Trailer electrical issue
#1
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Joined: Jul 2004
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From: chicago
Converted my trailer to straight electric brakes. I have a junction box mounted near the tongue, with the 7 pin harness going into it. Then i have all the wiring from trailer lights/brakes going to it. Everything is hooked up and wired to its corresponding terminals.
First off, the electric brakes are weak. They are all brand new, and adjusted properly. When i turn park lamps on, the trailer running lights do not go on. If i use turn signals, hazards, or brake lights, the brake lights work, but all the marker lights blink too. Step on the brake, and the entire lighting system lights up on the trailer.
Any ideas? Before the electric brake install, trailer lights worked fine. The entire trailer is LED lights, so i am wondering if its some weird grounding issue, with the brakes and how LED's are polarity sensitive? Alll the trailer wiring is new, and in good shape. I have the junction box ground terminal grounded to trailer frame. All the lights, breakaway box, and brake grounds are on the same ground terminal.
First off, the electric brakes are weak. They are all brand new, and adjusted properly. When i turn park lamps on, the trailer running lights do not go on. If i use turn signals, hazards, or brake lights, the brake lights work, but all the marker lights blink too. Step on the brake, and the entire lighting system lights up on the trailer.
Any ideas? Before the electric brake install, trailer lights worked fine. The entire trailer is LED lights, so i am wondering if its some weird grounding issue, with the brakes and how LED's are polarity sensitive? Alll the trailer wiring is new, and in good shape. I have the junction box ground terminal grounded to trailer frame. All the lights, breakaway box, and brake grounds are on the same ground terminal.
#2
Enhance the ground between the truck and the trailer and see if that helps, use a jumper cable and go from the frame of the truck to the trailer ground and see if that works.
#3
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From: chicago
I will try running a jumper to the truck from trailer ground. I wired the brakes to where they ground to the junction box, instead of the frame near each brake assembly. I wonder if thats causing some sort of issue since the wire that connects the ground terminal of the box to the frame of the trailer is small, like a 14 gauge. Then again, cant see why that would keep the marker lights from illuminating, since they dont draw much current.
#4
I bought a pigtail from Champion Trailer Parts, and the wires/colors were not in the right configuration. I had to ohm out each wire from the 7 wire round to the open end of the pigtail, and make my connections to my EoH setup ignoring the colors.
#5
Don't get confused when looking at the schematic of the plug wiring......looking into the plug vs looking into the recepticle view. Mirror image
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#6
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From: chicago
#7
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From: chicago
Update. Lights all working fine. Brakes, not so much. Empty trailer, gain turned up all the way, will lock front axle tires. Loaded trailer, gain turned up all the way, barely feel engagement. They are engaging, but no where near what trailer brakes should be. All 4 magnets hum when brake depressed. Back trailer into water, as soon as they get submerged...wham! They grab like crazy.
#10
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Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Bettendorf, Iowa
+1 always ground trailer to truck ground. dont use the ball or pintle. you never know if you are getting a good clean connection. esp for people who use grease on them. doubt i could get a good ground through my ball due to all the grease.



