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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

RV trailer light problem

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Mike Washington

03-24-2005 09:35:48




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I recently purchased a older travel trailer. When I towed it home all the lights worked however the brake lights were hit and miss. The 7 pin plug was old and sloppy so I figured that was the problem. I replaced the plug, making sure that it went back together just as the old plug was wired. Now when I have the running lights on and hit the turn signal both taillights and all the clearance lights flash. When I hit the brakes the taillights go out. I have a new F150 so I am pretty sure the problem is with the trailer. Any help on this subject would be greatly appreciated. Mike

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MidMiGene

03-24-2005 20:00:43




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 Re: RV trailer light problem in reply to Mike Washington, 03-24-2005 09:35:48  
A quick and dirty way to check for a bad ground. Take a pair of battery jumper cables and hook one end to something solid and clean on the tow vehicle and the other end to something clean and solid on the towed trailer. If the problem goes away, your problem is ground related. I even run a separate ground wire with an alligator clip from my truck to the tongue of the trailer I"m hooked to. It has solved a lot of ground problems for me. Gene

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oldrustycars

03-24-2005 16:37:45




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 Re: RV trailer light problem in reply to Mike Washington, 03-24-2005 09:35:48  
i was an rv mechanic for 7 years. they try to make the lights ground through the aluminum skin of the trailer. this works until the warrantee runs out. many times i ran a wire from the light fixture, under the skin, down to the frame. also run a ground wire from the trailer tongue into the 7 pin plug, then from the tow vehicle plug to the tow vehicle frame. and as was also stated, many new vehicles have a seperate circuit for stop and turn lights. have someone step on the brakes, and run one turn signal, while you stand behind the truck. if theres a brake light illuminated on both sides, and one light flashing, you need an adapter. or if you have yellow turn lenses in back. any trailer store has them, easy to hook up. there are diodes inside to prevent backfeeding...many shadetree types will say you dont need these...but you do. anytime you have an intermittant problem, always check the ground...99% of the time thats it.

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oldrustycars

03-24-2005 16:37:28




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 Re: RV trailer light problem in reply to Mike Washington, 03-24-2005 09:35:48  
i was an rv mechanic for 7 years. they try to make the lights ground through the aluminum skin of the trailer. this works until the warrantee runs out. many times i ran a wire from the light fixture, under the skin, down to the frame. also run a ground wire from the trailer tongue into the 7 pin plug, then from the tow vehicle plug to the tow vehicle frame. and as was also stated, many new vehicles have a seperate circuit for stop and turn lights. have someone step on the brakes, and run one turn signal, while you stand behind the truck. if theres a brake light illuminated on both sides, and one light flashing, you need an adapter. or if you have yellow turn lenses in back. any trailer store has them, easy to hook up. there are diodes inside to prevent backfeeding...many shadetree types will say you dont need these...but you do. anytime you have an intermittant problem, always check the ground...99% of the time thats it.

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Martini

03-24-2005 14:31:35




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 Re: RV trailer light problem in reply to Mike Washington, 03-24-2005 09:35:48  
You may need a splitter for the brake and signal functions. Older trailers shared the same filament for brake and signal, your recent vehicle has separate filaments.



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Hound

03-24-2005 13:39:34




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 Re: RV trailer light problem in reply to Mike Washington, 03-24-2005 09:35:48  
..as stated before ground, ground, ground. IMHO, most light problems are ground related. They just want to make you pull out your hair. Like said before run a seperate ground from the truck to trailer as well. Hound



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John51

03-24-2005 09:42:02




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 GROUND! in reply to Mike Washington, 03-24-2005 09:35:48  
Make sure you have a good ground. Not through the hitch but a seperate ground wire to the frame. It has been my experience that 90% or more of trailer wiring problems are related to a poor ground. And be sure to use a ground wire that is heavy enough for the job.



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thurlow

03-24-2005 11:28:37




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 Re: GROUND! in reply to John51, 03-24-2005 09:42:02  
RIGHT!!!! I always assume any trailer wiring problems are ground-related until proven otherwise. I always ground everything all the way back through the plug.....there should be a pin for this....



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Dave H (MI)

03-24-2005 13:30:19




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 Probably mice! in reply to thurlow, 03-24-2005 11:28:37  
If the wires run thru any enclosed areas, I would suspect mouse damage to the wires whenever there is erratic operation.



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mike brown

03-26-2005 05:23:09




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 Re: Probably mice! in reply to Dave H (MI), 03-24-2005 13:30:19  
The best way to buy yourself light trouble is to ground through the trailer frame. Rewire that thing and ground all the lights through the wire harness to the plug and solder all the connections then use liquid electric tape and heat shrink tube over the joints. Led lights will be more trouble free than incondescent bulbs also. I maintain trailers at work and it drove me nuts to hook up to make a trip and have to frig around with the lights for and hour. After I rewired them all this way its hook up and go if you keep the plug clean.

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