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DanG Short

Started by chet, October 12, 2005, 08:58:52 PM

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chet

There are few things I hate worse than trying to track down an electrical short in a vehicle.  :'(  And now I got a short in the towing circuit for my left turn signal on my Ford Ranger.  After 4 hours of lookin' and no solutions I am not a happy camper.  >:(
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

Tom

Start with the light bulbs, Chet.  Sometimes it is just a blown or nearly blown bulb.

maple flats

Many times problems are caused by a bad ground and manifest themselves in many different ways, add a good ground and see if the problem persists
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

chet

Covered dem bases right off da bat, and no luck. :(
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

beenthere

When you say 'short', I assume it is blowing a fuse.  That right?

If so, I put together a 'short' tester, by soldering wires to the blown fuse (spade type) and hook those wires to a 12v bulb. Stick that in the fuse spot, and if a short, the light bulb comes on. Then I play with the wires until the bulb goes off (no short).

If you need a 'long' tester, I don't know how to do dat!
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

DanG

Why don't ya tell us just what you have done, and we might be able to help.  At least it'll give us something to talk about. ;) ;D
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

chet

A sort was probably da wrong choice of words. Bad connection would be more correct. I have diminished voltage in the turn and braking circuits of the trailer connection. Taillights are fine. And it is not the trailer connector.  :-\
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

DanG

AHAA!  It ain't the connector.  Then one must deduce that it is something else, eh?

Have you run a separate ground wire, rather than relying on the continuity of the hitch?
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Kevin

Diminished voltage as in less than 12volts?
Sounds like a poor ground, did you try a separate clamp on jumper between the vehicle and the trailer just to test the ground?

chet

Tail lights, electric brakes, and direct 12 volt feed all tested good to ground. So that pretty much eliminates a grond problem.   :-\
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

wiam

You pull something with a Ranger big enough to need brakes?  And I thought a silage round bale was a load in mine. :D

Will

sprucebunny

Most newer vehicles have a inline connector thing that controls turn and brake lights to the trailer.  You know ...a thing that makes them work right. Those things go bad. I've had to buy a new one for my Toyota.
MS193, MS192 and an 026  Weeding and Thinning. Gilbert Champion sawmill

chet

Quote from: wiam on October 12, 2005, 10:40:32 PM
You pull something with a Ranger big enough to need brakes? And I thought a silage round bale was a load in mine. :D

Will


I refuse to answer dat question on da grounds dat da local authorities may be listening.  ;D
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

chet

Quote from: sprucebunny on October 12, 2005, 10:46:33 PM
Most newer vehicles have a inline connector thing that controls turn and brake lights to the trailer. You know ...a thing that makes them work right. Those things go bad. I've had to buy a new one for my Toyota.

Sprucebunny,
Dat was to be da first thing I was going to check in the morning. I was hoping I would find the cause before it went that far. To get at what you are referring to I have to take off my Reese Hitch and the rear bumper.   ::)
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

DanG

Relax, Chester.  Ya don't needs no left turn signal.  If'n ya hafs ta turn left, just make a right 270 and ya won't hafta worry about it no more. :P ;D
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

CHARLIE

I suggest you just get rid of the truck and buy a new one with factory installed trailer wiring. ;D
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

DanG

Do da light on da truck work when the trailer is plugged in?  Do da brake light work? (ya gotta be really fast ta check dat one)

Since yer grousin' about da left signal, I assume the right one is ok? ???  If so, the truck/trailer ground is ok.  What about the trailer to left light connection?
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Tom

Quote from: sprucebunny on October 12, 2005, 10:46:33 PM
Most newer vehicles have a inline connector thing that controls turn and brake lights to the trailer.  You know ...a thing that makes them work right. Those things go bad. I've had to buy a new one for my Toyota.

I thought those modules were only needed on imports. ;D

DanG

I thought a Ranger wuz a import.  It's da Toyotas dat dey make over here. ???

Ya need the adaptor for the ones that have separate lights for turn and brake, like the ones that have yeller turn lights.
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

chet

Quote from: Tom on October 12, 2005, 11:24:47 PM
Quote from: sprucebunny on October 12, 2005, 10:46:33 PM
Most newer vehicles have a inline connector thing that controls turn and brake lights to the trailer.  You know ...a thing that makes them work right. Those things go bad. I've had to buy a new one for my Toyota.

I thought those modules were only needed on imports. ;D

Ford makes a clone to the Ranger for Mazda. That is probably why da module.
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

chet

Quote from: DanG on October 12, 2005, 11:24:06 PM
Do da light on da truck work when the trailer is plugged in? Do da brake light work? (ya gotta be really fast ta check dat one)

Since yer grousin' about da left signal, I assume the right one is ok? ??? If so, the truck/trailer ground is ok. What about the trailer to left light connection?

All lights work on the truck work irregardless of the trailer being plugged in or not. I'm getting some voltage on the right signal and almost nothing on the left.
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

Brian_Rhoad

If your Ranger is fairly new (90s and newer) and has the factory trailer harness make sure you have a ground through the trailer ball. I spent 4+ hours trying to fix a "wiring problem" on a trailer that wasn't hooked up to the hitch. Talked to a friend who was a Ford service manager. He told me about the ground through the ball. Hitched up the trailer and plugged in the harness and it worked like a new one! There is something in the electronics and the trailer towing harness that requires the trailer to be hitched up for the lights to work properly. I had the same problem with my gooseneck trailer when it was checked for state inspection. When I used a jumper wire for a 2nd ground the lights worked fine. Without the jumper wire and without the truck and trailer moving the brake lights would not work. Going down the road the lights all work because the ball and hitch is constantly moving (rubbing) which gives you the second ground you need.

Rockn H

Ahh now , y'all know that any vehicle now adays that has seperate brake light and blinker bulbs has to have a module to work the lights on the trailer that share a bulb for those duties. ::)

chet

Quote from: Brian_Rhoad on October 12, 2005, 11:43:41 PM
If your Ranger is fairly new (90s and newer) and has the factory trailer harness make sure you have a ground through the trailer ball. I spent 4+ hours trying to fix a "wiring problem" on a trailer that wasn't hooked up to the hitch. Talked to a friend who was a Ford service manager. He told me about the ground through the ball. Hitched up the trailer and plugged in the harness and it worked like a new one! There is something in the electronics and the trailer towing harness that requires the trailer to be hitched up for the lights to work properly. I had the same problem with my gooseneck trailer when it was checked for state inspection. When I used a jumper wire for a 2nd ground the lights worked fine. Without the jumper wire and without the truck and trailer moving the brake lights would not work. Going down the road the lights all work because the ball and hitch is constantly moving (rubbing) which gives you the second ground you need.

Brian,
You got my hopes up for a minute there. I ran out, hooked up the trailer, checked continuity between the two (It was good) tried da lights and still no go.  :'(
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

Tom

Did you check the lights on the front of the truck too? might have one out.

Do the lights on the truck work without the trailer?

Just for kicks wiggle the "blinker" under the dash.

What happens when the emergency lights are used rather than just left and right turn signals?

I remember having some problems with mine one time and it was the connections on the left trailer light.  That was shared with the light wire for the tag.

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