Electric tongue jack wiring

goswick · 06-25-2009, 08:50 PM

I now own a 1968 Overlander and was excited to bring her home today. Last week I had my 4-pin connector on my truck replaced with a 7-pin. Lights, brakes, turn signals, etc all work as they should but the electric tongue jack does not operate. The seller assured me that the electric tongue jack was new and works as it is supposed to and I believe him. I suspect that the 7-pin on the tow vehicle isn't properly wired for the electric tongue jack. Can someone tell me if a certain pin/slot on the AS is used to support the electric tongue jack.

I hope my query is clear and makes sence.

Thanks,

Pete

**azflycaster** · 06-25-2009, 08:55 PM

The jack should work off of the battery in the trailer which would be supplemented by the TV if attached. If everything else works (lights, water pump, vent fans etc) I would suspect a blown fuse at the jack. There should be an in line fuse to the jack.

goswick · 06-25-2009, 09:45 PM

I will check the fuse tomorrow. The battery in the Airstream is dead but the electric tongue jack did not function when the Airstream was connected to land power. I "thought" the electric tongue jack operated solely from the power supplied by the tow vehicle. I plan to get a new battery once I figure what type to buy.

Just learning and and got a long way to go.

Thanks,

Pete

overlander63 · 06-25-2009, 10:21 PM

The jack works on the same circuit as the charge line from the tow vehicle. That is also the same wire as the power supply for the breakaway switch.

Alwhisman · 06-25-2009, 11:19 PM

I've got mine wired directly to the trailer battery. Most likely the fuse. If that's okay it could possibly be grounding (which should be okay). I prefer mine that way so I don't have to have my TV to use it.

Mexray · 06-26-2009, 12:38 AM

You can follow the wire from the jack itself, down the shaft to where it should be connected to a wire that runs along one of the tongue frame rails...from inside the trailer...

If the connection near the tongue is good and clean, check fuses, etc, inside at your fuse panel, as others have suggested...

Our 78 model's jack wire was connected through a separate circuit breaker in the fuse panel, to the main battery fuse 'buss' area...ours didn't work, so in checking with a digital voltmeter, I found that the circuit breaker was bad - replacing it cured the problem...

Using a digital voltmeter is the best way to 'trace' the path of your wiring...if you can find where the jack's wire is located in the fuse panel, check for 12 volts there, and work back to the jack till you find the problem...assuming of course you've replaced your 'dead' battery with the appropriate sized Deep Cycle battery for your trailer...also, running your converter/charger with a bad battery can cause additional problems...get a new battery, and start your search...

As an additional thought, you could also take a good battery, and jump it directly to the jack's (pos) wire, and the (neg) to the trailer frame to check and see if the jack does indeed 'work' as advertized...

good luck....
Ray

goswick · 07-05-2009, 02:53 PM

There are 2 wires coming from the head of the jack motor. I assume 1 is pos and the other is neg. Am I correct in this assumption?

Could I connect power from the battery to those wires just to insure that the jack works.

Thanks,

Pete

Mexray · 07-06-2009, 02:10 AM

Sure, you could hook up these wires directly to your battery...I'd use an inline fuse on the POS wire to protect the circuit...

Usually one wire is RED (pos) and the other BLACK (neg) for this kind of accessory...or you may find newer accessories with the BLACK (pos) and the WHITE (neg)...