F@$*ING trailer board!

SimonCh · 26 February 2013, 17:38

OMG, what a piece of crap.... It works until I touch the brake with the fog light on, then doesnt work at all. Fog light doesnt work, just illuminates the number Plate! Checked the plug on the car, and on the trailer board, also in behind all the bulbs - seems to be in good nick, with nothing crossing. So frustrating. Going to try the board on a friends car to make sure its wrong and not the wireing in my car.

Rant over

Si

kerny · 26 February 2013, 17:39

Know how you feel...

http://www.rib.net/forum/f49/trailer...rds-53101.html

falcon0310 · 26 February 2013, 19:04

got 6 ft off ebay new and was broken before even put on boat

Trailer Guy · 26 February 2013, 20:09

Check your earths (white cable).

SimonCh · 26 February 2013, 20:23

Check what with it Ben? It's definitely connected at both ends!

Trailer Guy · 26 February 2013, 20:59

lmao - well that's a start at least!

Try a continuity test, to make sure they're good (sounds like a lot of effort, but shouldn't take you five mins with a multimeter).

Either that or I could send you another with other bits you've ordered

SimonCh · 26 February 2013, 21:12

Ill give it a shot after I decide the trailer board is defo the issue and not my car. As for a new one? At indespension prices!? You think I'm made of money!? Haha!

Trailer Guy · 26 February 2013, 22:24

When have I ever charged Indespension prices?!

spartacus · 26 February 2013, 23:48

A little piece of wet and dry sandpaper is your friend.

Check the 12v connection point on the towbar. Sometimes you'll see a little oxidisation on the copper terminals. Roll the sandpaper (like Golden Virginia), grit facing out and clean them. A soft bristle wire brush can be used in addition.

I've also seen me open the plastic lens covers on the light board to twist the bulbs and check the contacts for corrosion.

SimonCh · 27 February 2013, 08:20

Ben - good point, your prices are fantastic to be fair!

Spartacus, cheers - ill give that a shot and see how it goes.

Thanks as always

Si

dpround · 27 February 2013, 10:34

It certainly sounds like an earth fault. Put a multimeter between the white wire and a good earth on the car. Should be nearly 0V with the lights on. Start from the trailer board where I expect it will be more like 6-8V and work towards the car until you find where it drops. Fix that bit. At a guess, I would change the plug and socket as they are generally horribly made - even the more expensive ones are nasty inside. Steel screws in brass in a harsh environment - who though that was a good idea!

If anyone has found a source of trailer plugs & sockets that are any good, I would be interested.

David

Trailer Guy · 27 February 2013, 11:27

The 13 pin ones I do are stainless. Much better idea!

SimonCh · 11 March 2013, 11:02

Turns out the trailer board was fine (tried it on a mates car) so I cut the trailer harness half way and spliced in new wires as they were quite black and nasty. Still the same. So completely wired it again from scratch - the same way the garage had done it (towbar fitted by Honda). Still no bloody joy. Eventually I bought a proper wiring loom that is car specific - ripped the plastics out my car AGAIN and now it works a treat, so Christ knows what was going on. But if I have to use a single electrical connector in the next month or so, I think I will cry.

Si

Peter_C · 11 March 2013, 20:42

These are the devils invention. If you had these in your install, they were the problem. Solder, a good sealer and heat shrink when applicable are the right way.

Cookee · 12 March 2013, 09:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_C

These are the devils invention. If you had these in your install, they were the problem. Solder, a good sealer and heat shrink when applicable are the right way.

+1! For dry indoor use only!

SimonCh · 12 March 2013, 09:36

those were used to tap in the to car wiring, but when i spliced the wires together, i used decent connectors... and heat shrink! Still naff all. As i say - wiring kit is the way to go, just a plug in job, and will use one of them every time now!

9D280 · 12 March 2013, 10:18

No idea what you drive, but some of the new cars the "lighting module" needs to be told there is a trailer in place. Donlt ask me how it all works, but I am i nthe process of a trailer re-wire to allowm me to use the 13 pin thing I have o nthe car to it;s full advantage (using a 2 pin Bulgin Buccaneer to charge the boat battery, got reversing lights etc) BUT the thing I found after a bit of reasearch is that some cars (not mine, but I'm fututre proofing!) use a short between pin X & earth to tell the car there's a trailer on so it alters the stability control / ABS settings / rear fog light on the car off etc etc.

I must admit I did mutter a bit when I got the car with the 13 pin socket, but now I wouldn't go back.

Apologies for the slight hyjack.

Cookee · 12 March 2013, 14:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9D280

No idea what you drive, but some of the new cars the "lighting module" needs to be told there is a trailer in place. Donlt ask me how it all works,

They have a canbus system so it's all digital in new stuff - just like NMEA 2000 in a boat!

BogMonster · 13 March 2013, 10:08

Ahhh scotchloks

Al Baker · 13 March 2013, 10:52

Tip for emergency trailer light patch:

I had to drive a long way in Turkey recently with a rented van and trailered rib.
We backed the van up to the Rib as dusk was falling and low and behold the plug and socket were miss matched. We got another plug and an electrician who worked hard until it was dark but it seemed that there was problems in the van wiring loom.

Having a deadline to meet 200 miles away and adversity being the mother of invention I decided to unscrew the trailer light lenses and put a petzl LED headlamp under each. The road was all highway so I wasn't worried about getting pulled for brake lights. it worked a treat.