Need Help Determining Why My Trailer Wiring Melted-

ShineTimeDetail

ShineTimeDetail

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Ok so I don't know much about wiring and when I have to work on it I can't stand it but I don't want to spend any more money after my spending spree the past month!!

When I picked this trailer up I hooked the lights up and after a couple minutes connected the lights went out. I felt the wiring and the wiring coming from the van was very hot. I started investigating it today and realized the brown wire on the van is completely melted. I replaced part of that wire and then I replaced the connector. Still no lights. I then followed the wires back to where the harness I guess connects to the tail lights and wired the connector up there, still no lights.

I called a hitch shop and they said it was going to be a minimum of prob $50 just to start looking at it and I'm not wanting to start there. What do I need to do to start running these wires down?

Thanks for any help!!:xyxthumbs:
 
A simple 12v test light (some call it a continuity light) and a 12v power supply. A simple tool that looks like a ice pick with a light bulb in the handle available from local auto parts store.Inspect all bulbs and sockets first for damage or corrosion.Disconnect all the wires from the female (trailer) end of the light plug and check and re-connect one at a time. Could be one of many simple things such as a corroded socket or bulb,bad ground,wire pinched or frayed and shorting (grounded) out. That is where I would start.
 
Tom If remember your towing it with a ford van?

they have a seperate fuse for the trailer wiring.....usually under the hood.
sounds like a blown fuse and the problem could be in the trailer wiring itself.

man if you were closer we would have that fixed in a snap.

make sure the trailer wiring is unhooked,locate the blown fuse IIRC ford does not lable the fuses in the box you'll have to refer to the owners manual. I f thats not available a simple test light will work......connecting the test light wire to ground then you can probe each side of the fuse while in the box....if it lights one side and not the other then fuse is no good.

get everything working in the van then we'll tackle the trailer.
 
Also can you tell me what Kind of trailer connecter you have?

7 wire camper style
6 wire round
or four wire

I am assuming the trailer is equipped with brakes?
 
With the wire getting hot I would assume the trailer has a minor problem. I would start at the plug at the rear of the van and check for power. No power / check supply , fuse , wire , switch etc. Power at rear van plug / check trl. Simple process of elimination. Worked for years in a trailer shop and the simplest things can cause problem. People putting screws or nails that pass thru wires. Bulbs installed backwards or melted inside or defective. Frayed wires where they pass thru bulkheads or connectors.Pinched wires on trim or other panels. ETC. As for electric brakes , what is the weight rating ? Not all single axle trailers have brakes.
 
As I mentioned in my first post , To determine whether or not the trl is the cause of the fuse blowing or not , you can use a alternate source of power so you don't keep blowing fuses until the culprit is found.
 
Oh its more than a minor problem all the wiring is melted. I'm not sure which ones it is but its the brown ones. I have no idea how to get to the light without taking the walls out. It's a complete disaster!!

4- flat no brakes

All the brown wiring on the trailer is melted
 
Sounds like the wires were not lined up right and they fried or there was a short. When I was wiring up my water pump it kept frying the fuse and i thought the water pump drew too much power but upon further review when I ran the wire i had pinched it and it was making a connection with the trailer frame (grounding it) so I just had to run a new wire and it was good!...luckily your trailer or truck didn't start on fire. The good news is that trailer wiring is really easy to rewire and it wont cost you too much money.....If you were close I could totally help you out.....

Make sure that you have a fuse between the truck and trailer so next time it will just blow the fuse.
 
I pulled all the wiring on the drivers side and almost all of the way by the tail liight a animal chewed it up. I'll rewire it when I get home from my nieces soccer practice.
 
On hard to reach wires you may find by connecting a steel (snake)wire to the burnt harness before pulling it out or to a new harness,it will ease the installation of new wiring. If the harness got that hot it may have also damaged the light plug-in at each light and or light fixtures. Hard to imagine the fuse not blowing before the wires fried. Is the hook-up on the tow vehicle a factory set-up ?
 
Ok so I ran 2 wires from the back of the trailer to the front. I was going to change my plug out and its a 4 way plug. Problem is is there are 5 wires. 2 brown wires coming from the left side and 2 green wires come right side and then the white ground wire....Whats going on here lol
 
Do a google for trailer wiring. This way you might find a pictorial of what you have.

One site comes to mind: Trailer hitch, hitches and bike rack (800)298-8924

This is not meant to discredit anyone who has posted...just trying to help out...

Bill

Even though I put the site address in there, it came up with a fone number...but it is still a valid link.
 
So I never did quite get the wiring figured out so I just tracked down the wires on the tail lights and spliced into them. I was still having a problem where they would all light up then the running lights would go out. I pulled the wiring out of the right side and low and behold the wiring was frayed just like the other side! Replaced all the wiring and so far so good.
 
Animal problems?

I was in the same boat. And it was even a boat trailer.

When I rewired the entire trailer I ran all the new wiring through emt tubing, held to the trailer with rubber lined clamps and stainless steel screws. That kept the damned squirrels out of it!
 
Yea I thought about using that foam in a can to close the opening on the trailer.
 
ShineTimeDetail said:
Yea I thought about using that foam in a can to close the opening on the trailer.
Click to expand...

Try the 'Low Expanding' type first. The regular stuff can become a mess in a heartbeat.

But, yes foam does a pretty good job. Another trick is using the super coarse steel wool, then the low expanding to secure it.

Bill
 
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