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Old 05-22-2022, 03:14 PM   #1
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1984(?) T1550 Wiring Questions

Hello, Looking for help with wiring. Previous owner disconnected original wiring and connected only the turn/brake lights as well as a breakaway switch.
Fortunately they left the wiring intact. I have begun replacing the running lights and see the wire coming from the trailer being a double green and double white set of wires for each light. The ones I purchased have only 1 red and black wire. Can I combine and connect the green from the trailer light opening to the red and combine/connect white to the black?

Can I test by simply connecting the green wire from the original wiring to the positive battery post and the black to the negative battery post?

To reconnect the original wiring to a new harness and new breakaway switch I need to know what each of the original wires are. Please see picture that shows the original wires plus the wire that goes to the newer brake/turn lights and the brakes from the breakaway switch. The colors I see are Large Black, Large White, blue, brown, green, red

trailer wiring.jpg

Thanks
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Old 06-03-2022, 11:56 AM   #2
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Hi BZB,

Sorry I missed your post somehow. For the future, if you do not get a response, create a reply on your post to ask for help again, this will turn on a yellow, unread, symbol for the regular posters, on the forum. There are several of us that know the DOT light wiring on the camper. They usually chime in.

The 6 wires you have hanging out on your pic, have the same colors as a standard RV trailer and or a non RV trailer. And the heavy gauge black and white seems to point to the truck battery charge wire, (the black) and the truck ground, the white. The truck charge wire is fused and then connects to the camper onboard battery.

BUT, I can tell that wire loom, that wire bundle is not original for a 1984 from Sunline. So a prior owner did something and what, we cannot tell from here with the little you have shown. We do not even see a 7 wire truck cord.

We can help this way. See this post, https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f...tml#post149193

I responded with a picture of the color codes for the RV industry DOT lights. It also lists the trailer industry color codes too starting at the 7 wire plug end going into the truck.

You are going to have to trace out the wires in the camper to see what the prior owner connected the colors too. Not sure what colors they pic'ed for what purpose.

To your running lights, the clearance lights, yes the RV standard used green as the running light hot wire color from the 7 wire truck cable. And Sunline daisy chained the green wires in parallel from one light to the next. They also ran a white ground wire also, daisy chained from light to light. The green and white would be in the wall cavity behind the outside running light fixture. Any new clearance light may not have a green wire on it, many have black and white, but not all. The black is normally the hot wire, in this case it would go to the green and the white is the ground, it goes to the white wire in the trailer.

Rear stop/turn lights are a mixed bag of colors from the light fixture manufacture. The passenger side (*right side) normally had a brown for the stop & turn and a green for the running light. White was ground. The left side, driver side has the red for the turn & stop and a green for the running light. BUT... some use their own colors, look at the back of the fixture and see if there is a wiring diagram and the color call outs. They may have also used the trailer industry colors and not the RV industry colors.

Since your trailer had wiring unhooked, the camper originally had electric brakes that might be unhooked. The 7 wire plug to the truck used a heavier blue wire for the brakes. That blue would go to the brakes and tie into the emergency breakaway switch. And the other end of the breakaway switch went to the battery. Not sure if you have one of them or if the brakes are even hooked up any more, but they are supposed to be by law in most all states.

See if this helps any, and ask back any and all questions. The pics go a long way in showing what you have, good for you for posting the first pic, by seeing it we can tell, that wire bundle is not Sunline original.

To this comment you made,
Quote:
Can I test by simply connecting the green wire from the original wiring to the positive battery post and the black to the negative battery post?
Sunline did not use black as the DC negative, they used white. Black meant DC positive or a heavy gauge red wire to the battery was also DC positive. While the green wire from the camper may be the running light hot wire, the big black wire might be hooked to the battery positive. You are going to have to trace each wire where it goes and then sort out the colors. Or at least the new wiring the prior owner did.

You may have to use an ohm meter to sort out which wire and which goes in a continuity test where if it disappears into the camper without using and power to test with. If you want to do a powered up test, a volt meter or a test light could be a try, while it may tell you the wire is hot, it may not tell you the ground wire has any good connection. In the DC world, while the hot wire gets a lot of attention in troubleshooting, no power then nothing is going to work, but you can have power, but if you have no ground, the power is not going to light up the bulb.

What you have is a search and destroy mission to ring out what ever the prior did. And fix each issue as you find it. Do not assume anything is hooked up right.

