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Old 04-25-2013, 05:42 PM   #1
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12V Trailer Plug Wiring

Does this look right? These are the wire color codes marked in pencil in the
owner's manual by a former owner of the 1965 Aitstream I purchased. 1 is White,
2 is Blue, 3 is Brown, 4 is Red, 5 is Green, 6 is Blue and the center post is
Yellow. This is a variation from the standard configuation generally used.
They didn't change the color configuation in the manual for the tow vehicle.
Could it be that Airstream didn't use the standard color chart for the trailer
12V plug back in 1965? The numbers are odd also, from the top of the plug
looking at it and going clockwise they run 3, 5, 1, 2, 6, 4 with 7 in the
center.


Thanks, Dom
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Old 04-25-2013, 05:49 PM   #2
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These will only add to your confusion

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Old 04-25-2013, 06:09 PM   #3
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Thanks for the diagrams, they are quite a variation from what is marked up in my original owner's manual. I have had a trailer in the past that had a color code variation on the trailer end. I wonder if the former owner made these pencil notations on the manual diagram after trial and error getting the lights to work correctly. Attached is what I have based on the markup.
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Old 05-07-2013, 05:03 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by Zeppelinium View Post
Thanks for the "confusing" diagrams I'm trying to find the brake wire so I can install a new breakaway switch. Someone suggested that the brake wire at the A-frame on my 1973 is yellow. According to one of your diagrams (1965 - 1981), it looks like that could be the case. The two wires up front are so faded that it's hard to tell what their original color was. Also, it looks like something chewed bits of insulation off the wire here and there, so I'm afraid to use it. I could tape over the chewed parts, but I don't know if insulation has been chewed from the wire in hidden areas.
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Old 05-07-2013, 06:23 AM   #5
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The wiring on my 68 was not "exactly" right. When I installed a new umbilical cord and 7 blade plug to replace the old 6 pin style I wired the trailer plug to the "standard" on new vehicles. I remember a couple of wire colors did not do what post on the forums had shown they were supposed to do. A good 12v test light and a few jumper wires and it should not take long to find which wire does what. I have a fused jumper wire I made and used a spare 12V battery to get the trailer wiring figured out. Make a good diagram and then file it somewhere for future reference. Make sure you put a fuse in your jumper wires if you do it this way just in case. Bad business to melt a wire deep inside the trailer.
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Old 05-07-2013, 07:26 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by 68 TWind View Post
The wiring on my 68 was not "exactly" right. When I installed a new umbilical cord and 7 blade plug to replace the old 6 pin style I wired the trailer plug to the "standard" on new vehicles. I remember a couple of wire colors did not do what post on the forums had shown they were supposed to do. A good 12v test light and a few jumper wires and it should not take long to find which wire does what. I have a fused jumper wire I made and used a spare 12V battery to get the trailer wiring figured out. Make a good diagram and then file it somewhere for future reference. Make sure you put a fuse in your jumper wires if you do it this way just in case. Bad business to melt a wire deep inside the trailer.
Thanks. The fused jumper is a good idea.
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Old 05-07-2013, 10:06 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 68 TWind View Post
The wiring on my 68 was not "exactly" right. When I installed a new umbilical cord and 7 blade plug to replace the old 6 pin style I wired the trailer plug to the "standard" on new vehicles. I remember a couple of wire colors did not do what post on the forums had shown they were supposed to do. A good 12v test light and a few jumper wires and it should not take long to find which wire does what. I have a fused jumper wire I made and used a spare 12V battery to get the trailer wiring figured out. Make a good diagram and then file it somewhere for future reference. Make sure you put a fuse in your jumper wires if you do it this way just in case. Bad business to melt a wire deep inside the trailer.
I agree, fuses will save a lot of grief. A test light or meter is needed to figure out these old trailer wires, many mods being made over the years by PO's.
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Old 05-07-2013, 10:08 AM   #8
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Nice wiring diagrams Zep!!
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Old 05-07-2013, 01:07 PM   #9
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I've reached a dead end. There is a yellow wire inside the trailer at the 7-way connector, and that's probably the brake wire, but I haven't been able to find a way to get a wire outside. I can't drill down because the frame is in the way, and I certainly don't want to drill through the front of the trailer. I'll let it percolate for a while.
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Old 05-07-2013, 04:05 PM   #10
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Brakes are the yellow wire. I'm having trouble posting photos at the moment, but I assure you that if your 7-pin receptacle is offset to the curb side, you can drill down through the "C" channel just to 2" towards the curb and there is no frame there. Here's one photo that might help you. Take your banana skin off and slide a 1/2" PVC pipe through the frame member so you can fish a brake wire later. I had room to put an elbow on the PVC and bring it up through the "C" channel (after this photo was taken) so I can always fish a wire back to the axles without taking down the banana skin or belly pan.

