Blowing running and left turn fuses

[mswanson]

I own a shoreland'r trailer for my 16' lund.

One day, I accidentally backed the rear of my trailer against the pier, and I noticed that I lost my left turn on the trailer. Turns out i popped the fuse in the car. I looked for damage to the bulb (none) and looked at the connections to the left of the trailer I concluded that this must be a momentary short caused by the collision.

Recently, I noticed the running light fuse blew after plugging in the flat 4 connection to my 8 pin connection to the car. After I replaced that fuse I was good to go, until about 6 hours in my trip where the same fuse blew while driving.

I'm suspecting that perhaps my flat 4 pin plug might have a short.

So far the problem isn't repeatable by moving any wires or connection around.

Should I start by rewriting the 4 pin plug, or should I just pull new wire though the entire trailer to be sure this problem is fixed.

This is a new to me trailer, so I'm not for sure that this problem was going on the entire time.

Sorry for the length, and thanks for any help!

 

[freddyray21]

Re: Blowing running and left turn fuses

my guess is one of the sockets has a bent pin where under vibration going down the road it shorts out and blows the fuse.

 

[mike343]

Re: Blowing running and left turn fuses

The problem started when you busted a light assembly. Easiest thing to do is to replace the light assembly.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Blowing running and left turn fuses

So what actual damage did you do when you hit the pier ??

 

[Knightgang]

Re: Blowing running and left turn fuses

Put a new light kit and wiring on the trailer. Everything new and fresh, be sure you have a good ground and inspect your vehicles pigtail for damamge. Finding none, you should be good to go...

 

[mswanson]

Re: Blowing running and left turn fuses

Sorry I've been out off town.

There was no damage to the trailer or the light assembly when I hit it on the pier. I believed at the time it caused some wires to short out momentary.

I have since trailered the boat 3 times on short hauls to a local lake and haven't blown a fuse yet.

I don't see what could be shorting out in the light assembly that I hit, I didn't even hit it hard enough to crack the lens or break the bulb.

The trailer pigtail seems to get bent around quite a bit from hooking and unhooking, so I might just replace that.

I guess it's pretty frustrating when it's not even repeating now, but no problem is fine for now.

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Blowing running and left turn fuses

I too would do a new light kit. This way you wire the whole trailer with single runs of wire without crimps splices or breaks to give problems. I believe in single runs of any submerged electrics. Helps to avoid shorts.
I also unplug before I dunk just as a precaution against electric problems.

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Blowing running and left turn fuses

Welcome to the world of electrical mysteries. Backing your trailer into the pier probably was not the cause of your problem. You can spend hours looking for a problem and not find it or rewire it with a trailer kit for cheep. Also check your truck/car side for probable problems. Plus make sure all grounds are clean and tight.

Like NHGuy said don't cut the wires even if you have extra. Any kind of wire connection on a trailer is a bad idea and asking for problems. In all light sockets/plug sockets use a dielectric grease. This will help the slow down of corrosion but wont stop it so that would be part of trailer maintenance.

One of my biggest pet peeves is fallowing a trailer in tow with out the lights working correctly.

 

[outdrsmn82]

Re: Blowing running and left turn fuses

i had this same issue with my boat trailer blowing fuses. but it wasnt til i put LEDs onit that i noticed the issue. i thought it was the LEDs. but after buying new lights and rewiring the entire trailer i noticed that it was my pigtail. i had put a little shackle to hold the pigtail up. turns out it got wedged and cut 3 of my 4 wires and was shorting out from rouching my receiver hitch. it was a simple fix. although i wish i wouldve noticed before all the hassle. lol good luck with it.

 

[Knightgang]

Re: Blowing running and left turn fuses

Your issue is a short somewhere, that is why the fuse is blowing. Rewire it and be done... issue solved...