7 pin trailer wiring help!!!

[ExpoMike]

Okay, I am completely frustrated with trying to wire my Cherokee with a 7 pin plug and then make the trailer match. So far I have found TWO different ways to wire a 7 pin plug. Both are different and I am not sure which is the correct way. On top of this, I have a '98 Chevy C1500 which has a factory 7 pin and works fine with the trailer but I don't have the wiring code for it.

Here are the different links to the 2 different ways.

ExPo post and etrailers.com site,

http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1135&highlight=trailer+wiring
http://www.etrailer.com/faq_wiring.aspx

and MarksRV.com and Automotive Accessories.com sites,

http://www.accessconnect.com/trailer_wiring_diagram.htm
http://www.marksrv.com/wiring.htm

The "plug" part that the wiring from the rig connects to in the plug housing matches the last two. The 7 pin molded trailer connector and wiring pig tail also matches the last two.

HELP! I have no idea which is the "standard" that will also match my Chevy. Any ideas guys???

For reference my rig is wired through a junction box with the following codes,

White = Ground
Brown = Running Lights
Yellow = Left Turn/Stop
Green = Right Turn/Stop
Blue = Trailer Brakes (for future trailer brakes)
Red = 12v Fused from Battery (for trailer battery charging)
Black = Reverse Lights (not used on trailer at this time)

 

[Martyn]

Okay, I am completely frustrated with trying to wire my Cherokee with a 7 pin plug and then make the trailer match. So far I have found TWO different ways to wire a 7 pin plug. Both are different and I am not sure which is the correct way. On top of this, I have a '98 Chevy C1500 which has a factory 7 pin and works fine with the trailer but I don't have the wiring code for it.

Here are the different links to the 2 different ways.

ExPo post and etrailers.com site,

http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1135&highlight=trailer+wiring
http://www.etrailer.com/faq_wiring.aspx

and MarksRV.com and Automotive Accessories.com sites,

http://www.accessconnect.com/trailer_wiring_diagram.htm
http://www.marksrv.com/wiring.htm

The "plug" part that the wiring from the rig connects to in the plug housing matches the last two. The 7 pin molded trailer connector and wiring pig tail also matches the last two.

HELP! I have no idea which is the "standard" that will also match my Chevy. Any ideas guys???

For reference my rig is wired through a junction box with the following codes,

White = Ground
Brown = Running Lights
Yellow = Left Turn/Stop
Green = Right Turn/Stop
Blue = Trailer Brakes (for future trailer brakes)
Red = 12v Fused from Battery (for trailer battery charging)
Black = Reverse Lights (not used on trailer at this time)

Mark

Just had a quick look at this. I'm tired so take this for what it's worth, we can always revisit it in the morning after coffee.

It looks like your trailer has been wired up for a 6 Way System, not a 7 way System. If you look at http://www.accessconnect.com/trailer_wiring_diagram.htm and check out the diagram above the 7 way you'll see what I mean.

To convert it for your 7 pin your wiring would look like this if it was a clock;
White - ground - 7.00 O'Clock
Brown = Running Lights - 11.00 O'Clock
Yellow = Left Turn/Stop - 9.00 O'clock
Green = Right Turn/Stop- 3.00 O Clock
Blue = Trailer Brakes (for future trailer brakes) 5.00 O'Clock
Red = 12v- 1.00 O'Clock
Black = Reverse Lights - Center

Does that make sense?

 

[Jay S.]

Also, all of the pictures/diagrams show the wires as they come into the BACK of the connector, NOT as you're viewing the connector ready to plug a trailer in.
Notice the right turn is on the left side and the left turn is on the right side...
Some of the factory installed 7-way connectors have a diagram on top of the spring-loaded door.

Does THAT make any sense?!?!

 

[Martyn]

Also, all of the pictures/diagrams show the wires as they come into the BACK of the connector, NOT as you're viewing the connector ready to plug a trailer in.
Notice the right turn is on the left side and the left turn is on the right side...
Some of the factory installed 7-way connectors have a diagram on top of the spring-loaded door.

Does THAT make any sense?!?!

Jay

Yes that's correct. I presume it's so you can be looking at the diagram as you connect the wires to the back of the plug.

That coffee sure feels good!

 

[ExpoMike]

Hi guys and thanks for the replies. I guess what I am confused about is that in the four links above, there are 2 different ways to wire up a 7 pin.

I think the problem lies with the colors of the wires. On two of the above links, the yellow wire is the Left Turn and on the other two the yellow wire is the center pin. Am I suppose to forget any reference to the wire colors and just make the pins match? Looking at these, I can understand why so many trailers are wired incorrectly.

Martyn, when I said my rig, I was refering to my Cherokee. It was a flat 4 setup and I added a junction box and the extra wiring for a 7 wire setup. The junction box had the 7 colors typically used. When the cable from the junction box to the plug was done, my buddy just match the colors listed on the plug, which in turn put the yellow wire in the center even though it is the left turn coming from the converter.

Does this make any sense? Thanks guys.

