Trailer Lights Connectors

[MarkInNC]

My trailer lights and brakes have been intermittant.  Two times so far the brake controller has indicated no connection and when I looked there were no lamps working.  Both times this has happened I disconnected the connector and replaced it and everything worked.  The obvious problem would be in the connector I wired up, but, I have taken that apart three times and checked everything.  The trailer side connector is molded onto the cord and I can not take that end apart.  I have two questions.  What are the chances that I have an issue inside the trailer end connector, seems slim to me?  Is corrosion a common issue on the connector contacts of the two RV style 7 pin connectors?  I used to use contact cleaner in some electronics connectors would this clean these connections.

Mark

 

[Newt & Jan]

Do you have a good ground?

 

[MarkInNC]

I believe I do but I am going to recheck this morning.  I ran a #10 from the chassis of the tow to the tow side cable connector and the ground are all tied together in a junction box in the RV with one led to the battery and another to the TT chassis.  These were all tied together with a wire nut at the junction box by the mfg.  I added a screw down type terminal strip, tinned each of the wires and added them to the new strip.

Mark

 

[John From Detroit]

That sure SOUNDS like a good DC ground.  (Best I've ever heard of)

 

[Carl L]

My trailer lights and brakes have been intermittant.  Two times so far the brake controller has indicated no connection and when I looked there were no lamps working.  Both times this has happened I disconnected the connector and replaced it and everything worked.  The obvious problem would be in the connector I wired up, but, I have taken that apart three times and checked everything.  The trailer side connector is molded onto the cord and I can not take that end apart.  I have two questions.  What are the chances that I have an issue inside the trailer end connector, seems slim to me?  Is corrosion a common issue on the connector contacts of the two RV style 7 pin connectors?  I used to use contact cleaner in some electronics connectors would this clean these connections.

Mark

This is a common problem with trailer-tow vehicle electrical connectors.

The thing can be caused by dirty, corroded, or bent connecters usually in the socekt side.  Clean out possible crud with a spray contact cleaner.  Use a fine file or knife blade to lightly abrade away any corrusion.  Bend the contact blades back with a screwdriver blade -- the screwdriver blade on a Swiss Army knife works fine for this purpose. 

A lot of times it is merely that you have not seated the connector plug properly.  Disconnect it and seat it again with some force and care.  And then check the lights.

 

[MarkInNC]

More than one issue.  I spent about two hours at the camp site during my first trip troubleshooting lamps.  I found several things which may or may not have contributed to this problem, but, it seems to be fixed now.
--The ground and signal wires were nicked as they came thru the floor up under a bunk where there is a wire connection box.  The signal lead actually had the insulation melted for about six inches or so.  I replaced that portion of both wires.
--The right rear lamp socket was very corroded.  I clean this as well as I could with a cut down emory board then contact cleaner.
--The trailer connect looked corroded and I cleaned it up with a cut down emory board and contact cleaner.

Thanks all for the input.

Mark