make up a trailer lights testing control panel
Put a male plug on it as well, wired up to your LEDs, so you can plug it into a tow vehicle to make sure it's connections are working as well.
Saves having to use a trailer as a "test light".
Around at the in-laws for Father's Day tea the other week. BIL brings trailer along (loaded with bits of bed) to give to SIL to tow home.
Problem - 12 pin rectangular plug on trailer, 7 pin round on SIL's car.
FIL - "Got an adapter in the shed. I'll just go get it".
Half hour later ".....it's in here somewhere. I've found every other adapter....."
Me - "How about we take the round plug off an adapter and fit to trailer?"
No worries. Dark by now. Find screw driver.........pliers...........another half hour goes by. Plug new trailer plug into car. Nothing works. Find test light......another half hour in in FIL's shed......dismantle trailer plug whilst still plugged in....probe the back of plug.....still no good...have we got a proper earth on the test light?..... does the test even work?...... damn plastic bumpers.....take plug out of socket......yes...we have power at the car socket (at least on the parkers)..... test earth point on car socket....yes we have an earth.....test the other points.....eventually find everything except brake lights.....put trailer plug back in.......finally get power at each point with test light except brake lights.... but still no lights on trailer......torch is getting pretty flat.... relying on light in phone.....maybe no lights on trailer because wiring colors are all asre about in trailer loom....but still no brake light power at plug......give up........hook FIL's trailer up.......still no brake lights (but at least all the other lights on the FIL's trailer work, LEDs love 'em
).........swap cargo from trailer A to trailer B......check brake fuse on SIL's car.....bloody mini blade fuses......looks alright.....try another anyway........no spare 15amp fuses.......steal one out of cigerette lighter circuit.......brake lights still not working.........fold myself up into the drivers foot well with test light and phone for a light to test brake light switch.......ah ha......bloody Falcon's
. Their crappy brake light switch should be part of their service schedule I reckon)....as good as we're going to get tonight.
Trailer lights.........do your head in sometimes
(especially someone else's).
Peter
