Seven / 7 pin connector harness

[SteveSueMac]

Hi - I'm a bit confused. I was reading both the AS manual and my TV manual and see an odd discrepancy in the 7 pin connectors. Here's what I found:

Chevy:

Yellow: left stop/turn signal
Dark green: right stop/turn signal
Brown: tail lamps
White: ground
Light green: backup lamps
Red: battery feed
Dark blue: trailer brake

Requires installation of trailer connector (dealer).

Airstream:

Black: 12v
Green: clearance lights
Red: left turn
White: 12v
Blue: brake
Brown: right turn
Blank (center pin)

Also, the TV connector is "blades" and the AS manual drawing isn't clear but appears to be blades as well I think.

Assuming it's blades to blades, do I have to rewire one end of the harness so this will work? Would have thought this was completely plug and play - I must be missing something?? Thanks for your help! Photos below are TV harness connection then AS manual diagram.

[TG Twinkie]

Since both the TV and the coach are relatively new. It should be a plug and play situation.

[Jammer]

Airstream does not follow the standard color code, but they use the standard pin positions. As long as you don't have to replace the connector, it should work fine.

[Splitrock]

On my antique trailer, wire color and plug pin function are two different subjects. I wired the cord and the trailer to agree with a standard 7-way tester.

[robert claus]

Wiring color may not match, and doesn't matter unless you are re-wiring. Blade function is the only thing that does. Use a 12v test light and check the function of each blade on the TV with the ignition on, and make sure the function matches the Airstream diagram. Or, you can just plug it in and see what happens. Worst case scenario is a blown fuse in the TV, and then you know you have to re-wire.

[dwightdi]

The more basic question is whether to use the round pin plugs that are supplied with Airstreams and convert the square pin connectors on the Truck or keep the truck connector and change the connector on the trailer. Some claim the round pin has better reliability. I have done it both ways over the years and have not observed all that much difference in performance.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by dwightdi

The more basic question is whether to use the round pin plugs that are supplied with Airstreams and convert the square pin connectors on the Truck or keep the truck connector and change the connector on the trailer. Some claim the round pin has better reliability. I have done it both ways over the years and have not observed all that much difference in performance.

Thanks all for your answers so far. The AS manual shows the location of each wire but the Chevy manual only provides a list - I guess I have to take it on faith that the location of the pins will align regardless of wire color? Yikes :-? AS mentions a wire for clearance lights but not the Chevy.... I guess we'll see?

Dwightdi - it looks like the AS drawing is suggesting it is blades, not round pins, but I can't be sure. Do 2012s have pins or blades?

[polarlyse]

In the trucking industry they call them clearance lights. In the automotive industry they are called parking lights. In reality they are the same thing. Lights that are on all the time that the light switch is turned on. Do yourself a favor and go buy a test light. They are cheap and invaluable in troubleshooting auto electrics. Check out your fuses and have a few of them on hand too. The test light is an easy way to identify the functions of the light plug / socket. The trucking industry also uses the pin type plugs. Some say they are for heavy duty applications and can handle more abuse. The RV industry went to the spade connector. They work well and will prove reliable and if you ever need to re-do it you can decide then if you want to change over or not. I recommend that you get a cheap toolbox and as you accumulate auto electric items keep them handy and take along when trailering. Someday it will save you a lot of aggravation.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by polarlyse

In the trucking industry they call them clearance lights. In the automotive industry they are called parking lights.

So to recap…
Yellow: left stop/turn signal (Chevy) = red: left turn (Airstream)
Dark green: right stop/turn signal (Chevy) = brown: right turn (Airstream)
Brown: tail lamps (Chevy) = green: clearance lights (Airstream)
White: ground (Chevy) = white: 12v (Airstream) color match
Light green: backup lamps (Chevy) = blank (Airstream) no backup lamps on Airstream
Red: battery feed (Chevy) = black:12v (Airstream)
Dark blue: trailer brake (Chevy) = blue: brakes (Airstream)

Does that sound right?

To avoid rewiring either socket and invalidating the owner's manuals, the plugs on the cable need to be wired so that the pin with the yellow wire on the Chevy is connected to the pin with the red wire on the Airstream, etc. With all the rewiring being done on the umbilical cable, no rewiring needs to be done on either vehicle or trailer.

When my toad was being fitted with supplemental brakes and having relays installed so that the car's lights would match the Airstream Interstate's lights while being towed, the umbilical cable that connected the two had to be wired like that, so that pin 1 on the RV wasn't necessarily wired to Pin 1 on the toad, etc.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

So to recap…

(Edit)
Does that sound right?

To avoid rewiring either socket and invalidating the owner's manuals, the plugs on the cable need to be wired so that the pin with the yellow wire on the Chevy is connected to the pin with the red wire on the Airstream, etc. With all the rewiring being done on the umbilical cable, no rewiring needs to be done on either vehicle or trailer.

Thanks Protagonist. Yes, you've got it right and I feel like "light dawns on Marblehead"! Of course - wiring the cable between TV and TT makes sense!

Appreciate all the other tips and suggestions as well everyone!

[SteveSueMac]

As it turns out, it actually is plug and play. All worked without any issue. Whew! :-)

[Scott J-24]

When we got our 2009 AS we just plugged it into our 2010 Tundra's 7-pin connector and everything worked great. Sounds like plug-and-play to me. If you have a late model AS and late mode TV everything should be just fine.

NOTE: I realize that this is not the case for older (vintage?) Airstreams.

That being said, having a multi-meter in your toolbox will come in handy.