Losing Trailer Electrical Ground

UnlistMe
Gather App
Inventry
J

JMJ Farms

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2015
Messages
4,812
City & State/Province
Middle Georgia
I have a 13 Ram 2500. I'm having problems with all my gooseneck trailers losing ground. One is wired with an individual ground to each light. The others have a ground on the neck only. Could it be the truck? (FWIW, I tapped into the wiring harness on the truck and added another ground but this still didn't fix the problem). On my inline hay trailer it will ground when I set a bale on the trailer with the tractor. As soon as the tractor loses contact with the bale, it loses ground again. Thoughts?
 
My first solution would be to run a ground wire from the battery to the gooseneck mount in the truck.
 
dun":2fyuuaf3 said:
My first solution would be to run a ground wire from the battery to the gooseneck mount in the truck.
Click to expand...

That's east enough and I will certainly give it a shot. Any "best" place to attach it to the mount?
 
Is the problem the truck or the trailer? You can hook the trailer up to another truck and know pretty quick where to start. The male and female plug ends should both have ground wires.
 
True Grit Farms":1etu2g3w said:
Is the problem the truck or the trailer? You can hook the trailer up to another truck and know pretty quick where to start. The male and female plug ends should both have ground wires.
Click to expand...

I think it's the truck TG. Not sure, but my bumper pulled trailers are doing the same thing. Never had any constant problem with my other trucks. What's so bad is one day they will work fine and another they will constantly blink on and off. Load the hay trailer and it's usually fine. Stop at a red light and lose ground. I've got a fair amount of experience with electrical issues but this one has about whooped me. Only thing I'm sure of is that it's a ground issue and the only common denominator is the truck so I guess I'm leaning that way pretty much. I would have thought adding the extra ground to the chassis would have solved it but I guess I will try duns suggestion tomorrow.
 
Weber Hickory Wood Chunks Outdoor Cooking Fuel, 4 lb – Premium BBQ Smoking & Grilling Chips for Rich, Subtly Sweet Flavor – Ideal for Beef, Lamb, Poultry & Pork – Long Lasting
See price on Amazon
Weber Hickory Wood Chunks Outdoor Cooking Fuel, 4 lb – Premium BBQ Smoking & Grilling Chips for Rich, Subtly Sweet Flavor – Ideal for Beef, Lamb, Poultry & Pork – Long Lasting
Old Potters Smoker Wood Chunks 13-16 lbs for Grilling, Smoking, and Wood Fire Cooking ~ 2 x 3 Inches, (Hickory, 790 Cu in.)
See price on Amazon
Old Potters Smoker Wood Chunks 13-16 lbs for Grilling, Smoking, and Wood Fire Cooking ~ 2 x 3 Inches, (Hickory, 790 Cu in.)
Hickory Pizza Oven Wood 6 Inch, 15 lbs Box – Kiln Dried & Bark-Free Firewood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ Smoking & Grilling – Premium Hickory Wood Logs for Ooni, Gozney, Solo Stove, Bertello
See price on Amazon
Hickory Pizza Oven Wood 6 Inch, 15 lbs Box – Kiln Dried & Bark-Free Firewood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ Smoking & Grilling – Premium Hickory Wood Logs for Ooni, Gozney, Solo Stove, Bertello
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 8” Splits (Approx 39.5 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
See price on Amazon
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 8” Splits (Approx 39.5 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 6” Splits (Approx. 42 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
See price on Amazon
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 6” Splits (Approx. 42 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
Greenworks 24V 6in BL Pruning Saw w/Auto Oiler, Tool Only
See price on Amazon
Greenworks 24V 6in BL Pruning Saw w/Auto Oiler, Tool Only
Old Potters Kiln Dried Firewood - Cherry, 1100 Cu. in, 16-18 Logs ~ 8" x 2.5" Logs. Solo Stove and Cooking Wood for Grilling, Smoking, and Firepits, Cherry.
See price on Amazon
Old Potters Kiln Dried Firewood - Cherry, 1100 Cu. in, 16-18 Logs ~ 8" x 2.5" Logs. Solo Stove and Cooking Wood for Grilling, Smoking, and Firepits, Cherry.
Heritage Smoke Wood Hickory Pizza Oven Wood with Fire Starter - Kiln Dried Firewood 6" Hardwood Logs for Brick Fire Pizza Ovens & Grills, 6 lb, Low Smoke, High Heat, Competition-Grade Clean Burn
See price on Amazon
Heritage Smoke Wood Hickory Pizza Oven Wood with Fire Starter - Kiln Dried Firewood 6" Hardwood Logs for Brick Fire Pizza Ovens & Grills, 6 lb, Low Smoke, High Heat, Competition-Grade Clean Burn
39" Fire Pits with Wood Storage for Outside, Large Wood Burning Outdoor Fireplace with Chimney, Mesh Spark Screen & Fire Poker, Idea for Backyard, Patio, Party, Camping, Picnic
See price on Amazon
39" Fire Pits with Wood Storage for Outside, Large Wood Burning Outdoor Fireplace with Chimney, Mesh Spark Screen & Fire Poker, Idea for Backyard, Patio, Party, Camping, Picnic
Smoak Firewood Cooking Wood Mini Splits - USDA Certified Kiln Dried Pizza Oven Wood, Grilling Wood, Smoking Wood, BBQing Wood (8inch Pieces, 25-30lbs 1728 Cubic in - Hickory)
See price on Amazon
Smoak Firewood Cooking Wood Mini Splits - USDA Certified Kiln Dried Pizza Oven Wood, Grilling Wood, Smoking Wood, BBQing Wood (8inch Pieces, 25-30lbs 1728 Cubic in - Hickory)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.
Have a hard time believing that a truck as new as 2013 would have ground issues. My '95 rust bucket has never had a ground issue and I am not even positive there is 'good' steel to ground to anymore.

