F350 Trailer Tow Wiring
- coaledsweat
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Here's a good one. 2002 F350, trailer fuse rated at 20 amps is blown, no trailer lights. Prodigy controller acts funny, no characters to tell you connected/not connected. Pick up a fuse and install it with the trailer not connected. Power up, everything lights up, controller says not connected. Step on the brake and poof! Fuse is gone. Where do I start? Yeah, bought two more fuses.
- 2001Sierra
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Why not check brake solenoids for excessive resistance/short.
- StokerDon
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Don't be tempted to put a bigger fuse in, that will only make things worse.
-Don
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Take trailer plug apart and spray with CRC component cooler ... wet?. Then replace all brake solenoids they are cheap enough and tend to wear out. good luck.
- coaledsweat
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Do you mean the trailer brakes? It isn't even connected. I just stepped on the brake in the truck and it burnt tbe fuse. It has nothing to do with the trailer.2001Sierra wrote: ↑Fri. Jan. 04, 2019 6:41 pmWhy not check brake solenoids for excessive resistance/short.
Or the brake controller? That is plugged into the factory harness. No splices or Mickey Mouse there.
Solenoids? Do you mean the magnets that energize the trailer brakes?
- 2001Sierra
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OOPS I thought the trailer was connected, and yes I meant the magnets, which behave similar to a solenoid.
I too agree with unplugging the brake controller.
I too agree with unplugging the brake controller.
- coaledsweat
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Yes, I planned on unplugging that. Wonder what the odds are of it being the controller?
- McGiever
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Or even CRC CO Contact Cleaner, to clean crud and remove moisture...but that cleans so good that corrosion is going to be your next problem, so after cleaner dries good add a good protectant coating such as CRC 2-26 to the cleaned contacts area to ward off future corrosion.coalnewbie wrote: ↑Fri. Jan. 04, 2019 8:27 pmTake trailer plug apart and spray with CRC component cooler ... wet?. Then replace all brake solenoids they are cheap enough and tend to wear out. good luck.
- Rob R.
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I think it is more likely to be a wiring problem, but at least with the controller removed you can isolate it to the wiring for the trailer brakes (or the controller itself).coaledsweat wrote: ↑Fri. Jan. 04, 2019 11:06 pmYes, I planned on unplugging that. Wonder what the odds are of it being the controller?
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Rob, you can pull the fuse out of it's socket. Find which side is hot and which side feeds out. Put one side of a multimeter in the outgoing side and ground the other lead. Then you can use Ohms to chase your problem without going through 20 fuses. You'll get a low reading or 0 when you've found a grounded (short) wire.
Then you can unplug your controller and see if the problem goes away. The other usual suspect is at the plug socket with salt and crap getting in there.
Then you can unplug your controller and see if the problem goes away. The other usual suspect is at the plug socket with salt and crap getting in there.
- coaledsweat
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I've isolated the hot side and read the cold, it was a fairly low # as I recall. I probably should read it with the brake pedal applied to get an accurate idea of what's going on. It's raining now so I'm not going to fool with it until it stops. The controller is solid state so I'm guessing it is more than likely the socket. Or maybe the rotted pickup bed has crushed some wires between it and the frame.cabinover wrote: ↑Sat. Jan. 05, 2019 9:05 amRob, you can pull the fuse out of it's socket. Find which side is hot and which side feeds out. Put one side of a multimeter in the outgoing side and ground the other lead. Then you can use Ohms to chase your problem without going through 20 fuses. You'll get a low reading or 0 when you've found a grounded (short) wire.
Then you can unplug your controller and see if the problem goes away. The other usual suspect is at the plug socket with salt and crap getting in there.