 

[Martyn]

Hi guys and thanks for the replies. I guess what I am confused about is that in the four links above, there are 2 different ways to wire up a 7 pin.

I think the problem lies with the colors of the wires. On two of the above links, the yellow wire is the Left Turn and on the other two the yellow wire is the center pin. Am I suppose to forget any reference to the wire colors and just make the pins match? Looking at these, I can understand why so many trailers are wired incorrectly.

Martyn, when I said my rig, I was refering to my Cherokee. It was a flat 4 setup and I added a junction box and the extra wiring for a 7 wire setup. The junction box had the 7 colors typically used. When the cable from the junction box to the plug was done, my buddy just match the colors listed on the plug, which in turn put the yellow wire in the center even though it is the left turn coming from the converter.

Does this make any sense? Thanks guys.

Mike

If you are converting from a 4 pin to a 7 pin ignore the wire colors and wire it to the socket based on the function of the circuit.

For example your Yellow = left stop and turn = 9.00 O'clock on the vehicle socket.

 

[tdesanto]

Hi guys and thanks for the replies. I guess what I am confused about is that in the four links above, there are 2 different ways to wire up a 7 pin.

I think the problem lies with the colors of the wires. On two of the above links, the yellow wire is the Left Turn and on the other two the yellow wire is the center pin. Am I suppose to forget any reference to the wire colors and just make the pins match? Looking at these, I can understand why so many trailers are wired incorrectly.

Martyn, when I said my rig, I was refering to my Cherokee. It was a flat 4 setup and I added a junction box and the extra wiring for a 7 wire setup. The junction box had the 7 colors typically used. When the cable from the junction box to the plug was done, my buddy just match the colors listed on the plug, which in turn put the yellow wire in the center even though it is the left turn coming from the converter.

Does this make any sense? Thanks guys.

Sounds like you need to re-wire the junction box to put the yellow wire (left turn) in the proper place. The center pin is for backup lights. It doesn't sound, based on your list of connections at the top of the thread, that you have a connection for backup lights.

So, assuming all other connections are correct, I think if you address the left turn signal and leave the center pin disconnected until you decide to add backup lights (that's what I did) then you should be good to go.

Also, x2 on the point that the diagrams are from the rear of the connectors and not the front.

Good luck!

TD

 

[ExpoMike]

Okay, wire colors, out the window.

I'll match everything up via pin location based on what seems to be standard.

[rant on] So am I the only one that thinks there should be standard colors used for trailer wiring? A yellow wire should always be used for the same thing, even if it moves based on different number of pins in the plug. Sure would make life easier for everyone! I like standards. [/rant off]

Thanks again guys for all your help and hopefully tonight will go much better then last night. :friday:

 

[Martyn]

Okay, wire colors, out the window.

I'll match everything up via pin location based on what seems to be standard.

[rant on] So am I the only one that thinks there should be standard colors used for trailer wiring? A yellow wire should always be used for the same thing, even if it moves based on different number of pins in the plug. Sure would make life easier for everyone! I like standards. [/rant off]

Thanks again guys for all your help and hopefully tonight will go much better then last night. :friday:

Mike

I agree with the rant. Being dyslexic it makes life even more exciting!!! When I wire up a trailer I always have a wiring diagram infront of me. It's one of those things my mind just can't remember.

Thank Dog for smell check :victory:

 

[ExpoMike]

Just wanted to give everyone an update. I wired the Cherokee up using the pin placement instead of using wire colors. It all works great now!

Thanks guys for all the help. :beer:

 

[ntsqd]

Mike

I agree with the rant. Being dyslexic it makes life even more exciting!!! When I wire up a trailer I always have a wiring diagram infront of me. It's one of those things my mind just can't remember.

Thank Dog for smell check :victory:

Martyn,
A friend of mine with a warped gift for the language always says it "lexdysic"

Oh, smell check? Do you have one of the Smoke Capture tools? I'd really like to see one as I've only heard about them.

On a serious note, I thot that trailer wiring was standardized and that when a particular vehicle wasn't standard that it was the result of an amateur 'electrician.' Is this not the case?

 

[Martyn]

Martyn,
A friend of mine with a warped gift for the language always says it "lexdysic"

Oh, smell check? Do you have one of the Smoke Capture tools? I'd really like to see one as I've only heard about them.

On a serious note, I thot that trailer wiring was standardized and that when a particular vehicle wasn't standard that it was the result of an amateur 'electrician.' Is this not the case?

I've always though of Dyslexia as a gift, I could never work out why my teachers were always so frustrated with me. We used to have to write out mis-spelled works 20 times, and I would mis-spell the corrections sometimes with multiple variations within the list of 20.

It wasn't until I was in University that I took part in some early studies on people with learning difficulties that I found out I had this gift.

Along with my spelling ability I drive mathematicians crazy. When given a problem I study a simple example, starting at the answer and working backwards to find out the formula and solution.

As far as trailer wiring goes the color coding varies between 4 pin/6 pin/7 pin applications.