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Norfolk-n-chance



Member Since: 01 Sep 2019
Location: Usually in the garage!
Posts: 80

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black
Penman trailer plug change
Hi,

A lot has been said in the past about modifying the Penman or Sankey NATO plug to standard 7 pin trailer plug but I have 13 pin socket on the back of the 110 as it’s usually for towing the tin shed, if I ever need to pull a trailer then I have a small plastic adaptor that does the job.
I’ve searched here and online generally but I can’t find a wiring chart from nato 12 pin to civvy 13 pin, before I sit down and give myself a headache working it out, does anyone have one?

The reason I ask is that I’m about to pick up a new Penman trailer and wonder if it’s a quick job I can do in the yard at collection or would I be better off collecting with a trailerboard and converting later on? Also, I’ve read that the sankey 24v bulbs are are straight swap for their 12v equivalent but is the Penman the same? Apparently it has Perei rear lamps, are these just bulbs?

I know, I just started typing and it all cam out in no particular order, but I am quite excited!! Very Happy

Cheers
Mark “a committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing, but as a group decide nothing can be done.”
Post #901320 4th May 2021 12:43pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

United Kingdom 
The bulbs are indeed a straight swap but re-wiring the plug is more complicated and I'd want to do it in the comfort of my own driveway. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #901322 4th May 2021 12:47pm
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Vitesse



Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Sussex
Posts: 381

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black
Hello Mark,
when I bought my penman last year I also had the same issue and I simply used a trailer board to tow it home.
I currently have fitted a conversion box under the trailer that allows me to use the original NATO plug into a NATO socket and converts to seven pin cabling and plug. This would also allow connection to 13 pin in the same way but you do need to think about the wiring and hence your question.

I am looking now to fit the correct NATO socket to the defender and wire it up correctly to the vehicle. This will involve sorting out a wiring diagram to include the electrical features of the 13 pin wiring and will share this once I have it. Others may have already done this.

Hope this helps a bit!
Thumbs Up 2015 90 XS Santorini Black
Post #901334 4th May 2021 3:06pm
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Marky5522



Member Since: 14 May 2019
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 21

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS DCPU Corris Grey
It’s not a difficult job but I would def wait to get it home. I did mine a few months back just take a minute to trace exactly what wire is doing what. I wrote down the Nato colours to 13pin plug PIN numbers but cannot find it at the minute.

Click image to enlarge



Click image to enlarge
Post #901405 4th May 2021 8:55pm
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Norfolk-n-chance



Member Since: 01 Sep 2019
Location: Usually in the garage!
Posts: 80

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black
Thanks both, I’m borrowing a trailer board to pick it up with and will sort out the wiring, as you say, from the comfort of my own driveway!
I do like the conversion box idea and will have a look into that.
Just out of interest, I’m planning on getting another saddle for the drop plate with the nato hitch so that I can swap back to the ball when needed, what set up do you use? “a committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing, but as a group decide nothing can be done.”
Post #901408 4th May 2021 8:57pm
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Ianh



Member Since: 17 Sep 2018
Location: Essex
Posts: 1997

United Kingdom 
I found a new nato 12 pin socket on eBay, then wired it to a 7 pin plug to create a converter lead and enable me to leave the penman wiring intact, it would have been just as easy to wire it to a 13 pin plug. So worth thinking on that as an option.

Point to note. It took me a while to find one for sale, and just looking a can’t see any for less than £75 !!!
Post #901418 4th May 2021 9:34pm
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Norfolk-n-chance



Member Since: 01 Sep 2019
Location: Usually in the garage!
Posts: 80

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black
Marky, if you can find that wiring chart it would be really helpful!!
What’s the green part? Is it just a keeper/cover?

Ian, £75....... Shocked
I think I’ll bide my time!! “a committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing, but as a group decide nothing can be done.”
Post #901430 4th May 2021 11:44pm
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big ives



Member Since: 24 Dec 2013
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 125

United Kingdom 
Hi
only my two pennies
i would keep the standard 12N and 12S on your landerover, always usefull as not all trailers (maybe u have to biorrow/tow a different trailer in the future) have the new 13pin plugs


https://www.towingandtrailers.com/product/...-socket-2/
fit this or similar to your trailer lead after removing the nato plug just make sure its a female plug

https://www.towingandtrailers.com/product/...13-7pin-2/
then use this

total about £25 best of both worlds

cheers ivan 2016 Discovery 4
1989 90 CSW V8 (fully rebuilt and running like a dream)
1996 defender tray back fully rebuilt/loaded for challenge events
Post #901439 5th May 2021 5:22am
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llessur



Member Since: 15 Nov 2011
Location: Hereford
Posts: 151

United Kingdom 
Just in case this is of any help to anyone

Penman Trailer Nato 12 pin Wiring

A – Red with Yellow band – convoy light
B – Green with Purple band – LH STOP
C – Red with Yellow band – connected to A and H
D – Black – Earth
E – Red with Black band – Rear Tail Lights
F – Red with Brown Band – FOG
G –
H – Red with Yellow Band – connected to A and C
J – Green with Purple Band – RH STOP
K – Brown with Red Band – Auxiliary feed
L – Black – Earth
M – Green with Red band – LH TURN
N – Green with White band – RH TURN

