equipment trailer wiring.

[nisaacs]

Just for clarification.....

Equipment standard vs RV standard are no different in plug or layout.

It is ONLY the wire color.

The truck is always gonna have the taillights at 11 o'clock and ground at 7 o'clock on the 7-way. (Most frequent ones I check)

But an equipment trailer is gonna use a brown wire for tail lights, and an RV is gonna use the green wire.

As for trucks.....I don't think they follow a standard and use their own wire colors that make no sense

Agreed. Thats why I like the molded plug/pig tail, less room for error and less chance of corrosion. Then with a junction box you can switch colors till the cows come home

 

[Rustyiron]

....but they both drag along the road the same way when you loan your trailer to a "buddy" and I won't mention the jack that's at a 45* angle.

 

[mx842]

Agreed. Thats why I like the molded plug/pig tail, less room for error and less chance of corrosion. Then with a junction box you can switch colors till the cows come home

I can see how that box would be helpful. On this trailer there is an electrical box mounted where all of the connections are. The difference is it doesn't have studs the wires are all connected by butt connectors and wire nuts. I had already thought about replacing that with something like you mentioned later on when I had the time. But first I wanted to get the lights somewhat right. The next time I head up the road I'll pick one of those up. Thanks

 

[oliver1555]

You can get a junction box that Nick talks about from e-Trailer. I put them on two different pickups of mine so I could add a plug for a gooseneck in the bed. Weather tight, and a great addition.

 

[mx842]

I also would start with the assumption that the trailer wiring has "played with" and probably needs attention front to back.

I'm thinking you are right about that. That connection box that's on there is a dead giveaway. I'm Also wondering why they have the clearance/side markers and the tail/running lights tied together by that jumper wire. I always thought of the clearance/side markers and running lights being the same thing but looking at the pics it looks like they put the tail and running lights together and the clearance/side markers are on a separate pin. All I know is that unless I put that jumper between the black and the brown wires everything goes haywire.
Anyway, it works with that adaptor and that's probably how I'll leave it for the time being.
I also noticed when I put the truck in reverse the side markers and the taillights all come on. Now, I don't know if that is right or not, I'm just saying that's what happens.

 

[mx842]

You can get a junction box that Nick talks about from e-Trailer. I put them on two different pickups of mine so I could add a plug for a gooseneck in the bed. Weather tight, and a great addition.

Would you add them to the pickup or the trailer?

 

[mx842]

Just for clarification.....

Equipment standard vs RV standard are no different in plug or layout.

It is ONLY the wire color.

The truck is always gonna have the taillights at 11 o'clock and ground at 7 o'clock on the 7-way. (Most frequent ones I check)

But an equipment trailer is gonna use a brown wire for tail lights, and an RV is gonna use the green wire.

As for trucks.....I don't think they follow a standard and use their own wire colors that make no sense

I guess they do that so when something goes wrong you have to take it to them to get it fixed. I guess I need to find out just how this truck is wired; weather it's wired 7 way traditional, or 7-way RV standard. I pretty sure it's not wired 7-way heavy duty.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Equipment standard vs RV standard are no different in plug or layout.

It is ONLY the wire color.

Agreed. Thats why I like the molded plug/pig tail, less room for error and less chance of corrosion. Then with a junction box you can switch colors till the cows come home

Exactly. I'm sure that color blind people can wire a trailer plug correctly, without being distracted by the colors.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I'm Also wondering why they have the clearance/side markers and the tail/running lights tied together by that jumper wire.

That's because in commercial applications (Class 8 tractors and trailers) the taillights and marker lights are on separate circuits. I'm guessing so that there will be some lighting left if one of them craps out.

Anyway, my larger dump trailer rarely leaves the property, so on that one I removed the cord and installed a Class 8 connector. Now there's no dangling cord.

Wired up a standard Class 8 cord with an RV connector in one end for when needing lights and brakes. Now the colors were helpful. Not because of what they represented, but to keep track of which wire was what.

I really do like the Class 8 stuff as it's affordable and made to last. One of these years I'll convert the other trailers, too. Should I ever have to leave a trailer on the side of the road, chances are good that a potential thief would give up when there's no way for him to connect the trailer electrically.

 

[oliver1555]

My junction box is mounted under the pickup. It had a factory seven pin plug and I ran the factory wiring into the junction box and ran seven wire cable back up to the plug under the bumper, and a new one to the plug in the box. I can take a picture, if you’d like. We are shelling corn right now, so I won’t be able to do that until later.