Caravan Connectors at Rear of a D3

[Pressy]

New member (ex Landcruiser) trying to work out which plug to use (via adaptor lead), The Black RH plug or the White LH plug at the rear BBar of the disco 3 and who sells the adaptor leads (tried SuperCheap without luck)

Rgds,

Pressy:confused:

[101RRS]

You have posted this in the Landrover Series 3 section where you might be better in the Discovery Series 3 section D3 / D4 / RRS - Australian Land Rover Owners (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/)

The area that you have posted is for series 3 landrovers - basically 1971 to about 1981 leave spring type vehicles - the Toyota equivalent would be the 40 series.

However to your question - the black plug is the one to use. Suitable adaptors to the flat pin are sold at all auto spare parts stores - I bought mine at Supercheap - they must have been out of stock when you were there.

The white plug is the connector for the North American market - I guess it was cheaper to put both in the car.

Garry

[Pressy]

Garry,

Thanks, still trying to familiarise myself with the site and the models.

I tried the Supercheap connector to the black plug, and it worked for a brief period than when I tested the brake lights I lost everything except the indicators. Everything is ok hooked up to the Cruiser so not sure where to go. Some bad connections somewhere. I'll take another look in daylight.

Rgds

Paul.

[CaverD3]

Wasn't you at bars n racks was it?

There have been issues with the wiring of Euro vs Jap for towing particularly for trailer brakes. I use a Supercrap one for trailers and it works finebut don't need trailer brakes.
Does the trailer have LEDS?

[101RRS]

Garry,

Thanks, still trying to familiarise myself with the site and the models.

I tried the Supercheap connector to the black plug, and it worked for a brief period than when I tested the brake lights I lost everything except the indicators. Everything is ok hooked up to the Cruiser so not sure where to go. Some bad connections somewhere. I'll take another look in daylight.

Rgds

Paul.

Sounds like you have LEDS in your trailer - the supercheap one works fine on my trailer with incandescant bulbs.

LEDs on the trailer are too low a resistance and is not sensed by the car systems (yes computer driven - they always outsmart themselves - a modern car that will not run modern trailer lights :wasntme:).

You will need some sort of special kit to instal in your car or why not change the LEDS out to normal lights.

Garry

[CaverD3]

If so you will need a pulse shunt or similar.

[TerryO]

Hey Paul,

I recently purchased a LED Adaptor module for the D3 from 'Linear Electronic Design' in Victoria. The version I got wires internally into the vehicle where the rear aircon is or would be located rather than being mounted on the trailer/van.

www.linearelectronicdesign.com (http://www.linearelectronicdesign.com)

The owner was very helpful and and sent the kit along with installation instructions included.

Hope that helps to get things sorted...

cheers,
Terry

[Weird Al]

Hey Paul,

I recently purchased a LED Adaptor module for the D3 from 'Linear Electronic Design' in Victoria. The version I got wires internally into the vehicle where the rear aircon is or would be located rather than being mounted on the trailer/van.

www.linearelectronicdesign.com (http://www.linearelectronicdesign.com)

The owner was very helpful and and sent the kit along with installation instructions included.

Hope that helps to get things sorted...

cheers,
Terry


Hi Terry,

Approximately how much did the module cost?

A

[TerryO]

From memory roughly about $240 ...that is from memory though it would be best to email them.

cheers,
Terry

[101RRS]

Couldn't you just make up a box comprising some small light bulbs or resisters on each power line to provide the required resistance?

Garry

[CaverD3]

You would still see the flashing, I think?

[101RRS]

You would still see the flashing, I think?

Not if you put a lid on the box :D.

[CaverD3]

:lol2:

I meant the LEDs with the pulse still going through them. Or does it stop the test pulse once it has the right resistance?

[timdo1]

Its been a while since i did electronics 101, but you should be able to get a small ceramic resistor and place it across the + and neg for the led array ( light). This should increase the resistance and let the car know that you have a trailer on. They will only cost a few cents from an electronics store and should solve your problem. Not sure what size but a couple of hundred ohms should be heaps. Bit of trial and error would solve it. Just needs to be a decent size say 5W so it can absorb the power and therefore heat that would be generated. My guesses are a bit rudimentary and its been years since i used the eectroics certificate, but have a go. Its relatively cheap to establish if it would work or not.

Good luck, Have fun

[jonesfam]

When I bought the D3 my auto electrician tried putting resistors on the trailers LED tail light wires.
This did not work, the trailer indicators still pulsed.
Ended up just changing the tail light units to the old fashion type, works a treat.
Jonesfam

[101RRS]

The problem is when you have to tow someone else's trailer and its lights are not compatible. A detachable in line solution is needed and the current option at over $200 seems a bit expensive. There must be a simple solution and I would have thought a box of resisters or light bulbs that plug in between the car and trailer that mimic the load of an incandescent light should work - but given the above - maybe not.

Garry

[Redback]

Does anyone know if there is a product in the UK or US for this, we can't be the only country using LEDs on trailers??

Baz.

[harlie]

Read this entire post http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/85396-led-trailer-lights-2.html there is a schematic posted.

Relays are needed to stop the LEDs pulsing - the relay will only switch is V is over ~9v
Resistors (or something to provide resistance) is required to let the ECU know there's something there (shunt the 2v pulse back to the ECU).

