14 replies to this topic

[Carl-Brit]

Ok so iv started fitting my carbon front going to order aero catches + bonnet pins asap and after the last front doin me head in unpluging all sorts of wires how do i go about 1 of these caravan plug things that every thing wires through ? can some 1 show me a good connector to use and do i just get some wire and extend all the original wiring to it ?

[biggav]

you just need to find a plug that has enough connections to do it all in one hit... figure out what you need then search a scrap yard, just cut the wires either side of the connector and join them where you need them. check out the projects section or do a flip front search.

[G.T.M.]

I wudunt go to a scrappys because youll end up with a plug that your gonner need to conect wire to wire with, not wire in to the plug, youll have double the amount of conections = double the amount of possible electrical failure.

What you want is something like a main board plug, from a very modern car (as they have alot of wires and provideing its not french, are reliable)

Dont get mixed up a main board is not an ECU, main board is where all dignostic work goes on and normally where all the fuses are.

Edited by G.T.M., 11 October 2007 - 06:35 PM.

[Jordie]

Whats wrong with a trailer socket and plug?

[G.T.M.]

Yeh, you could but its abit big...

Also will it have enough pins on it for what you want to do? I wudunt piggy back anything that isunt allready piggy backed, all sorts can start going wrong then, relays can interfir with each other, flasher relays for your indecators and side repeaters wudunt function properly if you piggy backed them (EU trailer plugs only have 7 pins on them no? or is it 14?)

Theres 4 wires going to one head lamp, indecators 2, repeaters 2, your looking at around 16 wires minium. Thats if your not running any aux lamps or HID ballasts.

An ISO conector for the lights would be just the jobby.

These are your friend, one of the guys at work orderd some crazy plugs and conectors from here for his 4x4 (plugs you can submerg in water and are still 100% safe) Most of the products sold on here are OEM as well.

http://www.vehicle-w...me/homepage.php

Theres some ISO style conectors
http://www.vehicle-w...iconnectors.php

Edited by G.T.M., 11 October 2007 - 07:20 PM.

[Carl-Brit]

err.. confusing i just want to have all the wires fed to 1 side of car neatly and can be un pluged from the front very easily so the front can be lifted off like what jordie is talkin about but is there anything smaller than a big trailer hook up on that link you gave G.T.M i see a nice fuse box thing (that waterproof box do you have to unscrew all of 1 side to be able to remove the front ??

[Jordie]

ive seen a trailer/towbar socket on the bulkhead, looked very good. Installed to the left of the master cylinders, near the tower mount.

The cable was push clipped into place down the brace bar, so the excess wires didnt flap around. Looked very good and the best way to me.

[1984mini25]

One idea I had when thinking about one I was helping a mate do was to use the multi plug for the indicator stork, as I had a spare knackered loom lying around to rob bits from.
Not only is it a small connector block, but because the indicator stork has the indicators, horn and flashers (two settings) there’s enough wires and some are even the correct colours/ratings.

I think to minimum I worked it down to was…

1 x sidelights
1 x dipped beam
1 x full beam
2 x indicators
1 x horn
And possibly an earth.

[gavfoz]

Ping:

I did that before I decided to pull everything apart and start again.

A maximum of seven wires can be broken in this way. I think I had one pin left over. I wouldn't mount the horn on the flip front. For ease I would put it on the inner wing or somewhere. Only one earth goes to the front originally (on my car anyway). Might need extra earths now as its a composite front your fitting and not a metal jobby (by the way I am no expert on electrics).

If you need to brake more wires (for spots, horn, front fogs or whatever) the military version used on army Land Rovers and Bedfords etc have 12 pins. They are quite expensive though.

[Carl-Brit]

thanks for the replies i surpose them trailer connecting blocks don't look to bad may just opt for them

[Pie]

Euro connectors have 13 pins IIRC. I only know this because when i worked for Audi they Q7 had a 13>7 pin conversion. aka Euro>UK. If you find one of them you should have more than enough.
And im sure Ebay wont disapoint you.

[syholl]

I have the perfect solution for you. I always use these plugs nowadays, having tried all sorts of different connectors, including ISO connectors and caravan plugs. These ones from Maplin are brilliant:

Plug

http://www.maplin.co...e...g&doy=12m10

Socket

http://www.maplin.co...r...rce=15&SD=Y

They don't corrode, and give a nice tight seal, also, you can get some heavy duty trailer wire from Vehicle Wiring Products, and use this to connect all the front end lights up. It just fits into the plug nicely....

[Carl-Brit]

Nice i have a maplins close by and they are good for all sorts of random stuff electrical never thought about looking there ill opt for this now

Also maplins have a digiboard im gonna buy for parcel shelf in mini so i can put up messages to people behind how cool is that LoL iv some 1 cuts you up get in front and show your anger

[Dan]

Those 8 way Maplin connectors are only rated at 6 amps per terminal, the paired headlamps draw 10 amps and the earth could be loads. I think that N7 trailer connectors are also only rated at 6 amps per terminal but nobody publishes the rating. The S7 trailer connectors could be rated higher as they are designed for the 15 amp fridge circuit. Having said that there appears to be no difference between the terminals and moulding of the S7 and N7 other than the pin layout. Maybe they're all rated at 15 amps. Lots of people do use the towing plug, personally I'd use the 13 pin towing plug. It's smaller and has more pins but if you choose to run headlamps, spot lamps and fog lamps through the same one you will probably overload the total rating for the moulding. Or the earth core, remember when you design this that the earth cable has to carry the total current of the whole lot running in the front and you need to use cable and terminals big enough. As for the horn, just move it off the front. That's one pin and the return current saved.

[syholl]

The one i posted the link to is rated at 6 amps for 250 volts, which means that it will take way more than 6 amps at 12 volts. I tested one out a few years ago, by running a pair of cooling fans (total load exceeding 50 amps at 12v) and there was no overheating. Also, we have been running them on our cars for years and they haven't overloaded.