Trailer Wiring diagram 4 pin and test lights
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ธ.ค. 2021
- This is a basic wiring diagram for a 4 pin trailer configuration. If you would like to see a 7 pin, 6 pin or 5 pin configuration let me know in the comments below and I will work on it 👍
Btw for the white wire 98% of people ground ot to the frame like i did in the video. But the ultimate best way is to connect all the white wire to the withe wire at the trailer end connector to avoid bad ground that can cause blinking of your light.
Thank you so much ... hundreds of videos out there and not one simple HOW TO DO IT video. This video was absolutely perfect!!! Short, to the point, and super easy to understand. Wish there were more like this. God Bless and farewell.
Very clear and simply explained!! Well done and THANK YOU!!
This is a good video that explains trailer light wiring extremely well. Thank you.
I never understood how it all worked until I watched this video. Thank you!
Glad it helped!
Excellent video! Clear and to the point.
I'll try to remember that without the trailer the boat doesnt go anywhere duh. Thank you for showing how to test the 4 wire port connection.
You’re going to be real embarrassed if you forget and you show up at the lake with your boat, but no trailer.
Dude that was the best video I seen for hooking up a trailer cut to the chase less than 5 minutes badass.
Thanks for the comment 👍
all 4 of my pins were turd pins. thank you helped out in a pinch 😀
Thank you for posting. This really helped me understand the colored wires and their function.
Best Video on the internet!! Better than any install video by far!!
Thank you very much, I appreciate it 👍
I really appreciate the quick, concise video. Just got everything wired up and good to go! I even had my neighbor watching as I tried turning them on for the first time. They worked! Appreciate it buddy. Here's a sub and a like!
Yeah , with out help like you given I would still be a little helpless! Thank you
Really great video! Very informative and detailed! Thank You so much for posting this video!
Good video, thank you!
Great job! straight to the point
Great explanation and visual!!
Thank you for helping the clueless like me!!
Yes indeed 🤯
Great - I now know how to test for problems without hooking up to my truck
Nice video, Thanks for sharing!
Great concise video
Thank you. Very helpful.
Thank You. You helped me a lot. Great explanation
Simple to the point video much help was sent thanks
Great informational video, sir!
gracias por el video super practico y facil de entender
Great information. Thanks
Thanks bro. Needed a refresher
Great video, but I’m still dead on all lights. I can confirm power over my green and yellow lights at the taillight (with a meter), but no lights. All new wiring and lights that were purchased together in a kit.
Hi mickeymallette, thanks for watching. my first suspicion is ground. Make sure your ground is correct. Let me know. 👍
@@joetheboatguy5394 absolutely right. One bad ground connection
thx Bro ，you are pro
Great description. Are you a teacher............you should be. Thanks.
👍👍
Thank you for your time and consideration for this video.
Should I have a fuse on the trailer side?
Hi Jonathan Bailey, thank you for watching. You can add more fuses on the trailer side but it’s overkill. If your installation on the vehicle side is well done, then you should have fuses already on the vehicle side. 👍
awesome
Thank u. U answered my question. I like to have my license plate above the tail light bc my kayak trailer goes into tall grass in fresh water, sand/rogue branches at the beach, and jumping a curb at the house. So I needed to know which wire was the positive and negative so I can splice an additional liscense plate light in. "The yellow wire is positive. Thank u kind sir.
Hi Bustin Feelsgood, thanks for watching. Don’t forget to like and subscribe.
You will want to use the brown wire for your license plate light. If you use the yellow wire, your license plate will light up only when you brake or put your left flasher on…
Brown wire is for license plate light 👍
@@joetheboatguy5394 I got ya covered. And I thought about what I said. Yes. I had to connect both brown wires with the positive side of the license plate light, and also ground the negative to make it work right. Thanks again for your video. It helped me figure out what to do.
it very helpful, thank you sir! My night light does not work... it may be the ground problem.
Could you make a trailer 7 pin video. Great videos. Thanks
Ok
I will try to do one soon 👍
Are you looking for traditional SAE 7 pin or RV standard 7 pin?
here you go i did a quick 7 pin video: hope it helps: th-cam.com/video/u1c0OPawJlc/w-d-xo.html
If the tail-lights are LEDs the connections are "unidirectional"... so where does the brown wire go, and where do the green and yellow wires go? Or just try both ways and pick the one that works?
