Trailer lights

[Russell]

Getting the trailer ready for turbo test and tune! Jennifer took out the right light with the lawnmower. So it now has Harbor freight's finest LED. The three red lights in the center got replaced by a $6 set from the clearance rack at AutoZone. They feel very cheap but so far are better that the old.

I had a bunch of trouble getting the running lights to come on poor connection at the truck plug. I think I got it workingish. Now when the tail lights are on and I hit the brakes the left side goes out.

Brake lights worked, tail lights worked but goes dark (left side, right works) when taillights and brake on at same time. Any guess we're to start trouble shooting?

[Russell]

I may have feexed it? Pulled the light off and cleaned the grounds a little. Seems to be working. One of these days I am going to run a ground wire to the lights I am sure I have wasted more time with frame grounds than it would have taken to pull the wire and make some butt connections.

[Captain]

95% of trailer lighting problems are a Bad Ground !!
Back in my Super Trucker Days, I carried a set of Jumper Cables. Pulling Double Trailers, only one would need to have a Bad Ground, and All your lights would act Wonky.
Put one jumper cable Tractor to the first box, and the second between the two. Also had a Bypass Plug made up to cross the Tail Lights to the Clearance Lights.
The other 4 % bad trailer plugs.
The last 1% ......Broken Wires or Rarely Burnt Bulbs.

[Russell]

I do think the ground was poor. But I also think the plug on the truck has a pin that doesn't connect well sometimes the running lights just don't work and something jiggling the plug lights them up. Truck is a 2003 Chevy 2500HD. The wiring harness goes into the back or a plug I think that is the bad spot.

[anotheridiot]

I know there is dielectric grease to help keep the plugs conducting if there is a bad pin. There is this super lube stuff out there, spray cans, tube like toothpaste and liquid like an oil. My son uses that in the sockets of the lights on the camaro and we have not had a bad situation since. I dont know whats in the stuff, but it makes hinges move almost too freely and has dielectric properties.

[Russell]

What did we do before google? Did a search found a dorman part number. Did a search on the dorman part number and it cross referenced another brand that was on the shelf at northern tool. So I replaced the 7 pin connector on the truck. Plugged it in a few times so far so good.

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

I hate trailer wiring! Always run a full ground, it saves so much trouble. 12 gauge wire for incandescent bulbs 14 seems enough for all led.

[Monster]

I hate trailer wiring!

For something so simple, it sure causes lots of problems.

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

For something so simple, it sure causes lots of problems.

Ain't that the truth

[Russell]

I still had to jiggle the plug, maybe the trailer plug needs replacement as well.

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

I still had to jiggle the plug, maybe the trailer plug needs replacement as well.

Like I said before, electrical engineers believe in the square root of negative one which is an imaginary number, i.e. not real! So what it all means is when you let the smoke out, it's over!

Another thing is that we talk about electricity going to ground, which in our world is negative. But electrons supposedly flow to the positive terminal in theory.

See what I mean... they're all ucked fup!

[Captain]

Nothing is Worse Than FREED Electrons......
aka Shorts

[Russell]

While we are talking about my trailer. When I got home from the track I touched all of the hubs. My trailer has two axles the only the rear axle has brakes. The two front axles were cool. The back axle one side was cool one was warm.

This trailer has had nothing but the finest neglect time can buy. Would you assume the cool side was not braking or would you assume the warm side bearings are getting dry?

The warm side tire did have a nice flat spot on it. I put the spare on before loading the car.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Nothing is Worse Than FREED Electrons......
aka Shorts

I prefer high impedance air gaps. No thermal conversion with them.

[SuperBuickGuy]

While we are talking about my trailer. When I got home from the track I touched all of the hubs. My trailer has two axles the only the rear axle has brakes. The two front axles were cool. The back axle one side was cool one was warm.

This trailer has had nothing but the finest neglect time can buy. Would you assume the cool side was not braking or would you assume the warm side bearings are getting dry?

The warm side tire did have a nice flat spot on it. I put the spare on before loading the car.

did it catch on fire? then it's just fine. who needs 2 brakes?