Trailer Wiring Question

[Teri C.]

Last night I took my boat out of the water to take to my cabin this weekend. I hooked my trailer up to the back of a new tow vehilce. I use an adapter on the SUV to get the trailer plug to fit. From the time I drove from the trailer lot to the boat ramp (not very far), the trailer wires were really hot. I unplug my trailer from the car before I put the trailer in the water. The plug was so hot I could barely touch it. When I pulled the two apart, the prongs had melted together. Ruined both plugs.



So, do you think there is a problem with the car recepticle, the adapter, or the trailer? I did notice that the white wire looked like it was no longer properly grounded. Could that be it?

 

[Jim in VA]

Teri:



Heat from an electrical system as you describe is usually the result of too much juice flowing through too small a system - either wires too small to handle the capacity or a plug not adequately sized for the wiring. Could also be caused by a loose connection somewhere that doesn't allow good flow of electricity. If the white wire was only partially connected providing a weak ground, that could have been the problem. If not, and if you've never had a problem with the trailer before, I would suspect the adapter plug as not being appropriately sized. The third option is that the tow vehicle wiring was not of sufficient gauge. Hard to believe that a tow vehicle wiring was subpar, but its possible, especially with aftermarket wiring kits or DIY jobs.



Start ensuring tight connections on the ground and the lights. Then get new plugs and try hooking up the system again. Load up the system by turning on the parking lamps and/or hazard lamps. Then use a multimeter to be sure you're getting 12 volts at the end of system (i.e., the lights - you can do this by unplugging them from the lights themselves and testing the various connections). Be prepared to shut everything down if the wires heat up again. If everything is a good 12 volts, check the heat on the plugs. If there is still a problem, the plug should heat up quickly. Hopefully not!



Good luck.

 

[Teri C.]

Thank you Jim. I dropped the trailer off this morning to a place in town that works on boat trailers. He said there was definitely a short in the left turn signal. I left it with him to fix it today so I can be on my merry way tonight. I didn't have time to fix it myself as I needed lights tonight. Hope they don't rip off a nice young lady like me.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

:lol:

 

[Teri C.]

They found the culprit. Seems as though a nice little family of mice had built a nest up inside the trailer. The little ones were teething on the wires. Isn't that sweet? NOT! The little fockers cost me $75. They gave me the wires they chewed up. I think I will add it to my lures collection for good stories.

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Teri, Sorry about the cost but you can only hope the little ones where teething when you turned the lights on for the first time. Chipmuncks are even worse, I loved the Chip and Dale Disney cartoons but the real ones are nothing but cat food or small targets..........



BF

 

[Marty Klein]

Truly a tragic event, but remember to keep it in perspective. $75 for the trailer repair; think what it could have been if the electrical problem had backed up into your GMC product's wiring. GMCs and Chevys must be susceptible to bad electrical problems as evidenced by the number you see running around town with one running light out--.