7 Pin connector question

[Woodbutcher]

I have a 7 pin connector on my TV. The plan is to charge my trailer battery from the TV when driving. There are no brakes on the new build so I used a 4 wire harness that I already owned. I picked up a 7 pin connector for the trailer. To charge the battery I picked up #12 wire and I'm running fron the trailer connector directly to the battery. My question is where does the #12 ground wire go? Do I connect it to the same terminal that the (4 wire harness) uses? I want to test the harness I made and need that last wire placement. Thanks for the help!!!

Steve

[eamarquardt]

You need to add a 7 wire connector to your tow vehicle.

Here is a link to the standard wiring patterns: http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx

The pin on the trailer receptacle for the battery charge needs to be connected to the positive terminal of the battery via your 12 gauge wire. Some might argue that 12 gauge isn't large enough but I'm never had a problem. The wire should be fused with a 30 amp or so fuse as close as possible to the battery for safety purposes.. I also ran a 12 gauge wire from the battery to the tow vehicle ground connector just because I think it is "good form". Some folks put a relay or other device in the circuit to disconnect the battery lead/pin on the tow vehicle to ensure that the trailer doesn't discharge the vehicle's starting battery when using the trailer and leaving it connected to the tow vehicle. If yo unplug your trailer when camping with the trailer connected to the tow vehicle the relay or isolation device isn't required.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Gus

[Woodbutcher]

[quote="eamarquardt"]You need to add a 7 wire connector to your tow vehicle.

Here is a link to the standard wiring patterns: http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx

The pin on the trailer receptacle for the battery charge needs to be connected to the positive terminal of the battery via your 12 gauge wire. Some might argue that 12 gauge isn't large enough but I'm never had a problem. The wire should be fused with a 30 amp or so fuse as close as possible to the battery for safety purposes.. I also ran a 12 gauge wire from the battery to the tow vehicle ground connector just because I think it is "good form". Some folks put a relay or other device in the circuit to disconnect the battery lead/pin on the tow vehicle to ensure that the trailer doesn't discharge the vehicle's starting battery when using the trailer and leaving it connected to the tow vehicle. If yo unplug your trailer when camping with the trailer connected to the tow vehicle the relay or isolation device isn't required.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,


Gus I have the 7 pin on the TV already. The fuse is a good idea, I will do that for sure. What I am unclear on is do I put the #12 ground wire on the same terminal (on the trailer 7 pin) as the ground from the 4 wire harness? Or in simple terms ,where do I connect the ground on the Trailer 7 pin adapter that runs to the battery . Can I do any damage if I have it wired wrong?

[len19070]

The white wire on a 7 pin and a 4 pin connector are the only 2 wires that are the same color and both do the same thing...both are ground's.

By that I mean that the 3 other wire colors from the 4 pin do different things on the 7 pin, and visa verso.

That conversion is;

On the 4 pin...Yellow = left, Green = right, Brown = running, and white is ground

But on a 7 pin Red = left, Brown = right, Green = running and white is ground (Black is charge)

The ground on a 7 pin is directly opposite the Black Charge terminal.

Run the white wire from the new 7 pin plug (on the trailer) directly to the Battery and then ground the Battery to the frame.

And probably the easiest, and in my opinion the best thing to do is to run the old white wire from the old 4 pin on the trailer directly to the ground on the Battery.

Happy Trails

Len

[Dale M.]

I the case of 7 pin connectors ALL Grounds (lighting- electric brakes- charging) use same ground ( pin #1)on Trailer... I always bond the ground ( pin #1 ) to chassis of trailer AND run it to battery and to lights if lights are mounted on insulated surfaces.

Pin # 4 is standard for any 12 volt supply through 7 pin connector...




Keep in mind the popular 7 pin connector on travel and utility trailers is the RV style "blade type" connector, the 7 pin "round" style connect is commercial truck and equipment and wire differently...

A relay under control of tow vehicle is a good idea to keep from drawing down TV battery... Also Diode isolator may work, or simply remembering to unplug trailer connector when parking...

IF 7 pin connector is part of standard wiring package on TV it may or may not have relay control (my Chev PU does not) but if its a factory installed harness and connector it will probably be fused.... MY Chev PU is fused, but fuse was not installed from factory (40 amp - check owners manual)...

Dale

[eamarquardt]

Gus I have the 7 pin on the TV already. The fuse is a good idea, I will do that for sure. What I am unclear on is do I put the #12 ground wire on the same terminal (on the trailer 7 pin) as the ground from the 4 wire harness? Or in simple terms ,where do I connect the ground on the Trailer 7 pin adapter that runs to the battery . Can I do any damage if I have it wired wrong?

About the only way you can screw up and cause some damaging current to flow is if you connect the vehicle hot lead to ground somewhere. If the hot lead is fused at the battery the fuse should protect you from any damage. Just follow the diagrams for both the tow vehicle and trailer and you should be fine. It gets a bit confusing at times because the tow vehicle and trailer plugs are "mirror images" but just take it slow and connect one pin/wire at a time verifying that they match on the plug and receptacle. I have every confidence that you'll do fine.