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Old 05-07-2013, 07:23 PM   #11
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Brakes are the yellow wire. I'm having trouble posting photos at the moment, but I assure you that if your 7-pin receptacle is offset to the curb side, you can drill down through the "C" channel just to 2" towards the curb and there is no frame there. Here's one photo that might help you. Take your banana skin off and slide a 1/2" PVC pipe through the frame member so you can fish a brake wire later. I had room to put an elbow on the PVC and bring it up through the "C" channel (after this photo was taken) so I can always fish a wire back to the axles without taking down the banana skin or belly pan.

Attachment 185362

Zep
Thanks. I'll need a longer drill bit, but I'll see what I can do.
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Old 05-07-2013, 07:54 PM   #12
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Thanks. I'll need a longer drill bit, but I'll see what I can do.
The 7-way is in the front, center - right behind the propane tanks.
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Old 05-07-2013, 08:00 PM   #13
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The red and gray wires with the yellow wire nut going left in the picture are the jack and breakaway switch wires on my trailer. The previous owner disconnected them. I reconnected them according to the Airstream service manual diagram. I removed the front sofa and the front inside skin to access the wires and to rewire the 7-way.

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Old 05-08-2013, 04:27 AM   #14
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The red and gray wires with the yellow wire nut going left in the picture are the jack and breakaway switch wires on my trailer. The previous owner disconnected them. I reconnected them according to the Airstream service manual diagram. I removed the front sofa and the front inside skin to access the wires and to rewire the 7-way.

I tried to drill down here and hit what I assume is the frame. Should I continue and try to reach the outside world through this hole? Then I could clip onto that yellow wire and run it up front to the breakaway switch. I'm not going to remove the inner skin. I'm getting this ready to sell.
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Old 05-08-2013, 05:35 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by Splitrock View Post
The red and gray wires with the yellow wire nut going left in the picture are the jack and breakaway switch wires on my trailer. The previous owner disconnected them. I reconnected them according to the Airstream service manual diagram. I removed the front sofa and the front inside skin to access the wires and to rewire the 7-way.

I looked under the trailer, and I have easy access, via a wire nut, to the brake wires. There is a cable labeled "Brake Cable" with two wires inside it, a red and gray(?) dirty white(?). Would I run a wire from the red brake wire to the front of the trailer and the B-A switch, with the second B-A wire going to power?
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Old 05-08-2013, 06:25 AM   #16
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I looked under the trailer, and I have easy access, via a wire nut, to the brake wires. There is a cable labeled "Brake Cable" with two wires inside it, a red and gray(?) dirty white(?). Would I run a wire from the red brake wire to the front of the trailer and the B-A switch, with the second B-A wire going to power?
I crawled underneath, and here's what I found. The "Brake Cable" coming from the front of the trailer contains a black wire and a gray(?) wire. A red wire runs from each of them to the brakes. Yes, two red wires run to the brakes.

So, do I want to connect the B-A switch to the black wire or the gray?
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