Burned Up Trailer Wiring

[Topzide]

12 volt charge wire is generally only hot when ignition is on.

Not always. My 2014 Ram 3500 is hot all the time. Most newer trucks have the hot constant for lights in a trailer and keeping break-away battery charged when hooked to truck.

 

[cwbyeng1300]

Trailer battery may be backfeeding through the charger to a shorted wire. If the truck was feeding a short it would blow the fuse. Has to be the trailer battery or something that is un-fused to burn up the wires. There is probably a diode in the charging circuit that is bad.

 

[jaxs]

Some people double wrap their dump trailer wires with duct tape to prevent smoke getting out whether key is on or key is off. Roll of duct tape is a lot cheaper than hiring mechanics to put smoke back in wires.

 

[oliver1555]

Replacement smoke is getting harder to come by…

 

[cwbyeng1300]

You can order it online.

Lucas Replacement Smoke Kit

 

[nyone]

Some people double wrap their dump trailer wires with duct tape to prevent smoke getting out whether key is on or key is off. Roll of duct tape is a lot cheaper than hiring mechanics to put smoke back in wires.

We got the "smoke out" of the electrical system joke the first time.

OP have you measured the amp draw? I may look into what fuse supply's that circuit also. You would want the fuse to blow before the wire burnt up.

 

[RancherGuy]

I guess I'll install a self resetable fuse on the trailer side.

Good thing to do. I'm left wondering if the "grounding" of that trailer wire might occur at the truck connection, meaning maybe the trailer itself is fine. I've had to replace my truck's 7 blade connector and noted that the backside of the connector could be exposed to unknown events.

An amp test at the trailer battery and at the truck fuse should produce some good diagnostic information.

 

[jaxs]

We got the "smoke out" of the electrical system joke the first time.

OP have you measured the amp draw? I may look into what fuse supply's that circuit also. You would want the fuse to blow before the wire burnt up.

Maybe so,maybe not but the question remains whether excessive amps,fuse and short circuit were "got" the first time or the second time or the third time or the fourth time or if they need to be trotted out once more.

 

[mrmikey]

Not always. My 2014 Ram 3500 is hot all the time.

Same here, 2019 Ram 1500

 

[JPRambo]

My 2013 Silverado turns off everything after 15 minutes even if key is in accessory position.