Lights wont work on camper
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Junior User
Joined: May 2003
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Lights wont work on camper
O.K. I am just about freakin fed up with all these damn wiring problems! My freind just bought a van. He just put a new pig tail on the van. The previous one was cut off. so after installing the new pig tail he hooked it up to his trailers pig tail and bam...... there was light. When the vans head lights were off the blinkers worked, the brake lights worked and the running lights worked. HOWEVER, when the vans head lights were on, the blinkers worked, and the running lights worked but, when he hits the brakes all the lights on the traler would go off until he lets off the brake pedal. At which point he has blinkers and running lights again. now Don't through any thing at me for posting this here as his van is a chevy but, In my ford mind this is probably very simple and I know that some of the smartest guy's I know own, drive, race, wheel fords. So come on ya'll, chime in and lets help this poor unfortunate chevy owner!
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,297
Likes: 3
From: Billings MT
Lights wont work on camper
Sounds to me that there is a short in the wiring harness where the brake light wire and the headlight wire are connecting each other.
Do the lights work properly on the van with the trailer plugged in and the head lights on?
There should not be a wire to the trailer that involves the headlights, therefore, the problem is on the van.
At most, you need 4 wires. Left turn, right turn, running, ground. If you have electric brakes on the trailer, then you need a fifth.
I would rewire the pigtail and make sure that there are not any crossed wires, etc and that these are the only wire connected to it.
Another way to check, and this might be easier. Is to connect one wire at a time and try the light. I.e only connect the left turn and test. Then disconnect and try the right turn. Of course, you have to leave the ground on there.
Also, it could be as simple as a bad ground. Make sure that there is a ground run into the connectors from the van and then from the connector to the trailer tongue. It needs to be a good ground. If there is too much resistence in the ground, the trailer will short out and cook the fuse panel. Trust me on this one, been there done that.
Do the lights work properly on the van with the trailer plugged in and the head lights on?
There should not be a wire to the trailer that involves the headlights, therefore, the problem is on the van.
At most, you need 4 wires. Left turn, right turn, running, ground. If you have electric brakes on the trailer, then you need a fifth.
I would rewire the pigtail and make sure that there are not any crossed wires, etc and that these are the only wire connected to it.
Another way to check, and this might be easier. Is to connect one wire at a time and try the light. I.e only connect the left turn and test. Then disconnect and try the right turn. Of course, you have to leave the ground on there.
Also, it could be as simple as a bad ground. Make sure that there is a ground run into the connectors from the van and then from the connector to the trailer tongue. It needs to be a good ground. If there is too much resistence in the ground, the trailer will short out and cook the fuse panel. Trust me on this one, been there done that.
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Joined: Jan 2008
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Lights wont work on camper
