 | Home > Technical > Nato 12 pin to civvy 7 pin |
 
|
|
|
| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324  
|
Design and Development Engineering make an adapter from civvy 7 pin to NATO 12 pin (at not inconsiderable cost) but haven't seen one the other way around. I suspect you'll have to make up a conversion lead, much as if you were towing a new caravan with an old car. You'll have to change the bulbs in your trailer for 24v versions, though.
If you're going to fit a Dixon Bate then you really should fit the bracing bars. They attach to the same bolts that the lashing eyes are fixed with. 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 |
||
26th May 2021 5:08pm |
|
| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17384 
|
You have several options:
1. Sell the trailer and buy an ex-military trailer such as a Penman. Only an option if your trailer is broadly similar, of course. 2. Obtain a NATO 12-pin plug and lead, usually available from ebay and ex-mil surplus dealers, and either fit it to your trailer or fit a civvy 7-pin socket to the end, so that the lead adapts your vehicle socket to the trailer plug. You would also need to fit 24-volt bulbs to your trailer, if the Defender really is a 24-volt vehicle. Re. the coupling, the best option is to buy a DB coupling kit complete, which includes the "ladder" for the rear crossmember together with the reinforcing piece that bolts to the bottom of the crossmember and the braces whcih run from the bottom of the "ladder" to the chassis (which use the same bolt-holes as the tie down rings, one of which is visible in your last photo). If you buy an additional "slider" you can use one for the civvy-type 50mm towball and (if you need to) fit the NATO pintle to another. Edit: my post crossed with the one above. I'd forgotten the adaptors! |
||
|
26th May 2021 5:12pm |
|
| WhiskyDisco Member Since: 23 Nov 2014 Location: Solihull Posts: 14 |
Cheers fellas. One of my trailers is a trailer tent, and I borrow my mates ifor williams quite a bit too. So adaptors is the way to go.
Good tip about attaching the stabilising bars to the tie-down bolt. |
||
|
26th May 2021 5:18pm |
|
| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17384
|
You could of course wire in an additional civvy socket on a bracket under the crossmember, but there's no easy fix for the 24V issue, you'll need to change bulbs every time.or use a trailer board where legal.
|
||
|
26th May 2021 5:49pm |
|
| Ianh Member Since: 17 Sep 2018 Location: Essex Posts: 2004
|
Buy this,https://buyexmilitarysurplus.co.uk/Jumper-...9-773-9871
Cut the cable in half and sell the socket plus half cable for £45 on here as I’m sure someone with a penman is trying to make the reverse lead to you. You then have the 12 pin nato plug plus cable to add a 7 or 13 pin socket to, and they have 12 pin nato socket to add a 7 or 13 pin plug to. So you both end up with a conversion lead for circa £50.which is not too bad given the costs and availability of nato plugs, sockets and quality cable. Maybe canvas on here on who would be interested before you buy and strike a deal up front. Just a thought. 
Ps you could integrate something like this https://recovery-equipment.co.uk/product/2...ar-socket/ within the lead that steps down the 24v from defender to 12v to trailer, but it’s pricey compared to bulb changing. |
||
|
26th May 2021 5:49pm |
|
| v8bob Member Since: 14 Mar 2018 Location: Midlands Posts: 317 
|
So, your tow hitch doesn’t have the newer plate with the safety cable rings. That makes me think you don’t have a newer Ex Mil Defender.
The older vehicles only ran 24v for the radio gear. The newer ones were total 24v systems. You need to determine if you are running 12v lighting. Easiest way will be to check what is written on a couple of bulbs. On my 12v Ex mil I just added an additional standard trailer 7 pin socket. |
||
|
26th May 2021 6:17pm |
|
| WhiskyDisco Member Since: 23 Nov 2014 Location: Solihull Posts: 14 |
I'll have a look at the bulbs and see if they are 12v. I thought it was 24v throughout. I'd be happier if it was only 24v for the radio.
|
||
|
26th May 2021 6:44pm |
|
| WhiskyDisco Member Since: 23 Nov 2014 Location: Solihull Posts: 14 |
Great idea - thank you. |
||
|
26th May 2021 6:47pm |
|
| WhiskyDisco Member Since: 23 Nov 2014 Location: Solihull Posts: 14 |
I checked a side light, 24v
|
||
|
26th May 2021 6:56pm |
|
| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17384
|
See my point 2 above! 
To make this work you'd have to fit an HGV 24N (ISO 1185) connector to the back of the Defender, this device won't fit a standard trailer socket. Since the Defender uses an earth return wiring system (not two-pole wiring) there is no easy way to run a 12V trailer from a 24V vehicle, so a bulb change is really the only option. You might be able to do it if the trailer uses a wired return by raising the trailer return (earth) wire potential to 6V in the trailer socket on the Defender, but there will be sparks if you ever plug a trailer with a chassis that is connected to the trailer earth pin in this case. It would actually be easier (and safer) to fit a 24N socket and use the device mentioned above than to try this, I think. |
||
|
26th May 2021 7:04pm |
|
| v8bob Member Since: 14 Mar 2018 Location: Midlands Posts: 317
|
Is that a Santana? What year is it?
|
||
|
26th May 2021 7:49pm |
|
| WhiskyDisco Member Since: 23 Nov 2014 Location: Solihull Posts: 14 |
It's ex-Singapore Armed Forces, manufactured in Solihull in 1986.
Is that a Santana? |
||
|
26th May 2021 7:57pm |
|
| camelman Member Since: 27 Feb 2013 Location: Peak District Posts: 3372
|
A number of suppliers now provide LED bulbs that will run on 12v or 24v.
These guys do a nice adapter but its the opposite to what you need  https://www.designdevelopmenteng.co.uk/sto...p123811002  |
||
|
26th May 2021 8:04pm |
|
| WhiskyDisco Member Since: 23 Nov 2014 Location: Solihull Posts: 14 |
great video on Santana
|
||
|
26th May 2021 8:07pm |
|
|
|
| All times are GMT |
< Previous Topic | Next Topic > |
Posting Rules
|
Site Copyright © 2006-2024 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
