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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
Thanks Brodie,
I feel like in one more day I can have this rig ready to go. I am more concerned about the occaisional rapid pulsing of the signals than I am of installing the new controller.
Can you tell me more about the " the block in the engine compartment with 2 terminals could be the recommended automatic resetting circuit breaker. " How does this reset? Does it ever need to be replaced? That is definetly what it is - saw a picture online of one.
Thanks for all the time you spent with me. If you did not live so far away, I would take you and your family out to breakfast. Do you ever travel to the East?
All the best to you, tom
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 06:39pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
The new socket came with a 4 pin connector which had the usuals colors and a white. I had to cut this connector off to splice into the truck. The other wires were a blue, black, yellow, and another white with a ring connector on it. So, there were 8 wires. I was sure both whites were grounds...........
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 06:15pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
It's getting dark. I'll need to start again tomorrow. I'll bet the black was the hot and there is a fuse somewhere. The other issue - I don't know. I did not take any assemblies apart. When I changed sockets, I just spliced in where the other was. There are two white wires on this new socket and I have them both hooked to ground.
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 06:06pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
I forgot if we checked the black wire - oh yes was not that the power wire?? It had 12 volts and the red went to the brakes with the white to ground.
I'll need to get a new one tomorrow.
Would you recommend a prodigy or something else? I had a prodigy about 4 years ago.
The signals and running lights are still driving me nuts. I don't see any loose ground.
I also have no 12 volt constant and looks like there never could have been. What about the black wire in that pair with the white which we now know is the blue from the controller. Could this have been the 12 volt constant?
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 05:43pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
Hello Thomas,
Are you trying to read my mind?
OK at this point we know that you have 12 volts to the circuit breaker, good ground, good break signal and good wire to the back.
I am concerned that you said the blue wire is spliced to a white wire which is connected to a black wire at the socket. Is the black wire used for extra length? Does it come from some place else and the white wire joins to that run? The Blue or White wire should be terminated at the 5 o'clock position of the socket and there should be a black wire (always hot) terminated at the 1 o'clock position.
Before passing judgement on the controller, I would ask that you check for 12 volts on the black wire at the controller.
I need to run an errand now but will check back in about 20 minutes.
Hi Brodie,
I sliced that white wire to the black lead on the socket, thinking it was the 12 volt always hot. I was going by the removal of the old socket. So, I now think I have the white wire (which is the blue off the controller) hooked to the 1:00 position, which we now know is wrong. I should move the white wire to the 5:00 position, right? But this does not change the fact that the controller must be bad, I think...........
I also do not know what the black wire is coming from that same pair as the white. It is Not 12 volts all the time.
I am going to run to the store and will be back probably the same time as you. Thanks so much for your help - I would be lost without you!!!
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 04:54pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
Nothing - no voltage . Now your going to tell me to get a new controller aren't you?
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 04:36pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
ok progress - that blue wire off the controller connects to the white in that pair. I shorted the white to ground at the rear of the vehicle at the socket, and I DO have continuity from blue to ground up at the controller.
I currently have this white wire connected to the black wire on the socket.
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 04:25pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
I'm not getting anything on that blue wire when the pedal is depressed
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 04:09pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
ok - I'll check that - I feel like a passenger on a plane that is talked to a landing because the pilot had a heart attack
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 04:05pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
Brodie - Yes I do. when i put a weight on the brake pedal, I have 12 volts on the red wire. I found a little nick in the wire to test. No voltage there when pedal is not depressed.
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 03:57pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
just checked, I have 12 volts on each terminal - I guess this means the black is the controller feed.
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 03:51pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
drawtite activator - there is no place to check volage on the red wire unless I cut it.
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 03:40pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
Looking closer - the blue and black off the controller don't go all the way back to the socket. They go into the engine compartment where one wire is connected to some type of block with two terminals. There are 3 red wires on the other terminal. It seemes like the other wire is spliced to the pair that goes to the socket.
I don't think I'll ever figure this out.
Time to panic
the controller is a drawtite activator
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 03:35pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
Brodie, I can't think of anything I might have disconnected - I'll go look again. I edited my earlier reply regarding the controller.
