13 pin plug realignment problem

Posted on 22/04/2018 11:15 by ted2011

Hi, can anyone help.We have just picked up a new lunar caravan last week, the van we had before was a Elddis . When we went to hook up the 13 pin plug it would not go in so the salesman told us to buy a realignment gadget. He used the gadget , it worked and we came home. My husband tried to hook up the plug yesterday and no matter what we do we cannot get the plug to fit and the gadget doesn't seem to be working either. what are we doing wrong and can anyone help

many thanks

Posted on 22/04/2018 18:02 by ted2011

thanks for all your replies.

My husband tried to turn both anti clock wise and then clock wise when it still would not fit into socket. We are worried that if we twist the correction plug to hard we might snap something. We never had any problems with our other van , we didn't t know  this gadget existed until we got the new van. will we need to do this each time we go to hook the pin up ?.

Posted on 22/04/2018 13:29 by EmilysDad

It can't be essential, I don't own one & have never needed one. And yes .... I do have 13 pin plug & socket on my car & caravan.

Posted on 22/04/2018 19:14 by papgeno

My dealer changed the connector for a different one. The new connector has a sleeve on the outside which engages the lugs on the car socket. All I have to do is plug the 13 pin plug into the socket on the car and then turn the sleeve to lock it onto the car. No faffing  about with green gadgets or screwdrivers.

The pins never get out of alignment because they never need to move. Unfortunately I don't know what it's called but if I've got one they must be obtainable.

It was fitted free of charge. It works every time. Happy days😀

Posted on 22/04/2018 18:09 by Trini

ted We had the same problem and found the greed cap very helpful and now when we disconnect the plug we leave it connect to the plug. 

Posted on 22/04/2018 17:49 by commeyras

MM, no need to be touchy! It would be essential if you found that somehow at 6 am on a small site in France, you the only caravan there, and your connector had become out of alignment.  Happened to me once few years ago and, yes, I do know that you need to fully rotate before disconnecting.  In Italy a couple of years ago I was able to help a Brit whose connector was out of alignment and he did not have the gadget!  Also last week after a mobile engineer had serviced my caravan the next day I needed to reset the connector - so yes, in my opinion, a pretty essential bit of kit.  Agree with you Steve mighty stingy of the dealer not to provide one on purchase.

Posted on 22/04/2018 19:27 by

Dealer fitted one like that on my previous caravan. No idea why though as I had never had a problemDealer fitted one like that on my previous caravan. No idea why though as I had never had a problem

Posted on 22/04/2018 19:24 by dreamer1

It is essential beleive me , we have had our Barcelone 5 years and a couple of months ago after getting packed and ready parked outside our home came to plug in and no matter what we tried the plug would not line up then I rembered the salesman giving us the gadget and saying one day you will need this and how right he was , without it we would not have been travelling so my advise to you would be get yourself to the caravan dealer and buy one they are a couple of pounds and worth every penny.