Blinker Issue

[barthel]

Evening All,

I have a strange issue I need some help with.

I recently changed my trailer lights to LED's (long story) and have come up with a strange situation.

Both lights come on as "running" lights, but the left one does not work as brake or blinker. I hooked up a battery charger to the lights and checked the individual circuits and all seems to check out OK.

I thought it might be the connection on the truck but it lights up my toy hauler just fine. I'm kind of stumped.

Any have ideas as to where I should look?

Thanks.

 

[oregoncruiser]

Re: Blinker Issue

Maybe a bad bulb. I know you said they were new, but you could have a bad bulb. I'd swap a couple around and see if the issue moves. I'd also consider a grounding issue.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Blinker Issue

Just so we have it straight.

Reference.
Brown = Tail Lights.
Green = Right Brake/Turn Signal.
Yellow = Left Brake/Turn Signal.

Lights used to work before replacement.
New LED Lights Installed.
All circuits work when powered from the trailer 4-way connector using a battery charger. (Brn/Grn/Yel)
Brake/Turn on LEFT side does NOT work when attached to tow vehicle.

The trouble is in the YELLOW Circuit. Trace it out! Power it AT the Connector.

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Blinker Issue

Just so we have it straight.

Reference.
Brown = Tail Lights.
Green = Right Brake/Turn Signal.
Yellow = Left Brake/Turn Signal.

Lights used to work before replacement.
New LED Lights Installed.
All circuits work when powered from the trailer 4-way connector using a battery charger. (Brn/Grn/Yel)
Brake/Turn on LEFT side does NOT work when attached to tow vehicle.

The trouble is in the YELLOW Circuit. Trace it out! Power it AT the Connector.

Agree. Check the yellow wire going to the red wire. Check for continuity between the connector at the coupler and the end at the light, also for a short to ground (with the light removed from the circuit).

The Red wire will carry the turn signal function, the Black wire is for running lights, and White is ground.

 

[barthel]

Re: Blinker Issue

Will Do! I'll check it tonight and report back.

Thanks All!

 

[barthel]

Re: Blinker Issue

First Off, UncleWilly you were exactly correct with your supposition (sp).

So, I got out the circuit checker and the battery charger, the strangest thing happened.

I hooked up the charger to the yellow wire and had voltage at the connector. So, i checked continuity between the tongue connector and the trailer connector (swing away tongue) and all was good too.

So, i start checking the other circuits and apparently have no continuity between the trailer connector and lights on the BROWN wire. I can get each light to turn on independently (Yellow/Left, Green/Right) but can't seem to get them both to come on powering the brown wire.

The other thing I noticed is when I would ground to brown (with 12V) I would get a small spark. None of the other wires did that, so I am assuming I have a short somewhere in that wire?

Obviously that my problem?????

 

[oregoncruiser]

Re: Blinker Issue

That could be feedback through a bad ground as well. If as uncle willy asked, all you did was replace lights with LED's it's too strange to have a major problem now. I'd back it into the shop, use some jumper cables to insure I had a good ground, pop open a cold one and proceed to check all of my connections, including grounds.

 

[barthel]

Re: Blinker Issue

Yep, that's the next step I guess, although the grounds are the first thing I went through. Pulled them all of, sanded the corrosion away, used some DE grease and put them back together with new screws (at each light plus the trailer connection).

A bit of history, I didn't "just" change them, I had a blowout on the freeway on the left side, and when the tread went flying it took out the license plate, bracket AND the left light. So, since I was going to have to replace at least one anyway I went with the LED's. I'm wondering if the hit the light/trailer took either pulled something or knocked it loose.

Either way, checking grounds tomorrow and will report back.

 

[flightdoc]

Re: Blinker Issue

I would just rewire. Isn't that hard to do and is super cheap. Then you know from the connector to the light is brand new. They have rewire kits at Walmart for 10 or 12 bucks.

 

[barthel]

Re: Blinker Issue

ha ha, you read my mind. Picking up a harness tomorrow just in case.

 

[flightdoc]

Re: Blinker Issue

Pm me if you have any questions.

 

[barthel]

Re: Blinker Issue

Will do, thanks!

 

[barthel]

Re: Blinker Issue

UPDATE:

Well, I finally figured it out. It was a combination of 2 things.

Apparently the brown wire on the left side went to ground (initial problem), which blew the fuse for my towing package (second issue).

Both items are now corrected and the world is as it should be.

Thanks all for the help!

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Blinker Issue

Glad it is solved.

 

[oregoncruiser]

Re: Blinker Issue

Good for you. Those things are frustrating!!