What is the Difference Between Single and Twin Electrics?

When you are choosing a towbar, as well as selecting the best design to suit your requirements, you also have to decide whether to opt for single or twin electrics in your towbar wiring kit.

When do you need a towbar wiring kit?

When you tow a trailer or caravan, your vehicle electrics will not be visible, so by law, you are required to use a lighting board that connects to your vehicle. The wiring kit ensures that the lighting board works when you brake, use your indicator or put lights on in the dark. Rear-mounted cycle racks also require a lighting board as the vehicle lights are usually obscured.

Single or twin electrics? 

If you are not familiar with the difference between single and twin electrics, you have come to the right place to find out:

Single electrics – These are the minimum electrics requirements for using when you are towing. With single electrics, there is just one plug that you use to connect the electrics to your vehicle. The single plug consists of either 7 or 13 pins. With single electrics, you are just providing power for road lights and not any of the additional functions offered with twin electrics such as powering the reverse light, your fridge or charging your caravan’s leisure battery.

Twin electrics – With twin electrics, there are two plugs to connect the electrics to the vehicle and each plug has 7 pins. Generally, older models of caravans and trailers will need twin electrics. When you choose twin electrics, as well as powering the minimum legal requirements of road lights when towing, you can also power your caravan’s fridge and charge the leisure battery.

Which one you choose out of the two options depends on your needs. If you just need the basics, then the single electrics should do the job and if you are using the lighting board on a cycle rack or a small trailer, then you will not require any of the additional power capabilities of twin electrics.  

However, you may need to make your decision based on the age of your vehicle. Modern vehicles have a lot more features than older models, so if you want to be able to take advantage of the newer features, you need the right wiring kit to synchronise the features. Caravans manufactured in the UK since 2008 have 13 pin connectors as standard so that you have the option to power the interior of your caravan, as well as being legally compliant. 

Electrics can be complicated, and your lighting board wiring is something that you need to be confident in working correctly, to avoid accidents on the road and fines for breaking the law.  

PF Jones is the UK’s biggest towbar supplier and the experts in everything to do with towbars, towbar electrics and choosing the right solution for your vehicle.

Buy your towbar or get your towbar professionally fitted with PF Jones to benefit from years of expertise and as much help and support as you need to get on the road safely with your caravan, trailer or cycle rack.