Hi eddiebelzebuth, Thanks for watching, you just have to remove the old lights, match the wires and mount the new ones. Please note, it’s not a good idea to mix LEDs and incandescent lights, so if you have have side markers or other lights on the trailer, make sure you switch those to LEDs as well. Wire shouldn’t change. 👍
hello
Interesting explanation, easy to understand and serious, from what I have seen so far.
I would be interested if you could please explain with 5 pin configuration .
That's what I have in the trailer (black, white, green, yellow and red).
thank you
Hi user-cb9rd7dc2q, thanks for watching.
Traditional wire for trailer are (Traditional see below) if yours is custom what you can do is put a multi-meter on your wire and see when you have your 12v. For your setup I suspect but can't guaranty that your Green: Right turn/brake light, Yellow: Left turn/brake light, Black: Battery hot lead, White: Ground wire. Are you sure your red is not brown? Let me know. Test with multi meter. Let me know if you have one and if you know how to use it :) We will figure it out.
Green: Right turn/brake light
Yellow: Left turn/brake light
Brown: Tail/running lights
White: Ground wire
Blue: Brake controller output
Black: Battery hot lead
Purple: Reverse lights
can you please share the PPT/document you used for this video? I found it very helpful.
Hi Louis, thanks for watching. It’s looks like a PPT document but in reality it’s a video so it’s a big file. Sorry. Maybe you can take screen shots....
Thanks for your video
Can i ask you about the name of the drawing program to draw the components
Hi omarribrahim, thanks for watching, I don’t use any special program, I just use paint in windows and use IMovie afterwards.
Many thanks to you
Please can you send your WhatsApp number please
Sorry I can’t do that last time I did that, I got so many calls and text for solutions even over night. I just can’t do it sorry.
Does a trailer's aluminum frame conduct the ground just as well as a trailer's steel frame?
Hi D B, ''You can use aluminum or any other metal which has relatively good electrical conduction. Steel is often used to make a mechanically strong connection to the ground. '' So the answer is yes :) but metal is better.
Hey, can I use LED strips in place of these lights? Looking to DIY a custom "hitch" thing that glows, but I wanted to go the extra mile and have it blinker, running light, and brake, etc.
Hi, thanks for watching , Yes, you just have to remove the old lights. It is usually not a good idea to mix LEDs and incandescent lights. Make sure you switch all to LEDs. Make sure your strip led accept 12v. Be careful which led strip you purchase some have delayed reaction.
@@joetheboatguy5394 thanks for responding!!! If my tail lights on my truck are LED, and I’m plugging into the 4-pin flat hitch connector (and wiring the way you instructed) I should be golden.
@Michael Miller yes you should be, let us know 👍
I'm adding marker lights that have a red and black wire go to brown with the red and black to the frame
If your maker has a Red and Black wire. I would plug your red wire from light to the Brown trailer wire. And the Black from light will go to frame or ground.
My new trailer plug end has 2 brown wires , but on the vehicle side only has one . Can you explain how they connect ?
Hi Rob, thanks for watching, please don’t forget to subscribe. Thank you for your support. New trailers today often pass a brown wire for the left side and another brown wire for the right side. In the end they are the running lights wire should all be connected together 👍. Let us know how it goes 😉
Oh ok, So all three should be connected together on the trailer side ? Thank you.
Hey man! A question. My side marker has black and red wires which one is positive and which one his negative?
Hi, thanks for watching, usually red is positive and black is negative 👍
@@joetheboatguy5394 hi my pleasure.. so red connects to the brown ?
That’s what I would do 👍
I have a question my battery changer has a 4 pin connection and I was wondering if it could be changed to a 3pin connection. I think it is XLR connection. Any help you are able to provide will be greatly appreciated
Hi rob sinclair, I’m trying to understand your question. Can you send me a link of your battery changer (I want to see what you have). Give me more info and I will try to help 🙂
Question.
i have an 02 Dodge Ram 1500. My 4 pin flat connecter on vehicle for trailer works fine. EXCEPT THE RUNNING LIGHT. My 7 pin connector on vehicle for trailer works fine. EXCEPT THE RUNNING LIGHT.
