Vehicle Electrics

[Bixxer Bob]

I effing hate towing electrics 

Every time I hook up a trailer I spend 20-30 minutes waggling the plug, walking back and forth and cursing before I get enough lights working to risk a short trip.  SO, after buying a new trailer with 13 pin electrics I thought, "ENOUGH"!!  I'll convert my other trailer, car and motorhome to the new standard and "Never have the lighting problem again....."

Today I began this foolish quest and fitted the new plug to the old trailer first while being careful to check, double check and re-check that I got all the right colours in all the right places.  Next I set about my 10 yr old Pathfinder, resorting to snips, boltcutters and drill to remove the old socket (well, I didn't need it anymore....).  Next I fitted the new socket while checking and re-checking that all the right colours were in the right places.

I plugged the trailer in and......   bugger, one side light and opposite brake light not working. I rechecked the plug and socket, nothing untoward so set about  the trailer.  Reflectors off, I found one twin filament bulb blown.  "Great" I thought.  I changed the bulb, rechecked and all ok this time.  I removed the other bulb which checked out ok.  "Hmmm" not so good then.  I cleaned up all the contacts and re-fitted the bulb.  Nothing.  Neither side working now.  Bugger.  Went to start the engine but the steering lock wouldn't disengage.  Fuck.  And the remote locking is playing up as well.  Faff around for ages changing the battery on the fob and looking for the manual to re-align it with the vehicle  but can't follow the procedure because the steering lock won't disengage.  Fuck again.

Decided to park that problem and get back to the lights.  Still can't find a fault on the trailer so start to suspect vehicle fuses.  Check all the relevant ones and the brakelight fuse is blown.  Hurrah!!!  change the fuse and make mental note that I don't own ANY micro fuses so purchase of a mixed bag imminent.

At this point I discovered something that I didn't know all the time I have owned this vehicle;  if the brake lights don't work you can't unlock the ignition. It might be a safety feature not mentioned in the handbook, or just pure buggeration, but changing the fuse released the steering lock.  Double Hurrah!!

Now all I have to do is find the fault on the trailer...    Something obviously happened while I was checking bulbs and connections that blew the fuse but I'm not sure what yet so here we go....  "Where's mymultimeter...."

[Sin_Tiger]

I have long subscribed to the theory that trailer electrics are made from biodegradable material 

Brake light lockout sounds like a Ralph Nader arrangement, no disrespect to our cousins.

[nickjtc]

Trailer electrics = the spawn of the devil 

I feel your pain, having gone through the joy of stripping out a Ford Ranger dash to replace an indicator switch which turned out to be not faulty; it was the wiring in the trailer wiring harness that was at fault.

[Sin_Tiger]

Many years ago when I was towing boats and trailers frequently, I rigged up an old truck wing mirror hung off the ceiling at the back of the garage to save me having to get into an argument with the missus over what constituted the correct technical description of whether a lamp was functional or not and the arbitrary assignment of left and right    I still keep an old trailer board that I broke and shortened down with the lights on it and I know is good as it never leaves the garage, to be able establish where the fault was, I appreciate this is not a great deal of help to you right now 

[JayDub]

Spooky! Guess what I was also doing today... in my case it was to find out why the left indicator of the trailer flashes when I turn the right one on, and vice versa... I checked all the connections and still don't know  - and it doesn't help being colour blind 

[Bixxer Bob]

Well, I made some progress;  the trailer loom has a plug located behind each light cluster and water ingress had corroded the terminals resulting in one high resistance connection and one short.  After drying and cleaning it all the trailer lights function as they should.  But no way am I plugging into the 4x4 until I've been into town and bought some replacement fuses 

It's raining today so the motorhome can wait.......

[Bixxer Bob]

Trailer electrics = the spawn of the devil 

I feel your pain, having gone through the joy of stripping out a Ford Ranger dash to replace an indicator switch which turned out to be not faulty; it was the wiring in the trailer wiring harness that was at fault.

Sounds like your fault-finding flow chart needs work 

[Bixxer Bob]

Many years ago when I was towing boats and trailers frequently, I rigged up an old truck wing mirror hung off the ceiling at the back of the garage to save me having to get into an argument with the missus over what constituted the correct technical description of whether a lamp was functional or not and the arbitrary assignment of left and right 

I've been there many times; "Just check the lights please"....   indicators,  no response,   brakes, no response,    lights, no response,  "Is ANYTHING working"?  "Yes"......     "Which ones"?    "Which ones are you pressing"?.....   

[nickjtc]

Sounds like your fault-finding flow chart needs work 

Fault-finding flow chart??? I thought fault finding was "wiggle each wire until you find the one that is causing the problem" 

Or until you see a big spark and the fuse blows.

[iansoady]

"Is the RHS indicator working?"  "Yes, no, yes, no, yes....."

Actually I find the 13 pin electrics far more reliable than the old 12N and 12S which always needed waggling to get them to make contact.

[Bixxer Bob]

"Is the RHS indicator working?"  "Yes, no, yes, no, yes....."

Actually I find the 13 pin electrics far more reliable than the old 12N and 12S which always needed waggling to get them to make contact.

Which is what I am hoping......

[KuzzinKenny]

Hey BB !! your supposed to be takin things easy 

don't get me started on trailer wigglywires 

KK

[Bixxer Bob]

Trailer turned out to be fine after drying it out.  Unfortunately it had also blown the rear light fuse on the 4x4 which turned out to be in a box deep in the engine bay with a load of relays.  So my 4x4 has a fuse box in the glovebox, a fuse box and a couple of relays at one side of the engine bay, a fuse box and relays at the other side of the engine bay, and a relay box that also has a couple of fuses down the back of the engine.  FFS     

But at least it's all working now.  Motorhome should be a breeze after this 

[nickjtc]

Motorhome should be a breeze after this 

Don't hold your breath!!

[Sin_Tiger]

I wondered what retired Landie electricians did in their spare time