ALL trailer lights flash when 4-ways or turn signals are turned on: How to fix?

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by Powell-Peralta, Feb 23, 2011.

  1. Pablo-UA

    Pablo-UA Road Train Member

    7,604
    1,642
    Oct 11, 2010
    Borispol, Ukraine
    0
    Noce illustration!
     
    lilillill Thanks this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. heavyhaulerss

    heavyhaulerss Road Train Member

    3,723
    2,040
    Dec 23, 2009
    AL/TN BORDER
    0
    You forgot about the 1.21 gigawatts needed to power the flux capacitor that sends the electrical current to the light's, which can be achieved by reaching 88 m.p.h. :biggrin_25525:
     
    lilillill and Heavyd Thank this.
  4. Powell-Peralta

    Powell-Peralta Road Train Member

    1,585
    240
    Jul 17, 2007
    0
    Please continue with the drawings and explainations of electricity.



    i tried a new tail and everything's ok. Then i plugged the old one back in and noticed that if i jiggled the wire a certain way the lights would work normally. So, i think having the pigtail tied up at a certain extreme angle----the shop tied it together with the air lines with plastic ties at almost 90 degrees. i think this eventually caused the wiring to break up.
     
  5. josh.c

    josh.c Road Train Member

    1,105
    420
    Feb 22, 2009
    Knoxville, Tn
    0
    Barcode, great explanation. I knew what you were talking about without the picture, because I've had it happen, but I never would have been able to explain it with words. Top notch.
     
    lilillill Thanks this.
  6. Boardhauler

    Boardhauler Road Train Member

    1,710
    3,475
    Dec 21, 2008
    Ballin' in it for Shakey
    0
    Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


     
    heyns57 Thanks this.
  7. mitchtazz

    mitchtazz Road Train Member

    1,826
    503
    Sep 6, 2009
    Lake Wales, Fl
    0
    i've been under my trailer adjust brakes and it's not wired that way.. it has one green cable running the entire length of the trailer and about 10' from the rear of the trailer it has two plugs that join into a splicer (for the left and right turn signals/markers), but the main cable runs to the back where it only has one ground. think i got boo boo'd on.
     
  8. camper

    camper Bobtail Member

    20
    8
    May 16, 2010
    Ketchikan, AK
    0
    The trailer ground circuit needs to run through the pigtail to the tractor, running the ground through the fifth wheel or hitch is going to be problematic.
    If the ground is interrupted, the voltage will find its way to ground by trying to backfeed through the rest of the lighting system.
    If you are waiting for the fifthwheel to 'set' for your lights to work, you need to have the pigtail ground circuit repaired.
    All of the lights should work properly even if the truck and trailer were separated.
    The diagrams posted by lilillill are very good.
     
  9. TTNJ

    TTNJ Heavy Load Member

    704
    954
    Nov 21, 2017
    0
    I realize this is a very old thread but I am having a similiar issue. I started the trailer wiring without having my truck connected and used one open circuit with a spare battery to light it up as I went to make sure all was good.
    I then backed my truck all of the way under the trailer and tested using the truck and everything worked as it should. I wasn’t quite finished and had to unhook from the trailer. Finished the wiring and backed truck close enough to connect the lights, but I didn’t back all of the way under the trailer. When lights were connected the lights came on the trailer without even turning anything on. Turn signals worked but were also dimming the chicken lights. When I apply the brake the chicken lights turn off and then come back on when I let off of the brake.
    So my question is do I need to be fully under the trailer for the lights to work as they should? Perhaps the ground is not complete without this?
     
  10. TTNJ

    TTNJ Heavy Load Member

    704
    954
    Nov 21, 2017
    0
    For what it is worth I figured it out this morning. It was a ground issue
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.