So use:

NATO -------------------------------------- 13 Pin Euro

E – Red with Black band – Rear Tail Lights Pin 7 and Pin 5
B – Green with Purple band – LH STOP Pin 6
J – Green with Purple Band – RH STOP Pin 6
D – Black – Earth Pin 3
L – Black – Earth Pin 3
M – Green with Red band – LH TURN Pin 1
N – Green with White band – RH TURN Pin 4
F – Red with Brown Band – FOG Pin 2


As I did not want the convoy light and I had a 13 pin on the Land Rover I wired the light as a reversing light.
Post #901454 5th May 2021 6:28am
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Marky5522



Member Since: 14 May 2019
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 21

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS DCPU Corris Grey
Norfolk-n-chance wrote:
Marky, if you can find that wiring chart it would be really helpful!!
What’s the green part? Is it just a keeper/cover?

Ian, £75....... Shocked
I think I’ll bide my time!!


The green part is just a cover/mount for the 13pin plug. Here is a photo of what I scribbled down at the time. I know I connected the convoy light into the tail light circuit in the penman electrical box as I mounted my number plate on the convoy reflector. Also I have written down the colours that were on my penman but a friend had one with slightly different colours on the wiring which is what llessur’s chart seems to indicate.



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Post #901482 5th May 2021 9:02am
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Ianh



Member Since: 17 Sep 2018
Location: Essex
Posts: 1997

United Kingdom 
^^^^^^^^
I’m pretty sure that a number plate mounted under the penman on the convoy reflector would not pass the number plate location regulations if used on the public highway. Whether the authorities would pull you up for this is debatable, but there is a risk that they will.

I ended up getting a couple of the stainless steel quick release number plate brackets ( for square number plate) and fitting them under the standard number plate light. This allows the number plate to be central under the light when travelling but then slide to the right side to open the tailgate when needed.

In order not to modify the penman I fitted the number plate brackets onto a backing plate, made from a short length of trailer light board, and cable tied it to penman number plate holder. It actually looks far better than it sounds and you don’t see any of this when the number plate is fitted. Very Happy

Ps.On the nato socket, I was fortunate to get an original new old stock one for £30 so made sense for me. At £75 it would not have.
Post #901499 5th May 2021 12:11pm
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Vitesse



Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Sussex
Posts: 381

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black
Hi Mark,
In answer to the tow setup, I use this. A modified setup to use both systems.
Second shot of my Penman using the convoy light as a number plate plinth. Probably not ideal legally but works really well and I havent had any issues.
Third pic on day of collection.


Click image to enlarge



Click image to enlarge



Click image to enlarge






Thumbs Up 2015 90 XS Santorini Black
Post #901532 5th May 2021 3:23pm
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Ianh



Member Since: 17 Sep 2018
Location: Essex
Posts: 1997

United Kingdom 
To get the penman nose as high as possible people tend to fit the nato pintle direct to the rear crossmember via a spreader plate as Vitesse has done. Or if on a ladder rack type tow bar setup use a Dixon bate two pin slider but with the nato Pintle mounted the opposite way up on the slider to ensure it is raised as high as possible when on the ladder rack.
Note: A nato pintle is not recommended to be fitted to a single pin slider.

One issue this causes is being able to open the pintle in this highest position due to the spare wheel being in the way. The solution I found to this issue is to buy and mount one of these https://foundry4x4.co.uk/index.php?route=p...l+carrier+ . This worked perfect and has given plenty of clearance for the pintle to be opened and the penman lunette to be engaged. Even with a 255/85 r16 or 285/75 r16 spare I don’t think you would have any issues.
Post #901554 5th May 2021 5:32pm
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diesel_jim



Member Since: 13 Oct 2008
Location: hiding
Posts: 6092

United Kingdom 2006 Defender 110 Td5 SW Epsom Green
^^^ The Penman is designed to be nose down.

yes just swap the 24v bulbs for 12v, did this on mine.

Some on the FB "Penman sankey & Brockhouse trailer" group has made a nice milled aluminium adaptor for NATO to civvy trailer plugs. Pricey but looks nice. But as people have mentioned, just get a NATO socket (got ot be plenty on old series 3 military rovers that have been scrapped) mount it to a plastic IP junction box then connect a 13 core cable to a civilian plug. This box can be tied/bungeed etc to the trailer when in use.
Post #901626 6th May 2021 6:54am
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Norfolk-n-chance



Member Since: 01 Sep 2019
Location: Usually in the garage!
Posts: 80

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black
Whoever thought that buying a trailer originally designed to be towed behind a Land Rover would need so many things to be adapted or modified!

I’m very grateful for all of your advice and suggestions, thank you all!!

I have the Dixon style slider plate set up so think I will just buy another slider to fix the nato hitch to so that I can swap them over when I need to. As I’m collecting tomorrow I was temporarily going to use my existing slider saddle which is only a one pin plate. Do the 2 pin plates/saddles fit on the same bracket as the one pin? “a committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing, but as a group decide nothing can be done.”
Post #901627 6th May 2021 7:04am
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