Help save our camping trip and possibly my marriage

[karrun]

Originally Posted by Flybob

The TV fuses are usually under the hood, The trailer fuses are usually in a secondary fuse block like the one posted above by drivers left foot. Remove the cover, It should have a fuse diagram printed on it. Check trlr fuses. Should be directional. stop, and running light fuses. Pull the one you suspect out you should be able to see that it is blown as the link near the flat portion of the fuse will be missing.

Thanks, but the fuse cover under the dash is gone, so no diagram. I did post some diagram pictures I found online, but someone posted that those diagrams are not the right ones, so I have no clue what fuse controls what. But Herk linked to an online help post that indicted the trailer fuses are under the hood. I am going to check that when I get home.

[j free]

wait one min. I believe you say that the camera is working or am I mistaken. Because if the camera is working then it is not a fuse. You cant have POWER TO THE CAMERA AND HAVE A BLOWN FUSE JUST NOT POSABLE.

[karrun]

Originally Posted by j free

wait one min. I believe you say that the camera is working or am I mistaken. Because if the camera is working then it is not a fuse. You cant have POWER TO THE CAMERA AND HAVE A BLOWN FUSE JUST NOT POSABLE.

Nope, no camera. No nothing.

[conceptumator]

Did you check for power at the tail light terminal on the 7-way? Use a voltmeter or a 12V tester - either will work - and just go from the terminal indicated above in this string to a ground. If you have power to the terminal, then problem should be in the TT. Unhook the camera and see if the lights come back on. If so, camera is the issue, or at least the way you have it wired in.

[karrun]

I already unhooked the camera, so whatever damage I did is not fixed by removing it.Do I set the voltmeter to volts DC? So I put the red probe on terminal 3 of the 7-way, then the black probe on a piece of metal on the chassis for ground? A reading of zero indicates a blown fuse? Otherwise it should read 12?

[conceptumator]

1. Turn on the lights in the TV
2. Set voltmeter to DC
3. Touch the red probe to terminal 3 on the 7-way of the TV
4. Touch the black probe to ground
5. You should see 12V on the meter
6. If no voltage shown, turn on the TV ignition and turn on the flashers
7. Now check the other terminals in the TV's 7-way and you should eventually find two of them with pulsating power to match the flashers. If you don't find that, then either your ground is no good or the 7-way is not getting any power from the TV

[j free]

Have you checked the box that your trailer wiring harness is attached to they put fuses in there as well. Just remove the cover and you should see 3 to 4 fuses they are made to blow before a power surge can go to the trailer lights causing more sever damage.

[alayton]

To check the #7 pin you could put your volt meter on 20 volts and stick the black lead to metal on the bumper of the TV (for a ground) and the red lead in the #7 pin hole.
If you get 12volts it is okay. If the backup power is on.

[uhduh camping]

We had same type issue with a Wildcat. Turns out that there was an inline fuse hidden behind a panel where the battery disconnect is located. We would have never found it, but a quick call to Forest River helped solve the mystery. There were three or four other fuses back there, but there is no documentation or labels nothing to indicate their existence.

[gbecker2]

Easy way to hookup a rear view camera.
Buy a wireless transmitter and receiver. Walmart.com has good prices for this.
Each vehicle needs to wired separately. Mount the monitor in the cab and use your cigarette lighter for power. Wire the receiver in the truck.
Next mount your camera on the rear of your camper. Run a power cord from the camera to the camper battery. Use an inline fuse. Run the cord under the camper and use wire ties to secure them. Mount the transmitter on the outside. Connect the transmitter to the camera and power it from the power cord on the camera.
Good luck

[Flybob]

Just run 1" or 3/4" flex tubing from front to back securing it to frame with conduit clips. Now you have easy access for any front to back wiring including wired camera, lights etc.

Carlon 1 in. x 25 ft. Flexible Electrical Non-Metallic Tubing-12008-025 - The Home Depot

[captainperry]

Karrun, you say the fuses seemed ok. What does that mean? I'm not trying to be mean but did you test them? With key on you can test them with a 12volt test light. ground the light (with attached alligator clip) and then touch the little metallic spots on the actual fuse with the point of the test light) (leave fuses in) Either both sides light comes on or both sides light off. If you run into one side light on and one side light off then that fuse is bad. It would take 10 seconds to show you...writing it out makes it sound so difficult

[saltyman]

If you have a manual for your TV, somewhere in that should show a fuse layout or printout for your fuses.

[karrun]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

Put the voltmeter on the 20 volts DC scale.

Turn on the hazard lights and the parking lights on the truck.

Open the port that the trailer plug fits in.

The "Ground" is pin 1 (Lower left pin) - put the black lead on this one.

The Running lights are pin 3 - upper left of the "key" - should have 13 volts with truck running or key "on".

Okay, I just tried this and got nothing with key to "on" and lights on Durango on. I found two fuse boxes under the hood. . One of the fuse boxes had a 20A minifuse labeled TT Tow. I pulled this and it was bad. I replaced it and thought I was good to go. No luck. Still no lights, and no voltage when trying Herk's suggestion above. Sigh. I can't find any other fuses that seem to have anything to do with towing. There are two relays labeled something like left and right trailer tow, but how do you check a relay? Like I already said, I don't have the fuse layout for the box under the dash inside the cab, so I don't know if any of those have anything to do with towing.

[karrun]

Also, I've already stated that my under-the-dash fuse panel is missing cover, so no fuse diagram. My owner's manual is no help (says to check the diagram under the cover). I have no idea is any of those fuses is the culprit. I don't have a fuse tester, so I'd have to pull each of the apprx 20 fuses located there and inspect them. I'm afraid I may screw something up if I do that.
Sorry if I sound frustrated. I just don't know what else to check.

[kho6658]

I have a 2005 and they should be the same. Hopefully this helps

[elchilero53]

Whew! What frustration! Glad our TT is pre-wired for a backup camera. Man!

[bob caldwell]

As far as relays, just swap two around..ie: wiper and trailer...relay ratings are the same...relay difference is number of pins.. either 4 or 5

[dmdrj5]

Originally Posted by karrun

Okay, I just tried this and got nothing with key to "on" and lights on Durango on. I found two fuse boxes under the hood. . One of the fuse boxes had a 20A minifuse labeled TT Tow. I pulled this and it was bad. I replaced it and thought I was good to go. No luck. Still no lights, and no voltage when trying Herk's suggestion above. Sigh. I can't find any other fuses that seem to have anything to do with towing. There are two relays labeled something like left and right trailer tow, but how do you check a relay? Like I already said, I don't have the fuse layout for the box under the dash inside the cab, so I don't know if any of those have anything to do with towing.

Also, go back and double check the fuse that you just replaced to make sure it is not blown again. It could have blown again when it was replaced, which means you have a short somewhere.

[karrun]

Praise the lord and pass the gravy! Found the second bad fuse! The little bugger was hiding in the second under hood panel with no labels for it. Found a website where an expert suggested checking this fuse. Changed it and I am good to go.

I really appreciate everyone's help on this. Now do I just leave well enough alone or do I take a shot at the backup camera again? Just kidding. We leave Friday for camping, not going to take a chance at messing things up until camping season is over in a couple of months.