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Old 11-17-2007, 11:16 PM   #1
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Checked the Batt fuse lately?

yesterday I was adding supplemental back up light to my truck. I hooked everything up the same as my old TV. Power for the lights off the trailer batt line and the relay activation off the reverse line. I tested it out, nothing. huh? This set up worked fine on my other F-250. Ok so we start trouble shooting. I pulled out the multimeter and hooked it up to the Batt and negative lines in the trailer connector. With the ignition on... nothing. Huh? Ok I head up front break out the owners manual look up the fuse location. Pull all the covers and the fuse. I look at the sucker and cannot tell. Once agai nthe multimeter comes out. Sure enough it is blown. I have no spare on hand (I do now), so off the auto parts store. I put a new one in and it worked like a charm. I installed a disable switch right under the trailer connector so as not to overload and blind myself when backing with the trailer attached.

No to figure out how/when the fuse blew. I start thinking when I could have put such a huge load on it. Ah Hah! Last March when I parked my trailer for a few days the furnance stuck on. Drained the batteries. I did not find out until I wanted to hook her up and tow it away. I hooked it up to the Tv and tried to raised the jack. Briefly this worked. This is when the fuse blew. The batteries trying to charge and running the jack was just too much. I have been running around for the past 9 months with no batt line. Good things the Solar panels work!

So when was the last time you checked your Batt circuit?
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Old 11-18-2007, 08:27 AM   #2
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Good point Michelle,

Before I hook up the trailer, I always plug in a little device called an 'emulator'. It goes right into the 7-way on the TV and has 6 LEDs on it to tell you the condition of the circuits that are connected to the 7-way......like charge line, turn signals, brake lights, etc.

Very handy gizmo for trouble shooting any problems or just to see what's going on.
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Old 11-18-2007, 10:04 AM   #3
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Where does one get one of these?
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Old 11-18-2007, 10:07 AM   #4
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Let me know too I need one of them emulator thingy's.....SAM
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Old 11-18-2007, 10:47 AM   #5
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What is the Amp rating on that fuse? Michelle, I though you would have replaced that with an aircraft circut breaker. Or is it integrated into the TV fuse block?
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Old 11-18-2007, 10:51 AM   #6
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same thing happened to me a few years ago...I don't know when or how, because like you said, it isn't quite obvious. anyway, after a weekend of boondocking, and running the battery down pretty low, I was having a hard time getting the electric jack to lift the tongue onto the ball...I figured, "no problem, I'll just plug in the umbilical". but that didn't help. Well, it did eventually get up high enough to hookup, so I figured, "oh, well...I guess it'll get a little bit of a charge on the 3 hr drive home". It didn't. had to actually plug the trailer into a/c before I could unhook, as it used its very last measure of devotion to get us hooked up earlier in the day.

anyway, as for the rest...same story. a little poking around with the multi-meter revealed the problem--a very expensive 40 amp fuse. Bought a replacement, and a spare...haven't needed the spare yet, and its been several years. I don't know what situation could've blown a fuse like that...could be that it was just old and/or defective...sometimes, they just "blow", you know? Do you suppose that just plugging in the umbilical when the battery is really low or dead, would cause a sudden surge of juice to try and get through the relatively thin (high-resistance) charge line?
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Old 11-18-2007, 03:55 PM   #7
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It's a plastic inserthat fits into your 7-way. Some also have a 4-way plug on the reverse side. Most well stocked RV supply outlets have them.

If you have truble finding one, let me know and I'll 'acqiure' some for ya.
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Old 11-18-2007, 07:22 PM   #8
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It is a 20A fuse in the main fuse block. The truck was purchased wit hte factory tow package and tow command. If I was building a vehicle is would have an aircraft style breaker panel! Pullable breakers for all circuits!
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Old 11-18-2007, 07:26 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuck
I don't know what situation could've blown a fuse like that...could be that it was just old and/or defective...sometimes, they just "blow", you know? Do you suppose that just plugging in the umbilical when the battery is really low or dead, would cause a sudden surge of juice to try and get through the relatively thin (high-resistance) charge line?
I am sure the trucks attempt to charge the batteries as well as the load of the jack motor was more than the line was designed for. I was not in a place to plug in. I had to hook up the generator.
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Old 11-18-2007, 07:28 PM   #10
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I will have a look. Find a "well stocked" Rv dealer out her could be a problem! I have a few days in Boise. I will visit as many Rv outlets as I can.
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Old 11-18-2007, 07:37 PM   #11
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Finding the emulator took a little Googling, but I found:

Southwest Wheel Company - 7-way Trailer Emulator

Is that what you mean, Lewster?
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Old 11-19-2007, 06:38 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim A.
Finding the emulator took a little Googling, but I found:

Southwest Wheel Company - 7-way Trailer Emulator

Is that what you mean, Lewster?
YUP!

That's the little beastie....................

Mine is slightly different in that the side opposite the 7-way has a 4-way for testing those also, but this one should work perfectly well!!

Good work!
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Old 11-19-2007, 06:46 AM   #13
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Yikes! Did you see the shipping costs from them - it's a third of the price for just ground shipping! No thanks.

Thanks for the tip Lew! I'll search around here.
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Old 11-26-2007, 06:41 AM   #14
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Discovered a trailer power fuse blown on my '06 GMC. 40 amp. I think that I blew the fuse while working on my car hauler trailer.
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Old 11-26-2007, 09:45 AM   #15
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Thumbs up Power Port

Quote:
Originally Posted by thecatsandi
Where does one get one of these?


Plug in a digital volt meter at one of the power ports,ck with and

without tv running.
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