What do you recommend?
Thanks.
Hi, thanks for watching, first I would verify if you have 12v on your light wire coming from your truck. You can check with a multimeter. So open your truck lights and plug your multimeter probe on the brown wire on your truck side and the other probe on ground. If you see 12v then the problem is on your trailer. At least you eliminate if it’s a truck wire problem. Did you ever connect another trailer to it? How does that work? If your not comfortable with the multimeter you can always get on Amazon a MaxxHaul 50146 4-Way Trailer Wire Circuit Continuity Tester-2 Pack. They even do the 7 way. Let me know how it goes 👍
@@joetheboatguy5394 I don't have a multimeter. I didn't try either harness. 4 or 7 pin on trailer yet. Didn't have to long. i did try a led tester though, and have led on all testing, but no led for running light on either connector 4 or 7.
@@user-yv7fb8ki2v. if your truck light are on and your led tester doesn’t go on, then you have an issue on your truck side. Might just be a cut wire. Try to follow your brown truck wire from the connector.
@@joetheboatguy5394 Thanks friend for your reply. The only led testing was done was on 4 and 7 pin connector. the truck lighting is fine. I appreciate your response. Thanks.
No problem. I hope you get this resolved 👍. I know your truck lighting is fine I suspect the brown wire going to connector. Also make sure your wire going to connector is not corroded. That can happen to.
I try doing this none of the lights turned on but when i hoop it up the the yukon the light turn on what do you think was the promblem
Hi juniorsandoval, thanks for watching. The first thing I would check is the ground. Maybe your ground is not connected well. Are you sure your battery is good? If your batteries weak chances are not gonna get any lights going on. That is the two things I would check. Let me know. 👍
Thank you it was the fuses in the Yukon
Could I tap in the brown wire to power chicken lights?
Hi dylan lukasik, thanks for watching. Yes, I would connect chicken lights on brown wire 👍
Can you please show me how to connect seven pin trailer lights
Hi, thanks for watching, I have the seven pin trailer light in my TH-cam page, here you go : th-cam.com/video/u1c0OPawJlc/w-d-xo.html
👍
Quick question not a wire or electric guy at all..just wondering if there’s only one brown wire how do you get it to all 4 lights
Hi Dan, All questions are valid and good. you go to your first light and from there you go to your next light. So you connect all wires together. If your not comfortable to connect multiple wires together. They sell connectors to do so, check links below.
www.amazon.ca/dp/B077YB123S?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_NVVJEBDK1A8FKZK3NA31
or
www.amazon.ca/dp/B09NVKDXKL?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_5MNGJPCT4DKWNA3B6FGW
Let me know if this helps :)
My light has 4 wires - ground (Blk), brake light (red), turn signal (yellow), running light (green).
The light has a red and yellow fixture, so the turn signal is independent from the red light.
Im trying to connect this to a 4 way flat, but all the diagrams I'm seeing are different, and so, I'm confused on how to wire this
Hi Michel, thanks for watching, Sounds like your Tail lights have separate turn signals from the brake lights and what you are trying to do is wire up a trailer connector that is designed for combined circuits. This is a fairly common problem and the solution is to wire in a signal converter like this one: Roadmaster 732 Brite-Lite 3-to-2 Wiring Converter You can find them on Amazon 😉
Let me know if this helps 👍
@@joetheboatguy5394 hmm... okay, I'll look into that. I'm guessing I need two of these, one for each light
Hi Michael, no, you will need just one unit for your trailer. Or another solution would be to just change your back lights would probably be cheaper 💰
@@joetheboatguy5394 Okay, thanks for the help. One more thing though, since you're being a big help... Because I have two tail lights, and each one of them has the 4 cables, are you sure I wouldn't need two of of these adapters to connect to one 4 flat connector on my vehicle? -- If not, how is it installed then?
The item also seems to be reversed. The 4 cables are on my tail light, so I'm not sure if this will work in reverse?
