Trailer wiring ???

FED 387 · 11-22-2009, 08:46 PM

Wayne just double checked the wiring on the PLUG---the colored wires are where they are supposed to be---the center wire position on the trailer plug has no wire attached to it --never did days its for backup lites-no wire in the harness is available to attach to it---I do not understand how you run a ground wire from the truck to the trailer when I think going thru the hitch ball would work but if that is not the case how do you ground the trailer to the truck or the trailer door to the trailer frame???( hinges on the trailer door metal on metal not a good enough ground???)---I'm game talk to me this is exasperating spent all day Sun futzing with this bout ready to completely rewire the frigging trailer get it over with BUT I dont wanna do that hafta pull the ceiling down etc.--- Keep those ideas coming ---Comp 387

Michael Pliska · 11-22-2009, 11:58 PM

Just try temporarily hooking a jumper cable from the truck frame to the trailer frame, to see if grounding is the issue.

GTX JOHN · 11-23-2009, 12:39 AM

I agree... sounds like a ground wire problem for sure. The LEDS
are not as fussy as conventional bulbs. When the ground is bad my trailer do a lot of backfeeding and funny stuff.

Greg Reimer 7376 · 11-23-2009, 08:39 PM

In about 1973,I worked for a gas station that had U-Haul rental trailers and trucks.You never saw junk until you saw their stuff. People used to rent a trailer, a clamp on bumper hitch, and wonder why the lights misbehaved. That was when bumpers had those big gas shocks suspending them, and continuity of ground wasn't too good to depend on. An auto electrician good enough to quickly diagnose and repair these issues that trailer lights can cause was enough of a rocket scientist that he didn't need to work there. Feed back through defective bulbs, sockets, and grounds would turn a saint into a drinking man. The suggestion to make sure all bulbs are correct for the socket is a good place to start. It might be necessary to remove all bulbs in the trailer, then re-install them one at a time until the glitch reappears. Good luck- it's probably something simple.

Jeff Teuton · 11-23-2009, 10:11 PM

Ground the thing.

Mike Gray · 11-24-2009, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Teuton

Ground the thing.

What he said....

Kenny Wigington · 11-26-2009, 12:07 PM

You can also use a good dielectric grease on the ball, after you clean off both surfaces. it will help with the round connection. Rust to rust doesnt make for good solid ground connections.

buzzinhalfdozen · 11-30-2009, 10:34 AM

NO trailer should be grounded thru the ball or hitch! Joe

Shawn Blair · 11-23-2009, 12:40 AM

It's more than likely a grounding issue from truck to trailer. This has happened to me before, but as soon as i started driving the ball and hitch made a good ground and it worked fine. Good luck!

Shawn

Mark Ruset · 11-23-2009, 08:27 AM

Make sure that your brake light bulbs are indexed properly. I have seen where it is possible to install the bulbs 180 degrees out and cause this condition.

11-22-2009, 08:46 PM	#1
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,420 Likes: 528 Liked 332 Times in 180 Posts	Re: Trailer wiring ??? Wayne just double checked the wiring on the PLUG---the colored wires are where they are supposed to be---the center wire position on the trailer plug has no wire attached to it --never did days its for backup lites-no wire in the harness is available to attach to it---I do not understand how you run a ground wire from the truck to the trailer when I think going thru the hitch ball would work but if that is not the case how do you ground the trailer to the truck or the trailer door to the trailer frame???( hinges on the trailer door metal on metal not a good enough ground???)---I'm game talk to me this is exasperating spent all day Sun futzing with this bout ready to completely rewire the frigging trailer get it over with BUT I dont wanna do that hafta pull the ceiling down etc.--- Keep those ideas coming ---Comp 387

11-22-2009, 11:58 PM	#2
Michael Pliska Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Happy Valley, OR Posts: 260 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Trailer wiring ??? Just try temporarily hooking a jumper cable from the truck frame to the trailer frame, to see if grounding is the issue. __________________ Michael Pliska 643 S/G

11-23-2009, 12:39 AM	#3
GTX JOHN VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Boulder City, Nevada 89005 Posts: 2,733 Likes: 2,799 Liked 2,483 Times in 697 Posts	Re: Trailer wiring ??? I agree... sounds like a ground wire problem for sure. The LEDS are not as fussy as conventional bulbs. When the ground is bad my trailer do a lot of backfeeding and funny stuff.

11-23-2009, 08:39 PM	#4
Greg Reimer 7376 VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Glendora,Calif. Posts: 1,136 Likes: 172 Liked 705 Times in 219 Posts	Re: Trailer wiring ??? In about 1973,I worked for a gas station that had U-Haul rental trailers and trucks.You never saw junk until you saw their stuff. People used to rent a trailer, a clamp on bumper hitch, and wonder why the lights misbehaved. That was when bumpers had those big gas shocks suspending them, and continuity of ground wasn't too good to depend on. An auto electrician good enough to quickly diagnose and repair these issues that trailer lights can cause was enough of a rocket scientist that he didn't need to work there. Feed back through defective bulbs, sockets, and grounds would turn a saint into a drinking man. The suggestion to make sure all bulbs are correct for the socket is a good place to start. It might be necessary to remove all bulbs in the trailer, then re-install them one at a time until the glitch reappears. Good luck- it's probably something simple.

11-23-2009, 10:11 PM	#5
Jeff Teuton VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Houma, LA Posts: 2,717 Likes: 2 Liked 325 Times in 50 Posts	Re: Trailer wiring ??? Ground the thing. __________________ Jeff Teuton 4022 STK

11-26-2009, 12:07 PM	#7
Kenny Wigington Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Cumming,Ga. USA Posts: 967 Likes: 36 Liked 60 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Trailer wiring ??? You can also use a good dielectric grease on the ball, after you clean off both surfaces. it will help with the round connection. Rust to rust doesnt make for good solid ground connections. __________________ 2894 STK

11-30-2009, 10:34 AM	#8
buzzinhalfdozen Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bellevue Ohio Posts: 984 Likes: 0 Liked 11 Times in 8 Posts	Re: Trailer wiring ??? NO trailer should be grounded thru the ball or hitch! Joe __________________ Joe Buchanan SS/BX 3117

11-23-2009, 12:40 AM	#9
Shawn Blair Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Everson, WA. Posts: 122 Likes: 1 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Trailer wiring ??? It's more than likely a grounding issue from truck to trailer. This has happened to me before, but as soon as i started driving the ball and hitch made a good ground and it worked fine. Good luck! Shawn __________________ Shawn Blair 6383 SS 634 STK

11-23-2009, 08:27 AM	#10
Mark Ruset Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Southwest Florida Posts: 263 Likes: 35 Liked 43 Times in 29 Posts	Re: Trailer wiring ??? Make sure that your brake light bulbs are indexed properly. I have seen where it is possible to install the bulbs 180 degrees out and cause this condition. __________________ Mark Ruset 2048 STK

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