan fridge circuit.

 

[Raggedroy]

Yes, absolutely, and they seem to recognise that and VW UK are looking further into the situation. In practical terms, it comes down to electrical expertise at the Van Centre and they have been cooperative about it.
Finally however, I am going to need to get something done about it and that involves someone with knowledge and experience. I wired my own T5 but I am aware that the T6 Ocean is likely to require some recoding and I am wary of not using an approved VW fitter.
I would be interested to know if the two wires under the driving seat are the 12v and ground for the caravan fridge circuit.

I would speak to Hazzydayz.

 

[Raggedroy]

I fitted my own 13pin PFjones kit to my T5.1. The coding instruction come with it.

 

[TripleBee]

Hi. I have a genuine VW(Westfalia) tow bar with 13 pin electrics fitted to my T6 Ocean. I tow a small micro-caravan. The circuit that powers the fridge does not work. VW say they were unable to connect the appropriate wires and it is not possible on this vehicle. There is a pair of cables (yellow, brown/white) that are not connected to anything under the driver’s seat. Maybe these are the fridge supply, maybe not. VW UK have investigated and have confirmed that the fridge supply needs a ‘specialist’ to connect the fridge supply. This issue has been ongoing for a year now.
Has anyone had any experience of this problem? Are the loose wires the caravan fridge supply? Any advice?

Is your towbar a factory fit, or was it placed afterwards? What electrical system is installed, original?
This might come in handy?

http://catalogue.ecs-electronics.nl/DownloadFile.aspx?directlink=VW126D1/VW126D1+User+Guide.pdf

If you connect the yellow to 12V behind the ignition, and the brown/white to earth, this must work I guess?
You could make it more simple: just connect to the battery under the seat, but then it will continue to take power, regardless of ignition or not. This could drain your battery. (ies)

 

[westfalia]

I had the same towbar fitted not at the factory but at the
dealer when the van was new. Mine also has no live feed.

I've been told that i would need a cable from the starter battery into pin
#9 and 10 of the 13pin socket, there must be a fuse involved somewhere
but i don't know where.

 

[TripleBee]

I've been told that i would need a cable from the starter battery into pin
#9 and 10 of the 13pin socket, there must be a fuse involved somewhere
but i don't know where.

The fuse needs to be as close as possible to the battery.

 

[WelshGas]

Hi. I have a genuine VW(Westfalia) tow bar with 13 pin electrics fitted to my T6 Ocean. I tow a small micro-caravan. The circuit that powers the fridge does not work. VW say they were unable to connect the appropriate wires and it is not possible on this vehicle. There is a pair of cables (yellow, brown/white) that are not connected to anything under the driver’s seat. Maybe these are the fridge supply, maybe not. VW UK have investigated and have confirmed that the fridge supply needs a ‘specialist’ to connect the fridge supply. This issue has been ongoing for a year now.
Has anyone had any experience of this problem? Are the loose wires the caravan fridge supply? Any advice?

If the Yellow and Brown wires are for the Fridge then VW are using Non-Standard wiring colours .
I would check the rear of the 13 pin socket.
Who fitted the system, Factory or Dealer?
The explanation given to you is a load of codswallop.
There are other Forum members that tow Caravans and I have a neighbor with a T6 and new Caravan and everything works and he has a Factory fitted Towbar and electrics.

 

[TripleBee]

You don't have to look at the cable colour, because that may vary. VW uses a certain colour code in their wires all over the different models and even over the different brands, like Audi, Seat, Skoda, ...
It is the position on the socket. In my diagram, it says yellow = pin 10 = ignition switched power.
This is what you want in your caravan, or any other trailer that needs ignition switched power.
Otherwise, while not driving, the fridge might drain your car battery, causing you not to be able to start anymore.
Color is secondary, location is primary. If both comply, that is even better.

 

[WelshGas]

You don't have to look at the cable colour, because that may vary. VW uses a certain colour code in their wires all over the different models and even over the different brands, like Audi, Seat, Skoda, ...
It is the position on the socket. In my diagram, it says yellow = pin 10 = ignition switched power.
This is what you want in your caravan, or any other trailer that needs ignition switched power.
Otherwise, while not driving, the fridge might drain your car battery, causing you not to be able to start anymore.
Color is secondary, location is primary. If both comply, that is even better.

There is an International/EU standard regarding the wiring of a 13 Pin Towing Socket. It would appear that VW/Westfalia do not follow this convention then. Not surprising.

Oh, and if you read my post I did suggest checking the wiring positions/colour on the rear of the socket in case it was different.

New Glasses maybe?

 

[WelshGas]

Hi. I have a genuine VW(Westfalia) tow bar with 13 pin electrics fitted to my T6 Ocean. I tow a small micro-caravan. The circuit that powers the fridge does not work. VW say they were unable to connect the appropriate wires and it is not possible on this vehicle. There is a pair of cables (yellow, brown/white) that are not connected to anything under the driver’s seat. Maybe these are the fridge supply, maybe not. VW UK have investigated and have confirmed that the fridge supply needs a ‘specialist’ to connect the fridge supply. This issue has been ongoing for a year now.
Has anyone had any experience of this problem? Are the loose wires the caravan fridge supply? Any advice?