Oh you also have reverse. No that won’t work with a 4 pin wire flat and the unit that can separate the brake and flasher. if you want reverse to work also you need to go get the reverse wire from your tail light and add another wire and plug. But it’s a lot of work is it really worth it??? You can get new regular waterproof led tail lights for less then the unit that separates brakes and flashers. You seem to need the 7way trailer plug that has the reverse included.
How do you connect the brown wire to all of them?
Hi Justin Klassen, they do sell 3-way connector if you don't want to split the wire. Usually, people just go from one light to the other with a split wire. let me know if this helps :)
@@joetheboatguy5394 thank you kindly, I managed to get her wired up! Thank you again :D
I have brand new wires and lights exactly how your diagram shows and im only getting one (the passenger side light) working. Both side markers work but the nothing from the drivers side back light. Its not my truck because I tested on another vehicle and it was doing the same thing. I ordered new lights because I still had the warranty but its caused nothing but problems trying to crack the code on what is going on. Any suggestions?
Hi Erik-Vader-Veechee, thanks for watching, ok do you have a multimeter? First I want to make sure your yellow wire (driver side) is not cut anywhere. So at the light socket you should get 12v when you press your brake. So press on brake and verify if you get your 12v at the light sockets. When doing this test ground your multimeter directly to your white wire at the front of trailer (this is to eliminate in case of a bad ground). If you get your 12V then your ground for your light is not good. If you don’t see 12V then your wire is cut or shorted somewhere. You need to fallow your wire for verification. Often times it’s just a bad ground. Let me know 👍
@@joetheboatguy5394 so I don't have a multimeter although I think should by one but all my lights have their own individual ground and the plug has a ground wire at the tough of the trailer. I just bought a trailer plug that shows indicator lights on it and it'll be here tomorrow. I'm not sure if it's the ground because every other light is working but I'll go thru that next I suppose. Thanks
Ok just re-read your comment so I see you don’t even get the regular light to go on on your driver side. Your driver has the brown and yellow connected. And both don’t work so I definitely suspect the ground wire now on your driver side light. Make sure your ground is well connected (sometimes the paint on trailer can cause bad ground )👍
Are all your grounds connected straight on the frame or you have white wire going to every light? I think your problem is between your light box [driver side] and ground.
Are your lights led or halogen? I ask because if they are halogen they have a spring system in the light socket that can sometimes cause an open circuit with ground. Just removing halogen build and replacing it can fix the issue. Of course make sure your build is not burned also…. But if it’s led forget all that. Sorry just shooting ideas 👍
@@joetheboatguy5394 yeah I noticed when I removed my bad lights I had lots of loctite on the bolt that it's screwed into. I'm going to check that problem you mentioned and see if it isn't grounded because of that possibility. Yes they are LED lights and connected to the boat frame where the lights screw in and on the frame on the tongue of the trailers frame.
How about a four wire down to a three wire
Hi Hemery Coen, thanks for watching. To go from 4 to 3 wires you will need to add a converter. Something like this: addison-electronique.com/en/products/automotive-boat/automotive/trailer-accessory/light-converter-for-cars/
Let me know if that helps 👍
So my boat is exactly like your video. My boat has a 3 male 1 female attachment. All the videos I have seen are the opposite and 3 female 1 male adapter. Does this matter? My truck was built to fit with this setup you've shown.
Hi Erik-Veedee-Veechee, thanks for watching. If you get your hitch installed from a dealer this is the way they would have it. Some people prefer the other way but doesn’t change anything in the wiring. :)
Yeah I was confused. Thank you. So with the one brown wire can you run it down one side and then just connect from the side marker down to the left light or how do you make 1 wire run both ways?
Yes your brown wire will go to all your marker lights. You can split the wire with connectors splitters or the old fashion way splice the wire directly. 👍
Will the brown wire make the side of the light fixture light up in the back? I have the big round part light up but not the side of the square. I haven't put the marker lights on yet. Also does it matter if it's grounded on each light AND I'm running the white trailer tounge ground?
The brown wire will receive 12 V as soon as you turn your car lights on. Whatever lights you want ON that’s the wire it needs. So side markers backlights will have the brown wire.