Your positive that the ground pin on the socket is actually grounded and not broken? How long has this been an issue?
 
Aaron":1jc4vz2a said:
Have a hard time believing that a truck as new as 2013 would have ground issues. My '95 rust bucket has never had a ground issue and I am not even positive there is 'good' steel to ground to anymore.

Your positive that the ground pin on the socket is actually grounded and not broken? How long has this been an issue?
Click to expand...

It's been a problem off an on for 6-8 months. You hook up to a trailer. No lights or brakes. 2 miles down the road and everything works. 1/2 mile later, they quit. 100 yards they come back on. Then they work for 20 miles. It's got to be the ground, doesn't it?

As far as the pin... I can't say that I'm positive. I will definitely check it since you mentioned it.
 
JMJ Farms":kjecpgba said:
dun":kjecpgba said:
My first solution would be to run a ground wire from the battery to the gooseneck mount in the truck.
Click to expand...

That's east enough and I will certainly give it a shot. Any "best" place to attach it to the mount?
Click to expand...
Any place that is easily accessed and out of the way so it doesn;t get hung up on something. I drilled a hole and put a self tapping post in the hole and used a circle type connector. I sanded all of the paint off at the point that the bolt was screwed in then after it was tight and I had a good ground I painted the area to keep it from corroding/rusting. You can also run a wire straight from the battery to the ground connector in the truck trailer connector plug. As an aside, the only trucks I ever had this problem with were the ones that were undercoated (not just painted steel)
 
Aaron":1frboijm said:
I'd removed the trailer plug socket on the truck and start looking at the connections and wiring with a fine tooth comb.
Click to expand...

I think you hit the nail on the head. Maybe a Mexican didn't tighten the wire up in the plug?
 
Aaron":28ypb792 said:
I'd removed the trailer plug socket on the truck and start looking at the connections and wiring with a fine tooth comb.
Click to expand...
Yeah. Make sure the pins on the truck are splayed out enough to ensure contact. I replaced a trail or plug because I thought it corroded and went bad. That didn't help. All I really needed to do was spread the pins a bit.
 
1982vett":3sgo96kw said:
Aaron":3sgo96kw said:
I'd removed the trailer plug socket on the truck and start looking at the connections and wiring with a fine tooth comb.
Click to expand...
Yeah. Make sure the pins on the truck are splayed out enough to ensure contact. I replaced a trail or plug because I thought it corroded and went bad. That didn't help. All I really needed to do was spread the pins a bit.
Click to expand...


Ditto on the above and making sure the contacts on the trailer plugs are clean and corrosion free. A small wire tip for cleaning a .22 gun works good to get in the plug and clean or just replace a plug end and see if that cures the problem. With the description of lights and brakes working off/on sporadically...the plugs would be my first check.
 
A lot of wiring harnesses for plugs have a connector that will be installed in the original truck harness. You disconnect the truck harness in the truck at the connector that goes from the right side lights to the left side lights on the truck. This connector can cause a lot of problems.
 
I'd hook up some jumper cables to a good known ground on the truck and on the trailer.. see if that makes it go away.

If that fixes it, it's gotta be something in the connectors... I'd think it's unlikely to be in the truck (except for the trailer connector box perhaps), or on the trailer.. broken wire, corroded pin.. For the price, if the connector and reciever box don't look really good, I'd replace them.. .. sometimes the wires will break where they're clamped, etc..

I'd test the ground wire with a good load.. something like a 100W flood light or two putting a load on it... then go along and start bending and flexing wires.. might help you out.

I'm also fond of the LED lights.. they put way less load on the wiring. I'm glad I upgraded that when I bought my trailer (it was the only thing they did right)
 
I couldn't get the lights on my stock trailer to work but they worked hooked to my father in laws truck went over every thing I could think of turned out to be a rusty gn ball
 

Latest posts

Back
Top