V50 towbar wiring - colour codes

[thermidor]

Hey folks,

I've just fitted a towbar to my V50 and I struggled to find concise information about the wiring colour codes to fit the electrics.

So, for those who don't want to wade through wiring diagrams, here it is - NOTE HOWEVER that I've not actually tested mine to make sure it works, as I don't have a trailer plate handy! I'll update this thread when I know it works

Tail lights - orange (RHS), or orange-white (LHS)
Fog lights - green-yellow
Brake lights - orange-black (RHS), or orange (LHS)
Reversing lights - green-black
Indicators - blue-red (RHS), blue (LHS)

I wired mine on the RHS so I could nick the 12V feed from the adjacent lighter socket, and ran a wire over the head lining to pick up the LHS indicator. There may be a better way of doing this.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by thermidor

Hey folks,

I've just fitted a towbar to my V50 and I struggled to find concise information about the wiring colour codes to fit the electrics.

So, for those who don't want to wade through wiring diagrams, here it is - NOTE HOWEVER that I've not actually tested mine to make sure it works, as I don't have a trailer plate handy! I'll update this thread when I know it works

Tail lights - orange (RHS), or orange-white (LHS)
Fog lights - green-yellow
Brake lights - orange-black (RHS), or orange (LHS)
Reversing lights - green-black
Indicators - blue-red (RHS), blue (LHS)

I wired mine on the RHS so I could nick the 12V feed from the adjacent lighter socket, and ran a wire over the head lining to pick up the LHS indicator. There may be a better way of doing this.

With todays complex cars this is NOT the way to do it or you could end up burning out your £600 CEM .. You must use a volvo trailer module which takes the load off all the cars built in network electrics . hopefully you havent plugged in a load yet !

[thermidor]

Now tested, all working fine.

[thermidor]

Originally Posted by Clan

With todays complex cars this is NOT the way to do it or you could end up burning out your £600 CEM .. You must use a volvo trailer module which takes the load off all the cars built in network electrics . hopefully you havent plugged in a load yet !

With respect, don't jump to conclusions - this is all running through a bypass relay, which will not fry the electrics. I didn't mention this because I assumed nobody would realistically think somebody would wire in trailer electrics to a CANBUS car without a bypass relay.

You could indeed go for a Volvo trailer module, but most people prepared to splash out on this (and having the function enabled in the ECU) will go to a dealer and pay them to do the whole thing, not do it themselves.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by thermidor

With respect, don't jump to conclusions - this is all running through a bypass relay, which will not fry the electrics. I didn't mention this because I assumed nobody would realistically think somebody would wire in trailer electrics to a CANBUS car without a bypass relay.

You could indeed go for a Volvo trailer module, but most people prepared to splash out on this (and having the function enabled in the ECU) will go to a dealer and pay them to do the whole thing, not do it themselves.

You would be surprised at what some establishments / people still do wrong these days ...no training or knowledge whatsoever !

[stutgart69]

Originally Posted by thermidor

With respect, don't jump to conclusions - this is all running through a bypass relay, which will not fry the electrics. I didn't mention this because I assumed nobody would realistically think somebody would wire in trailer electrics to a CANBUS car without a bypass relay.

Sounds like you are jumping to conclusions yourself here!