For the ground, you can use the trailer chassis for ground or the better way is to pass the white wired to all your lights for ground.
Side marker problem side marker come on when tail light are disconnected side marker goes off when connected with tail light. What is the cause?
Hi michaelguidry9227, Thanks for watching. Does your taillight go on at all? If they don't then you might have a taillight that is shorting to ground. So, Brown wire touching ground when connecting taillight. You might have a spliced wire that is shorting to frame.
Keep us updated :)
I’ve done exactly like you said but my running light is always on and when I brake my signal lights turns on as well, why is that?
Hi ashkanp, Thanks for watching. first thing I would do is the battery test like i did at the end of the video. That would eliminate your vehicle. If trailer does like the video says, then your problem is on your vehicle side. So, first thing is to separate vehicle front trailer and test trailer independently. Let me know how that goes….
I really be appreciate if you help me…. When I put all the wires conected I try my side turn light and both lights start on my boat trailer, please help me the most soon as possible!!! 😢
Hi Mario Ramirez. Thanks for watching. Ok first we need to find out if the trailer wiring is causing the issue or your vehicle harness is the problem. Did you do the test like at the end of the video? If you did and still have the issue, then your wiring on the trailer is the problem. Also, you can try plugging your trailer on another vehicle and see if you have the same issue. If you do see the issue once again the problem is on the trailer. If your problem is on the vehicle harness, then your trailer is fine. So first identify if its trailer issue or vehicle harness issue.
If it’s a trailer issue, then your yellow and green wire seem to be in contact with each other. You need to fallow your wires and see where the wires are creating this issue.
Keep us updated,
Hope this helps
@@joetheboatguy5394 waooo!!! That was a fast answer and thank you , I will try today and see what’s happen thank you for the information God bless you!!!
What do you do when all the lights work except the marker lights?
Hi D B, thanks for watching. Don’t forget to subscribe 👍 thanks. If your maker lights don’t work you need to make sure your getting 12v on the brown wire when lights are on. You might have a burned fuse on the vehicle side.
1st test on the vehicle side the brown you should have 12 volts when lights are on. Trailer not connected. If you don’t have 12v then you have a burned fuse on the vehicle side. Usually in the trunk. You will need to fallow wire to find it.
2nd On your trailer test for short on trailer side with brown and white wire. Test with multimeter.
Now you will know if the problem is on trailer side or vehicle side.
Let us know 👍
@@joetheboatguy5394 Thanks! I tested the brown wire on both the truck and trailer sides of the connection...they both were hot. I tested the trailer side by inserting a needle into the brown wire on the trailer side and connecting my alligator clip to the needle...my tester lit up.
Strange but the marker and brake lights worked last week.
It happens, lots of parts and wire move on a trailer. Your brown wire seems to be touching ground somewhere. The fun part is to find where.
One way of doing it is, have your tester lit up and move brown wire near lights and see if you tester goes off. Then your short is in that section.
If that doesn’t work then you need to fallow your brown wire and see where it’s touching ground.
That are the simple way of doing it.
@@joetheboatguy5394 Is there a way to test it down the line without sticking a needle into the brown wire? I really like the non-contact AC detector I have, but they don't have one for DC :(
Oh, good question.... I don't have the answer to that since I usually work with DC. I haven’t used an AC detector for DC circuit :(
Multimeter would be your best tool for DC. If you don`t have one, then a visual check can be done. Make sure your brown isn’t cut, sliced or flattened behind light.
mine has a red one
Hi, Ok give me the colour of all your wires. Will figure it out. Is the red wire on your lights or on the harness trailer wire?
6 pin plz
Here the 7 pin. th-cam.com/video/u1c0OPawJlc/w-d-xo.html
Let me know if this helps
You have one wire going to the side marker lights, lights that have two wires, for this you get a thumbs down
Hello davetalylor, thanks for watching. Yes, your marker lights will have 2 wires, one that goes to maker light (brown wire) and the other to chassis for ground. That is why you only see one wire going to maker light. The other goes on chassis. Hope this helps 👍
I also explain it at 1:04 min in the video 👍