According to the enclosed Westfalia Document the Yellow and Brown/White wires would appear to be the + and ground for running the fridge. The problem may be the Smart Alternator/Regenerative Braking as it would not give a constant 12v supply.
Your VW Dealer May not know what to do/fit.
As the rest of the Towbar electrics are working I would presume the necessary vehicle coding has been completed.
You could contact VW Customer Services or find a recommended Autoelectrician. Your local Caravan Dealer May be able to help or recommend someone.

https://www.westfalia-automotive.com/fileadmin/pdf/e_anlagen/321/e321538391105-05.pdf

 

[Old Sid]

Many thanks for all the comments, information and advice so far. I have read through it all and found it very useful.
The colours of the wiring from the trailer plug to the caravan are standardised but the vehicle’s own wiring is, as some have pointed out, specific to the make of vehicle. However, from what’s been said here, it looks as if the two cables I’ve found are the feed to the fridge. With that bit of knowledge, I can of course, now establish this with a multimeter. There needs to be some form of cut-out relay or electronics between the fridge feed and the alternator so that current is only supplied when the on-board engine battery is fully charged. I think this would need to be the proper approved VW kit in order to comply with the VW warranty. To confuse things further, the vehicle already includes a split-charge system to charge the leisure batteries. Also, as pointed out, the feed cable would need to include an appropriate fuse.
So, it looks like this could be a common issue and that the two cables are the supply and ground for the caravan fridge. That fills in much of what I wanted to know. VW Customer Services are tackling the issue but I think it’ll be down to me to find someone who can do the job. Any suggestions (central south coast)?
Thanks again for all the contributions.

 

[5i1ver8ack]

We tow a small 2017 Eriba caravan behind our 2017 California with factory fitted towbar and electrics. We've never used the caravan fridge while towing, instead using the California fridge. The caravan fridge has only been used while parked up on mains hookup or gas.

But after reading this thread, I connected a multimeter to the socket and can confirm no voltage on the caravan connectors.

So I guess we will continue to not use the caravan fridge In transit!

 

[WelshGas]

Many thanks for all the comments, information and advice so far. I have read through it all and found it very useful.
The colours of the wiring from the trailer plug to the caravan are standardised but the vehicle’s own wiring is, as some have pointed out, specific to the make of vehicle. However, from what’s been said here, it looks as if the two cables I’ve found are the feed to the fridge. With that bit of knowledge, I can of course, now establish this with a multimeter. There needs to be some form of cut-out relay or electronics between the fridge feed and the alternator so that current is only supplied when the on-board engine battery is fully charged. I think this would need to be the proper approved VW kit in order to comply with the VW warranty. To confuse things further, the vehicle already includes a split-charge system to charge the leisure batteries. Also, as pointed out, the feed cable would need to include an appropriate fuse.
So, it looks like this could be a common issue and that the two cables are the supply and ground for the caravan fridge. That fills in much of what I wanted to know. VW Customer Services are tackling the issue but I think it’ll be down to me to find someone who can do the job. Any suggestions (central south coast)?
Thanks again for all the contributions.

If the problem is connecting the wires to the Engine Battery and upsetting the Smart Alternator etc: I, personally, would take another route.
Connect the wires, suitably fused to the Leisure Battery Circuit via a Relay that is triggered by an " Ignition On " supply so the Caravan Fridge is only active when the Ignition is ON.

 

[andyinluton]

If the problem is connecting the wires to the Engine Battery and upsetting the Smart Alternator etc: I, personally, would take another route.
Connect the wires, suitably fused to the Leisure Battery Circuit via a Relay that is triggered by an " Ignition On " supply so the Caravan Fridge is only active when the Ignition is ON.

If it’s running off the leisure battery why the need to switch it to only working with the ignition on? Any switching could be done by turning the fridge Off.

 

[WelshGas]

If it’s running off the leisure battery why the need to switch it to only working with the ignition on? Any switching could be done by turning the fridge Off.

You could. When I had a caravan then towbar electrics charged the caravan leisure battery and ran the fridge in the caravan when the ignition was off the caravan fridge reverted to being powered by the caravan leisure battery automatically. On site you could then run the fridge from the caravan leisure supply with or without EHU or gas.
My way would just make it automatic and spare the California leisure batteries.

 

[Old Sid]

Hey. Thanks for your reply. It sounds like this could be a common problem. Like you, we use the VW fridge but it’s a real pain transferring all the fridge contents every time we move on.
I felt I had paid for 13 pin electrics and it should all work, not just nearly all of it.

We tow a small 2017 Eriba caravan behind our 2017 California with factory fitted towbar and electrics. We've never used the caravan fridge while towing, instead using the California fridge. The caravan fridge has only been used while parked up on mains hookup or gas.

But after reading this thread, I connected a multimeter to the socket and can confirm no voltage on the caravan connectors.

So I guess we will continue to not use the caravan fridge In transit!