Troubleshooting Re-Wired Flashers and Hazards on a Dump Trailer With Continually Blown Fuses

Question:

just rewired dump trailer and all the lights work,but fuse or relay blows shortly after plug in

asked by: Dale B

Expert Reply:

The most likely cause is a short in your trailer wiring. However, before you start tracing circuits, hook your tow vehicle up to another working trailer to verify that the issue is not on the tow vehicle side. If your tow vehicle worked fine with the other trailer then the problem is on the trailer side.

Visually check the wiring you just put on, looking for a small nick in the wire insulation that is allowing the copper wire to short out on the trailer frame. To fix the nick you can either use heavy duty electrical tape to close the hole or replace that particular section the wire. You will also want to review all of your connections. A loose connection or rusty lamp socket can also cause a short circuit.

Another possible shorting location is in your connector. If you re-used the same connector you will want to check the pins for corrosion or damage. Sometimes when corrosion builds up it can short out a connection.

I have attached a wiring FAQ article that can help.

expert reply by: Lori W