Seem to have found the last headache to tow my small utility trailer. All lights on the trailer work however I am only getting 8 volts all around(2 tails lights and 2 side blinkers). Using the Atlantic British wiring kit. I have the ARB front bumper with indicator lights spliced in to the existing blinkers. Since then, the trailer light on the dash has been blinking when I turn. I know a computer in there senses the extra current draw and turns on the warning light. Soooooo with the bumper and the trailer lights do you guys think I'm drawing too much current and there's just not enough to go around? If so would the fix to this be running the trailer its own power wire and splicing it in....somewhere? thanks

 

That is NOT a warning light, it is to let you know that the trailer lights ARE working.
If your trailer is connected and the little trailer on the dash stops flashing with your turn signals then the trailer lights have stopped working.

I have no idea on what could be wrong, I just wanted to set the record straight on the little trailer on the dash.

 

Sorry Spike I knew that was not a warning light. Used the wrong term there did some reading in the rave before the post. thank you for making sure anyway though. Problems can hide in the little details too.

Also I forgot the obvious symptom, the lights are so dim its almost impossible to see them. Saying there was only 8 volts to them I suppose implied that but just to clear things up.

 

Try a new ground. Use a battery jumper cable, from good metal spot on trailer to (-) battery or good metal spot on truck (not one of those shiny AC freon lines).

 

Thanks Savannah thats a damn good quick test. First thing in the morning. thank you.

 

Have you or someone ever installed a factory trailer wiring kit to your trucks wire harness, if not that is why you are not getting enough voltage.
If someone just wires into the harness, you are only getting 8 volts because that is the way they do it in the UK.
Here we must add a convertor which also gives you the extra voltage required to hand the lights.

 

Mike- I received the truck with the factory kit installed. The first time I hooked in the trailer I got no power whatsoever. I used the Atlantic British 7 round pin to 4 flat converter plug. Closer inspection behind the tail light revealed a short in the wires attached to the factory converter module mounted behind that tail light. That blew up the factory converter.

I could not locate this part in junkyards nearby. Atlantic British does not sell the factory harness (called and checked). Rover Land sells it but its been out of stock for months. Got tired of waiting and bought the "home made" kit from Atlantic British. That Replaced the factory harness. I believe the one that comes from Atlantic British has the converter as well (rectangle box).

The ARB bumper is wired right into the front blinker wires. The computer must measure that as well. Tried Savannah's idea and that did not change the issue. Used several clean metal points on the the truck and trailer. Appreciate the idea anyway though.

Spent about 10 minutes cleaning the plugs and was able to reach 11 volts. Still missing one. Think some electric grease will help?

 

You are up against a design issue. The turn signal relays (and perhaps other points, I'm not sure) have a 1 ohm resistor in series with their contacts. So if you have 4 amps of light bulb draw, Ohm's Law applies, and four amps X 1 ohm produces a 4 volt drop across that resistor, so you end up with 8-9 volts at the connector. LED lights draw less, and may work a little better, but some sort of module / relay package will be needed to get around that. Here's a piece of the RAVE schematic.

 

much appreciated Savannah. Finding some LED lights shouldn't be too hard. Even with the extra voltage I don't think these lights are all that great anyway and would like a more visible warning from my rear end anyway haha

 

Not sure what's different with a DII, but both my D1's get enough voltage to the trailer lights using just a cheap Hoppy converter. And that includes running the tail lights plus 4 marker lights and license plate light. I don't use the one that boosts voltage and don't have LED's.