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 03:26pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
I still don't understand the crazy left and right signal beating. This is happening with my tt disconnected, so there is an issue with the truck. I didn't have this before I changed the socket so it must be something I have done.
The brake controller does have 4 wires - it certainly seems like 2 of the 4 go directly back to the socket - I'll check this again.
thanks
there are 4 wires on the controller: white goes to ground, the blue and black are spliced to what seems to be a pair of wires which go all the way back to the socket, and the red - well I can't even begin to follow it. It is joined with other wires and connectors and plugs to which I have no clue what they are. I have no idea where the feed is or the fuse. This thing is an electrical nightmare.
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 03:11pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
New development:
I have continuity from ground to the 7,9,11 and 3 oclock terminals on the truck socket.
These being both signals, tail lights and ground.
It is like these are all grounded , or shorted somehow - - what could cause this??
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 02:25pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
Tom the first thying here is not to panic we will figure this prob. out,,,where are the wires going to the rear plug on the truck side attached to,,,, if they are attached with clip type connectoers then your problem cld be there ,,,wht year is the truck if its a newer model the go to a parts dealer and get a new wire set that installs in your existing wiring on the truck,,,follow the instructions and install it correctly,,,a set of jumper cables run from the truck frame to the trailor frame will not indicate a good grnd,,you must run a wire from the cround post on the battery to the cround wire on the trailor , make sure you run it to the gnd wire itself and not the frame, the ground wire connection on the trailor could be bad and the only way to test it is wire to wire contact,,,you a aware that the turn and brake pins on the plug dont have any thing to do with the braks on the trailor,,there is a seperate wire for the brakes on the trailor that runs from the brake controler under the dash ,,how ever it works in conjunction with the brak lites on the truck ,, but it goes thru the controler on the dash which is metered by a plentium device that works just like the mechanisim in the seat belts...dont wory abt the trailor until you have the truck in good workin order....good luck Terry
Terry, I have an 88 suburban. The lights ( tail, signal) are call connected/spliced together in the rear. I solved the one problem, as to the 12 volts on the signals - I still had the weight on the brake pedal when testing the signals!! dumb.
I am beginning to think I should get a new brake controller and start from scratch. When I step on the brake, there is NO voltage at the 5:00 position contact/blue wire, and it seems to me there should be - no?
I have never installed a controller , are they easy? Does a new controller come with a 12 volt power lead to the socket as well as brakes.
Do I need anything special from an auto parts store to adapt to my vehicle?
Not sure about the ground issues. With a continuity tester I have a solid ground. Are you supposed to run the ground connection (7:00) all the way up to your negative battery terminal??? I am just grounded to the frame.
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 12:24pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
I just bought this truck a couple of months ago - looks like a do-it-yourselfer did it.
The socket was old and corroded and was spliced with a 4 pin. I thought the problems were all bad contact related, which is why I bought a new socket.
PS - the other issue that remains is that there is no wire that is 12volt all the time to hook to the 1:00 contact. How is this typically run? - just a wire, fused, directly back to the socket?
I could do that......
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 10:59am |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
There is no problem with the ground. I tried using jumper cables in several places and nothing changes. Today I tested the socket on the truck, with the tt unplugged from it.
I found that when the right signal is on, there is 12 volts pulsing to the 3:00 contact and a constant 12 volts to the left 9:00 contact (which should be dead, no?).
When the left signal is on, I have the reverse happening , with a constant 12 volts on the right contact.
When I put something to hold down the brake pedal, I get nothing at the 5:00 contact, yet I did have brake lights yesterday on the tt when plugged in.
This is all very strange............
I am wondering if I should bring the vehicle to someone tomorrow to have a new brake controller installed, and the system tested. Thoughts? Existing controller is an old drawtite.
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thomas malenich
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07/05/09 10:50am |
Tech Issues
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RE: HELP trying to go away and can't
Sounds like a ground problem to me also.
Try hooking a wire or jumper cables from truck to trailer.
Why would I need this if I have a good ground through the sockets???
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thomas malenich
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07/04/09 06:58pm |
Tech Issues
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