running trailer lights not working... grrrr

[Mike Carey]

rseas and I installed a new folding tongue on my Klamath and now all the lights work except the running lights. I did some research and will be moving the ground wire to behind the the folding hinge, closer to the lights.

Is there any other suggestions as to what the issue could be? I hooked up to two different trucks and both had the same issue, just the running lights not working.

thanks!

[rseas]

Let's ask Patrick McManus!

[Amx]

Outdoor life, or was that Field and Stream? I use to get both.

[rseas]

He also has several books that are laugh untill there tears in your eyes funny. One story is about the sportsman and trailer lights.

[18ftTrophy]

I have to ask a question. How did you remove the wiring at the hitch? Did you cut and splice the wire? Or did you remove the plug? If you removed the plug, recheck to make sure they are all attached and in the right location. If spliced, recheck that.

[BentRod]

Let's ask Patrick McManus!

One of my favorite authors....and if you've spent any time hunting or fishing you'll laugh so hard it'll be difficult to breathe.

[Mike Carey]

Patrick McManus, My brother and I read out loud one of his books driving from Wisconsin to Washington.

I bought a new set of led lights and replaced connector ussing the crush and shrink wrap connectors. Double checked and tghe connections look good, pulse lights work fine for everything but those dang running lights, making driving after dark a no no. Will try the grounding wiring after work today.

[stryker17]

Quick way to check trailer,,,,,get a battery set on the ground and hook up the neg cable with. A jumper wire. Hook that to the ground lug on the trailer plug. Than get a second jumper wire and hook it to pos side, of the battery, thantouch the remaining pins in the trailer plug......that will tell. you which wires are bad,,,or if the problem is somewhere else. ,,,,,

[Amx]

And if you don't have an extra battery to set on the ground, just turn the truck around and use the truck battery.

[Amx]

And if for some reason you can't use the truck, you can use the battery in the boat. You won't even need to unhook it from the boat wiring/circuits.

[Mike Carey]

Ok, so I got the lights to work -briefly. Then the truck fuse blew. So I put in a 20 and it lasted a moment longer and it blew. Thoughts, suggestions?

[18ftTrophy]

You have a grounded wire.

[Amx]

Maybe a pinched wire from the work that was done to it on the tongue.

[Mike Carey]

new wires no pinches anywhere. Confirmed truck works fine on my other boat. Tried changing the terminal 7 slot that connects to the truck, no difference.

3 grounds, each light and the plug in. Plug ground is at the boat side of the tongue hinge.

I'm about out of ideas.

[BentRod]

Sounds like a short. Hard to guess where without manually troubleshooting. Any chance at all one of the wires was accidentally swapped during your LED change? Or could the new LED lights be wired differently than the old ones?

[G-Man]

If you have an ohm/volt meter, check to see if any other pin in the trailer plug is shorted to pin 4 or your trailer frame. If you don't have an ohm meter, find someone that does as it will make this whole issue much easier to diagnose.

What may be happening is that either the backup, trailer brake or charging wire has been mistaken for a ground on the trailer side. Assuming you have backup lights and electronic brake control, you should have at lease one wire running to each pin of your connector with the exception of pin 4 as this if for the aux/12 V charging circuit. Also, remember that when looking at the face of the trailer plug, pin position is transposed.

If I may make a suggestion, don't use your trailer frame as a grounding point, it is something I have never agreed with, as one still needs to make a connection with the vehicle ground through the connector. (don't rely on the hitch/ball connection for your ground either) If you are using a standard 7 pin connector, you should be running your ground from your vehicle to your trailer on pin #1. I would disconnect any ground wire that is directly connected to the trailer frame and splice/run them straight to pin 1 of the trailer side connector. Do this and you will never have a corrosion issue with your ground.

[Mike Carey]

thx, will be working on it again today with someone that has an ohm meter.

[TRAUT]

Miike,

If you don't get this fixed soon, PM me and plan on bringing your rig by my place, I'll get you running.

[Mike Carey]

Thanks for the offer, the boat is moving to it's new home in Montana Friday. I may have to take it somewhere then if I can't get it working today.

[Amx]

i just remembered, i read on an automotive web site that led lights HAVE to be wired plus to plus and minus to minus. you might want to double check that.