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Trailer woes #12686295 03/23/18 07:27 PM
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Streetwalker Offline OP
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The running lights and tail lights are not working on my trailer. I've had friends over and we've checked the wiring and connections.

I had them working but it blows the fuse in the truck. Today I went out and worked with it and now the lights won't even come on.


Any ideas? Anyone who comes out to the site and works on trailers?


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Re: Trailer woes [Re: Streetwalker] #12686309 03/23/18 07:35 PM
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redchevy Offline
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Check your ground on the trailer side. Many trailers are set up to ground through the ball and the ground wire on the trailer side is never hooked up.

On our old boat we used it for years with no trouble and one day it started giving us problems. Hooked up the ground and good to go.

Re: Trailer woes [Re: Streetwalker] #12686325 03/23/18 07:50 PM
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ChuChu1 Offline
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What type of trailer to truck connector do you have? IF a 4 pin, here is a simple video of how to wire the trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY3Eo4KA8ns

If it is blowing fuses, you have a short somewhere. Probably in the brown wire.

Last edited by ChuChu1; 03/23/18 07:51 PM.

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Re: Trailer woes [Re: Streetwalker] #12686550 03/23/18 10:51 PM
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Streetwalker Offline OP
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The ground is good. The brake lights and turn signals work. It's a common ground.

The trailer is a 5 pin which goes into a 5/7 pin adaptor. All pins on the truck are working.


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Re: Trailer woes [Re: Streetwalker] #12686663 03/24/18 12:18 AM
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That pretty much narrows it down to the running light circuit, the brown wire.


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Re: Trailer woes [Re: Streetwalker] #12686786 03/24/18 01:42 AM
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trlrman Offline
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Bolt on lights aka stud mount ? If so check and make sure you did not get out of the "trough" and pinch the wire against the frame when you tighten the nuts.

Last edited by trlrman; 03/24/18 01:47 AM.
Re: Trailer woes [Re: Streetwalker] #12687212 03/24/18 02:32 PM
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Streetwalker Offline OP
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All the running lights were removed and the wires checked.


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Re: Trailer woes [Re: Streetwalker] #12687584 03/24/18 09:11 PM
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ChuChu1 Offline
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Do you have and know how to use a test meter?


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Re: Trailer woes [Re: Streetwalker] #12688191 03/25/18 12:53 PM
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Streetwalker Offline OP
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Yep.


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Re: Trailer woes [Re: Streetwalker] #12688395 03/25/18 04:06 PM
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redchevy is correct that lack of a good ground is a problem for a lot of trailers, but that isn't your problem (currently). Lack of good Ground may affect lights working, but it doesn't blow fuses. Besides, you say the brake/turn filaments illuminate correctly.

ChuChu1 is correct that you have a problem with the brown wire. SOMEWHERE along that wire, the insulation is damaged/cut, and there's a short to the trailer frame. There could be corrosion on a bulb base, but that's a lower priority. The brown wire is physically exposed to being hit by debris (even a tire self-destructing), so it has probably gotten damaged. Checking resistance from brown wire to Ground is tricky due to numerous parallel filaments in bulbs. You would really need to remove ALL of the bulbs, including marker lights. It's easier to just visually trace the wire to look for the problem.

One other slim possibility: Have you replaced a bulb? If you have, remove that bulb and try the lights again to see if they work and if the fuse still blows. An incorrect bulb can short circuits that shouldn't be, as can an improperly installed bulb. I've seen bulbs incorrectly installed that blew fuses instantly when lighting was turned on.

Last edited by Flippin-Out; 03/25/18 04:09 PM.
Re: Trailer woes [Re: Flippin-Out] #12688405 03/25/18 04:16 PM
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ChuChu1 Offline
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Originally Posted By: Flippin-Out
redchevy is correct that lack of a good ground is a problem for a lot of trailers, but that isn't your problem (currently). Lack of good Ground may affect lights working, but it doesn't blow fuses. Besides, you say the brake/turn filaments illuminate correctly.

ChuChu1 is correct that you have a problem with the brown wire. SOMEWHERE along that wire, the insulation is damaged/cut, and there's a short to the trailer frame. There could be corrosion on a bulb base, but that's a lower priority. The brown wire is physically exposed to being hit by debris (even a tire self-destructing), so it has probably gotten damaged. Checking resistance from brown wire to Ground is tricky due to numerous parallel filaments in bulbs. You would really need to remove ALL of the bulbs, including marker lights. It's easier to just visually trace the wire to look for the problem.

One other slim possibility: Have you replaced a bulb? If you have, remove that bulb and try the lights again to see if they work and if the fuse still blows. An incorrect bulb can short circuits that shouldn't be, as can an improperly installed bulb. I've seen bulbs incorrectly installed that blew fuses instantly when lighting was turned on.


Very good post. Do this and let us know what you find.


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Re: Trailer woes [Re: Streetwalker] #12690964 03/27/18 12:49 PM
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Streetwalker Offline OP
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All the bulbs are LED. We've physically traced the wire, actually touched every foot of it. Didn't find any problems.

Due to my chronic back problems I can't do much by myself.

At this point I'm just going to take it to a trailer shop and let them deal with it.

Thanks everyone.


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