Hope this helps

John

PS. also to note, some of the 80's camper had small glass fuses in the DOT lighting system. These would be inside, many times somewhat near the power converter. Have no idea if the prior owner left them in place or not. If they are in the circuit still, make sure the fuses are good.
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Old 06-04-2022, 12:19 PM   #3
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Hello and thanks for posting this information. Since I posted the original question I have replaced all the clearance lights and tested them by clamping the green wire to the positive post of the on board battery. They all are working. I have removed the turn signal/brake housing and tested the wiring there and it is also connected and has continuity. I am adding more pictures for feedback. Previous owners used a different set of wires altogether to run to a set of magnetic tow lights. They also had a set of wires going to the brakes from the breakaway switch. I plan to replace that switch as well as a new 7 blade connector once I've tested all the wiring. I've postes the first 6 pictures in this reply. Will post remaining in a new reply.
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Old 06-04-2022, 12:21 PM   #4
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last set of wiring pictures under camper

Final pictures
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Old 06-04-2022, 12:53 PM   #5
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My next steps are to install the new brake/turn lights and test. Wiring appears to be intact to and from the fuse panel. Then I will install the new breakaway switch and reattach to the wires that are running to the brakes. I appears to me that the blue wire is spliced to the owner-replaced 4 blade connector as it comes up through the floor. That, in turn, is spiced to a black two-wire set that travels back along a pipe to the brakes. So my intent is to undo the splice and attach all the 'original' wires to a new 7 blade connector. My truck, a 2004 Toyota Tundra has a brake controller so I suppose once all is said and done connection-wise I could use. However I have had an overheating issue when I replaced the bearings. I suspected the brakes were engaged and the pads are old and look worn to my eye. If I cannot get the brakes working I intend to take it to a repair shop and have them turn the drum and replace the pads if that's possible.
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Old 06-05-2022, 09:16 AM   #6
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Hi BZB,

Thanks for reporting back. Your great pics and post will hep you and others in the future.

A few things, This pic does not look right or has issues.



That appears to "maybe" be a ground buss bar. BUT there green and red wires going to it, and that does not fit a ground setup. And there there is the blue wire nutted to something.

You will have to ring out what that is all about.

I figured the prior owner may have wired into a flat 4 wire connecter. There is no brakes in a 4 wire flat setup.

To your hot wheels, yes, if the brakes were on all the time, that would create heat. But there are other reasons for heat too.

First is to sort out the brake wiring and get that straight. Try and see if they had it mixed up and energized.

Trailer brake shoe lining are thin, a lot thinner then auto brakes. Dexter, and Alko recommend when the lining get to 1/16", it is time to replace them. Not sure where yours is, have a look and while looking take some pics of the brake plate.

The bearings, either lack of lube, or too tight or too loose on the axle nut, or a bad bearing, can cause excess heat. Also if the adjuster is so tight the brake drags hard all the time. Sort out the electrical and then check the mechanical.

Not sure what brand brakes you have. Some of the older ones had Hayes while others had Dexter. Dexter is still in business, Hayes is not and pending if the brake plates is welded to the axle or not can be an issues.

As long as the linings are thick enough beyond the 1/16" min, the brake drums not heavily scored and the magnets work, cleaning up and adjusting has many times proven to get the brakes working again.

Your doing great! Keep going, you are gaining.

John
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Old 06-05-2022, 09:18 AM   #7
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This pic does show a 2 wire cable, but I cannot see the cable actually tying into the brake coils on the back side of the brake plate. They may be tied in, just can't see it in this pic. Have a look

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Old 06-11-2022, 05:56 PM   #8
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Brake / Turn Light Replacements

Follow up. As of this writing I have replaced the tail lights and am ready to remove the magnetic towing lights previous owner wired to the coupler to trailer. I have not pulled the wheels to examine the brakes but will take more pictures when I get into that. Next step is to replace the breakaway switch and wire it per the instructions that came with the device. I will also trace the black and white wires in question before but if I recall they went along the bathroom wall and connected to the inverter under the bed. I will also get a better shot of that blue wire splice as it will be desirable for me to have the brake system in place. More pictures coming.
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Old 06-12-2022, 11:55 AM   #9
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Your making good progress! Thanks for sharing.
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Old 10-10-2022, 05:26 PM   #10
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follow up

Hi all. Today I spent the day replacing the wire harness asl well as the breakaway switch. What works: Clearance lights all around, Tail lights and turn signals. The lights I purchased and installed have backup lights but there was no wiring for it on the trailer. Maybe in the future....
Electric brakes have not been connected and won't be until I test the breakaway switch and get a look at the brakes by pulling the wheels.
Battery charge cable not connected yet. I have a solar charger on the roof and live in Arizona. Battery health indicator shows it's in good shape.
One thing I noticed: When I hit either turn signal in the towing vehicle the opposite light flashes slightly as do the clearance lights. The wiring was connected correctly and before I did I connected a volt-ohm meter and noticed the readings where correct for the left and right turn signals. Also when using hazards the running lights flash too.
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