Need help from the wiring wizards

[tito]

Finally getting around to putting the light kit on my trailer and automotive electronics are a challenge for me.

One of the PO's had installed A Drawtite hitch and light hook up. Here's what it does when I connect the trailer to the truck:

1. turn on headlights = no trailer lights
2. press brake = trailer has brake lights, but dim
3. either turn signal = both trailer lights blink, but dim
4. disconnect one trailer light = still have #1, but the brake and turn signal are bright in the connected side

Any ideas and help is appreciated.



The questions are, why are there 2 harness taps and 3 boxes splicing everything together. Is this set up supposed to be for electric brakes? Can it be bypassed?

[gsmikie]

if i remember yellow = left/green=right/white=ground/brown=stop/turn

[jode]

:D All I know is that I used to have a 4-wire setup trailer and I jsut kept on pluggin in wires till it worked...but it never really worked right (one way the brake lihgts disdn' twork and the other way the night taillights didn't work...)
I fried some rear bulbs though...

...I know, not much help, but Im pulling fer ya :D

[PhilSine]

Sounds like you have a grounding problem. Either there is a ground where one shouldn't be or there is a poor ground where there should be a good one.

My advice.......

Rewire the whole thing yourself so you know what has been done. I am an electrinics tech. I can attest to the frustration involved in trying to figure out what somebody else may have been thinking when they wired something a certain way. It's usually best to just re-do it your own way and hopefully the right way.

[Rivendel]

I agree, sounds like a ground problem. Rewiring the plugs is a good start. Also if the ground connection is making through the trailer ball you might try adding a ground wire thru the plug. I've done that on all my trailers and don't have ground problems or dim lights anymore. At least not on the trailers.

[tito]

Thanks for the responses, sorry to be slow to respond back to everyone. Had some expected duties come up associated with a dog in need.

I was thinking along the lines of a grounding problem. Looks like this afternoon is planned for re-wiring.

Thanks again.

[Va-Rob]

Make sure you have the proper converter to wire the plug up. It cost about $25.00. shop around. You will also need a wiring digram to figure it out. A test light will not work. Once your done you'll have to plug it into the trailer to make sure it works.

Rob