Cheers,

Gus

[Woodbutcher]

Thanks Guys, I will see what happens!

[len19070]

stay with the color coding and you will have no problems.

The colors on a 4 way (that are on your trailer) and what they do, and the colors on a 7 way and what they do are Different!

That conversion is;

On the 4 pin...Yellow = left, Green = right, Brown = running, and white is ground

But on a 7 pin Red = left, Brown = right, Green = running and white is ground (Black is charge)

Dales diagram...though not a true 7 pin wire color code is correct for what you want to do.

Dale

[Woodbutcher]

Thanks Len, I did notice that. I'll finish it on Monday!

[Dale M.]

len19070's statement:

Dales diagram...though not a true 7 pin wire color code is correct for what you want to do.

Colors are not consistent on anything..... Check vehicle side on e-trailer site, NOTHING matches, each vehicle manufactured uses a different color for each function...See these headers in e-trailer site Trailer Wiring Connectors and Wire Color by Vehicle Manufacturer

http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx

While color codes are find and great for references.... Wire by FUNCTION.... Know what each plug connection does and where to interface it to trailer wiring.... Colors are visual for people.... Electrons are color blind....

Also there is this disclaimer under the color code chart....

This chart is a typical guide, wire colors may vary based on manufacturers. Use a circuit tester to verify connections.

Industry standards (color codes) are only good it a manufacturer subscribes to it.....

Dale

[len19070]

len19070's statement:

Dales diagram...though not a true 7 pin wire color code is correct for what you want to do.

Colors are not consistent on anything..... Check vehicle side on e-trailer site, NOTHING matches, each vehicle manufactured uses a different color for each function...See these headers in e-trailer site Trailer Wiring Connectors and Wire Color by Vehicle Manufacturer

http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx

While color codes are find and great for references.... Wire by FUNCTION.... Know what each plug connection does and where to interface it to trailer wiring.... Colors are visual for people.... Electrons are color blind....

Also there is this disclaimer under the color code chart....

This chart is a typical guide, wire colors may vary based on manufacturers. Use a circuit tester to verify connections.

Industry standards (color codes) are only good it a manufacturer subscribes to it.....

Dale

Not to be a smart A$$, but how many years in the RV industry do you have vs internet searching?

I've got 30.

The question was asked to wire the trailer to the Tow vehicles Plug. With the assumption that the Tow Vehicle was correct. (The Ground specifically).

Not to rewire the tow vehicle. (notice I spelled out "Tow Vehicle")

All vehicle manufactures, no matter what manufacturer, there color code is, they all do the same things on the same terminals!

Matching colors doesn't matter....making it work does!

The color code you posted is NOT the standard 7 Pin wire code...But a conversion from a 4 pin to a 7 pin, which is very helpful and the correct answer. And it is the code for what the question was asked for.

Thank you.

Happy Trails

Len

[Dale M.]

len19070's statement:

Dales diagram...though not a true 7 pin wire color code is correct for what you want to do.

Colors are not consistent on anything..... Check vehicle side on e-trailer site, NOTHING matches, each vehicle manufactured uses a different color for each function...See these headers in e-trailer site Trailer Wiring Connectors and Wire Color by Vehicle Manufacturer

http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx

While color codes are find and great for references.... Wire by FUNCTION.... Know what each plug connection does and where to interface it to trailer wiring.... Colors are visual for people.... Electrons are color blind....

Also there is this disclaimer under the color code chart....

This chart is a typical guide, wire colors may vary based on manufacturers. Use a circuit tester to verify connections.

Industry standards (color codes) are only good it a manufacturer subscribes to it.....

Dale

Not to be a smart A$$, but how many years in the RV industry do you have vs internet searching?

I've got 30.

The question was asked to wire the trailer to the Tow vehicles Plug. With the assumption that the Tow Vehicle was correct. (The Ground specifically).

Not to rewire the tow vehicle. (notice I spelled out "Tow Vehicle")

All vehicle manufactures, no matter what manufacturer, there color code is, they all do the same things on the same terminals!

Matching colors doesn't matter....making it work does!

The color code you posted is NOT the standard 7 Pin wire code...But a conversion from a 4 pin to a 7 pin, which is very helpful and the correct answer. And it is the code for what the question was asked for.

Thank you.

Happy Trails

Len

Yet something so easy to achieve with so little effort....And arrogance too .... You didn't really read and comprehend what I had written before you went to the big bold fonts.....

Dale

[len19070]

Yet something so easy to achieve with so little effort....And arrogance too .... You didn't really read and comprehend what I had written before you went to the big bold fonts.....

Dale

Your Welcome

Happy Trails

Len

[bdosborn]

I have a 7 pin connector on my TV.

Did it come from the factory that way? Mine did and it has a pin out diagram molded into the cover.



Bruce

[Woodbutcher]

Bruce, mine was not a factory install. My 7 pin was installed by R&P Carriages when I had brakes installed on my Teardrop.