Electrical question - 7 pin cable

husky family · 08-17-2016, 12:55 PM

Hi Everyone, I'm in need of some electrical technical assistance. I have a 2014 Roo 233s trailer. On my last trip I somehow managed to cut the 7-pin power cable from my TV to to the trailer (I think I backed up too sharp when parking and it got caught in the weight distribution hitch bars or something). I spliced the damaged wires back together at the campground before departing for home. Everything works except the auxiliary and tail lights (which I believe to be the brown wire). Power brakes, brake lights, turn signals all work. Also, all lights work on my TV, no issues there.

My question is this...is there some hidden fuse that I could have blown when the cable was damaged? Maybe the wire shorted out on the power or ground?? I looked underneath but saw no fuse, or any other cable damage.

Thanks in advance!

stevejahr · 08-17-2016, 02:04 PM

BTDT but got lucky in that not all wires were cut and the cut wires were not powered on at the time so no fuses blown in my case.

Yes quite possible to blow fuse: start looking in tow vehicle first ;-)
I would recommend doing a voltage check at the tow vehicle socket to determine if problem is in TV or in trailer. Note that TV wiring varies greatly. My Ford F150 uses relays and dedicated fuses/wiring for the trailer connector so you will want to study your TV fuse box(es) and User Manual.

You can also get replacement 7-wire cable for the trailer and eliminate the splices entirely. If I ever do this again I will add a junction box for the connection between the 7 wire cable and the trailer wiring. This makes for a much cleaner install or replacement of the cable. Check ETrailer.com for parts.

I have added a tall bolt to my WDH as a cable guide on the left to prevent the cable from dropping down into harms way.

**Bama Rambler** · 08-17-2016, 02:29 PM

As Steve said, start in the tow vehicle. The trailer tow fuses may be in the inside fuse panel on the Yukon.

rockfordroo · 08-17-2016, 05:08 PM

Your Yukon should have separate trailer light and aux power fuses. My 2011 Traverse, 2009 Silverado and my 2016 Silverado 2500 all do/did. Should be in your under hood fuse & relay box. Since aux power is always on, I'm guessing it's a blown fuse for sure. Tail lights, maybe not. If you had the lights on when you cut it, then probably the fuse. If you didn't, could be anything.

husky family · 08-17-2016, 09:43 PM

Thanks guys, all great suggestions. I ordered a new connector with 8' cable from Amazon that I'll install so I don't have any splices. And I like stevejahr's suggestion of adding a tall bolt to the hitch to guide the cable - I'll definitely be adding that.

I didn't have time tonight, but will this weekend - to check the Yukon's fuses. If/when I figure this out, I'll post my solution.

Thanks again!

stevejahr · 08-17-2016, 10:27 PM

I would have replaced the metal house wiring junction box with one of these if I had known about them before I did my cable replacement:
Trailer Wiring Junction Box Spectro Accessories and Parts 38656

Forest River method: twist each pair of wires together (sometimes that means 4 wires) and wire nut them.
Junction box method: crimp/solder on a ring terminal on each wire and run trailer wire in one side of post and connector cable in other side of post. All rather neat, tidy, and easy to replace cable if ever needed.

rockfordroo · 08-17-2016, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by husky family

Thanks guys, all great suggestions. I ordered a new connector with 8' cable from Amazon that I'll install so I don't have any splices. And I like stevejahr's suggestion of adding a tall bolt to the hitch to guide the cable - I'll definitely be adding that.

I didn't have time tonight, but will this weekend - to check the Yukon's fuses. If/when I figure this out, I'll post my solution.

Thanks again!

I just wrap a short bungee cord around the electrical and emergency brake cables and the WDH bar. Holds everything together, but still allows some movement/stretching.

stevejahr · 08-18-2016, 11:36 AM

Note that keeping the cable out of the moving hitch depends greatly on where your TV trailer socket is. I have noticed that Ford moved the socket from above the bumper step on my 2014 to below the bumper on the 2015-later. The location above is easier to access but more in harms way. Don't think that I would benefit from tying the cable to the WDH bars in my setup.