For those interested in circuit boards a 40 cent (15ohm 5watt) ceramic resistor and $6 (PCB mount) relay from Jaycar is all that’s needed for each circuit. Add a $6 blank board and $10 box and its a pretty cheap solution. D3/RRS needs 2 circuits - L322 needs 4. Box I made is on the trailer, works fine with other tow vehicles.

to My knowledge there is not a US or UK produced solution, the 2 Aus makers are exporting (they wanted more like $380 when I looked into it), the problem is fixed in D4 so I assume update L322 as well. Mate's 2010 VW is OK even though the early ones had the same issue too - given that I assume that all EU vehicles are now up to handling LEDs...

[roamer]

The problem has not been addressed in the D4

[harlie]

The problem has not been addressed in the D4

Really? I've not looked at one, so happy to be corrected, I was just going of several threads here that state it is...

[CaverD3]

D4 has led lights and no resistor so I think it works with LED trailer lights. Anyone know for sure?

[roamer]

Yes, blinker won't pulse without shunt, but still needs resistance(shunt), to activate tow stability, cut the rear sensors , and stop you from going to offroad height thru TR
And maybe to make trailer indicator on dash work, (cannt remember that bit for sure)


Cheers Ken

[harlie]

so it's half fixed - at least you then only need the resistor, lot simpler than what’s needed for D3 ect

[wazza7]

D4 has led lights and no resistor so I think it works with LED trailer lights. Anyone know for sure?

Just ducked downtown and bought an adapter from Supercheap ($19.98 ) . Plugged into the D4 and my trailer - all works well. Trailer has LED lights.

[Duck's Guts]

Just ducked downtown and bought an adapter from Supercheap ($19.98 ) . Plugged into the D4 and my trailer - all works well. Trailer has LED lights.

Did you get the 7 pin round to say a 7 pin flat adaptor?
That's what I got for my D4 (~$20 from Supercheap) but it still didn't result in activating tow stability, nor did it cut the rear sensors or stop you from going to offroad height thru TR.
The trailer indicator on dash would only work on the first 'blink', then nothing thereafter.
I suggest checking that the trailer indicator on the dash activates with each & every blink of the LED trailer indicators when using your Supercheap plug adaptor. If it does, please provice more details of exactly what you have got from Supercheap, perhaps even a part number or post a photo.

[101RRS]

This has nothing to do with the Supercheap adapater - is just some wires with a connector at either end.

If you are are having troubles it is in either the trailer or the tow vehicle.

[roamer]

Just ducked downtown and bought an adapter from Supercheap ($19.98 ) . Plugged into the D4 and my trailer - all works well. Trailer has LED lights.

Did you put it into "rock crawl" and see if it went to offroad height by itself,the screen should tell you trailer attached and height not selected.
If it goes to off road height auto, it does not know trailer is there, so no tow aids. (my aug\2009 built D4 3lt needed shunt)
Cheers Ken

[wazza7]

Did you get the 7 pin round to say a 7 pin flat adaptor?
That's what I got for my D4 (~$20 from Supercheap) but it still didn't result in activating tow stability, nor did it cut the rear sensors or stop you from going to offroad height thru TR.
The trailer indicator on dash would only work on the first 'blink', then nothing thereafter.
I suggest checking that the trailer indicator on the dash activates with each & every blink of the LED trailer indicators when using your Supercheap plug adaptor. If it does, please provice more details of exactly what you have got from Supercheap, perhaps even a part number or post a photo.

Apologies - missed the gist of the thread. I haven't got tow assist - my D4 is very basic - e diff only factory option. The plug adapter I bought from Supercheap is just a basic 7 pin round to 7 pin flat - all trailer lights operate and I don't have any indications on dash. Cheers Warren

[discojools]

Wazza,
I'm pretty sure that all D4s have "tow assist"...

[Duck's Guts]

Apologies - missed the gist of the thread. I haven't got tow assist - my D4 is very basic - e diff only factory option. The plug adapter I bought from Supercheap is just a basic 7 pin round to 7 pin flat - all trailer lights operate and I don't have any indications on dash. Cheers Warren


Wazza,
I'm pretty sure that all D4s have "tow assist"...

Yeap, all D4's have tow assist.

Also, the 7 pin round to 7 pin flat adaptor will let the trailer lights to work.
But, no green trailer indication lights on dash during indicator operation, means that the D4 doesn't 'know' the trailer is hitched, and therefore the Trailer Assist safety function is not operational.

Wazza, your trailer probably has LED lights & therefore you need an LED shunt so that the D4's Trailer Assist function operates.

[wazza7]

Yeap, all D4's have tow assist.

Also, the 7 pin round to 7 pin flat adaptor will let the trailer lights to work.
But, no green trailer indication lights on dash during indicator operation, means that the D4 doesn't 'know' the trailer is hitched, and therefore the Trailer Assist safety function is not operational.

Wazza, your trailer probably has LED lights & therefore you need an LED shunt so that the D4's Trailer Assist function operates.

Many thanks to all for your help. Will get onto a LED shunt. Have to say owning a D4 is a steep learning curve but enjoying it very much. I also have to say this is a fantastic site - thanks for your patience.