When I pinched the cable it was between the top plate of the hitch head and the trailer frame. I was going to use an eye bolt to fasten the cable up and out of that danger zone. But I noted that a basic bolt would hold the cable in on top and keep it out of the workings too and I happened to have one sitting on the workbench looking for a home.

Skyliner · 08-18-2016, 11:49 AM

Believe it or not, I carry a spare cable/plug with us whenever we go out.

While on a getaway, someone who stayed at our hotel, cut our cable on our snowmobile trailer. The only thing we can assume is that they were upset with the noise they made when we started them up to get them off the trailer. There is a lot of animosity between cross country skiiers (enviromentalists) and snowmobilers.

Another time, I had the plug pop off my bumper pull rv and dragging it on the road made it unusable and another field replacement was necessary.

hillsdaletc · 08-19-2016, 07:29 AM

7 way color codes for Recreational vehicles
Black is battery pos.
Green is running lights
Brown is right turn
Red is left turn
White is battery ground
Blue is electric brakes
Yellow is back up lights

Hope this helps

Oaklevel · 08-19-2016, 07:56 AM

Etrailer is lots of help

https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Wir...Connector.aspx

Scroll down on link below for plug wiring diagrams

https://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx

Wolverine 1945 · 08-19-2016, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by husky family

Hi Everyone, I'm in need of some electrical technical assistance. I have a 2014 Roo 233s trailer. On my last trip I somehow managed to cut the 7-pin power cable from my TV to to the trailer (I think I backed up too sharp when parking and it got caught in the weight distribution hitch bars or something). I spliced the damaged wires back together at the campground before departing for home. Everything works except the auxiliary and tail lights (which I believe to be the brown wire). Power brakes, brake lights, turn signals all work. Also, all lights work on my TV, no issues there.

My question is this...is there some hidden fuse that I could have blown when the cable was damaged? Maybe the wire shorted out on the power or ground?? I looked underneath but saw no fuse, or any other cable damage.

Thanks in advance!

I did the same thing a few years back in the North Woods,,,
After splicing all the wires back together,,, I found a blown fuse under the hood of our F-150 !!! We went to the nearest FORD dealer and had it replaced,,, I carry a lot of extra fuses with me,,, but did not have that one !!!

elind · 08-19-2016, 08:36 AM

Look in your truck manual for the fuse location. The Silverado has a listing what each fuse does and where to find it. My fuse box was under the hood.

Jim in Halifax · 08-19-2016, 10:09 AM

I wired a new plug inside my truck box (// to existing bumper plug") for my 5er cable that now hangs down directly into the box.......I also replaced the metal junction box up under the 5er hitch with a "plastic" electrical box.....Original cable got caught and pulled it out shorting the 12v and caused arking and burnt wiring......New wiring connections are soldered and taped--no wiring connectors to come loose.. This is a common fault in the wiring....bare wires just twisted together with marrets.....come apart..J

**Herk7769** · 08-19-2016, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevejahr

I would have replaced the metal house wiring junction box with one of these if I had known about them before I did my cable replacement:
Trailer Wiring Junction Box Spectro Accessories and Parts 38656

Forest River method: twist each pair of wires together (sometimes that means 4 wires) and wire nut them.
Junction box method: crimp/solder on a ring terminal on each wire and run trailer wire in one side of post and connector cable in other side of post. All rather neat, tidy, and easy to replace cable if ever needed.

I am liking that!

Mine is under the pin box and jam packed with wires. REAL pain in the back trying to track down an "open" because my battery would not charge. (Turned out it was a corroded connection at the "truck to battery current limiter")

stevejahr · 08-19-2016, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herk7769

I am liking that!

Happy to feed your mod work queue as you have mine (and I *hate* going on roofs but that is where the A/C is so...).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herk7769

Mine is under the pin box and jam packed with wires. REAL pain in the back trying to track down an "open" because my battery would not charge. (Turned out it was a corroded connection at the "truck to battery current limiter")

Yeah *that* would be a sneaky little circuit breaker and the version on my bumper tow TT had umpteen wires all connected on this side or that side.

I generally prefer circuit breakers to NOT self reset, to have a visible sign of being tripped, and maybe to have a trip test feature. I hate these little box breakers as they fail my visibility test. Something like this is much better:

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...0227&ppt=C0335

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