trailer wiring

doc_m

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somwhere
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just did some wiring for my trailer, used the previous wires same area for connectors, just repainted the trailer, not i hook up the trailer to car and it keeps blowing my 5 amp fuse for parking lights, everything else works wiring is all taped and turn and brake signals work any idea's on what's going on?
 

Powder Hound

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Oct 25, 1999
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Under a Bridge, Crestview, FL, USA
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'00 Golf 4dr White 5sp, '02 Jettachero 5sp, Wife's '03 NB Platinum Gray auto(!)
fuse issue....

So the wiring works without the trailer plugged in, but blows the fuses when the trailer is plugged in. Is this correct?
 

doc_m

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somwhere
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Re: fuse issue....

yes, that is correct, I unplugged it and checked with just a 12 v to see if all the lights worked seperate and they all do marker, right, left. Is the 5 amp fuse to little now with the extra lights?
 

doc_m

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Re: fuse issue....

well tried it again today with a new fuse and some dielectric grese and works like a charm not sure what's happening but they all work now
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
Re: fuse issue....

Do you have good fire insurance on your car and trailer?

It would be a good idea to carry a few extra fuses with you since this may pop up at an inconvient time. If you suddenly find that your ten amps start blowing it's time to look for the short.

Where did you get the trailer?

Also, how many lights on each side does this trailer have?
 

doc_m

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Re: fuse issue....

it's a 5 amp fuse, also the stop turn on the back/marker, plus a red and amber marker on each side of the trailer, I made the trailer myself.
 

doc_m

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Re: fuse issue....

ah what a pain i took my trailer along tonight when I went for a drive and it did the same thing looks like I will just re due the trailer wiring or would a 10 amp fuse be a good idea? instead of a 5 amp
 

Dick_Larimore

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Jun 28, 2003
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Central Indiana
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'05 GL Passat & '05 GLS Passat & '05 Beetle TDI
Re: fuse issue....

You will likely have to go to a bigger fuse. A standard rear tail lamp draws 1 amp. A brake filament will draw at least 2 amps each. This is likely the same filament used for the turn signal. A 10 amp fuse will likely solve your problem.
 

doc_m

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Re: fuse issue....

ah cool I will try that just didn;t wanna double the amps and not have someone else have done it with no problems
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
Re: fuse issue....

Dick appears to be very good with electrics.

I'll try to keep that in mind.
 

doc_m

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Re: fuse issue....

ah 10 amp didn;t do it must be something messed up with the wiring, will have to we due it, it's wierd cause this set up worked before, must be a short somewhere.
 

Dick_Larimore

Veteran Member
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Jun 28, 2003
Location
Central Indiana
TDI
'05 GL Passat & '05 GLS Passat & '05 Beetle TDI
Re: fuse issue....

Just out of curiosity, what is the fuse # (or fuse position) for the 5 amp fuse that keeps blowing (and then replaced with a 10 amp). I can't seem to find a 5 amp fuse listed for lamp circuits in the Jetta.
 

doc_m

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Re: fuse issue....

yup that's the one.

I am looking into installing that circut protectors on my car, not cheap about 60 cdn
 

Dick_Larimore

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Jun 28, 2003
Location
Central Indiana
TDI
'05 GL Passat & '05 GLS Passat & '05 Beetle TDI
Re: fuse issue....

Let's see if I understand how you have wired this trailer. I assume that the stop lamps for the trailer are powered by the same fuse that powers your car brake lamps which is a 15 amp fuse 13. Fuse 2 powers all the turn signal bulbs in the car which is a 10 amp fuse. Then you power the left and right rear lamps and 4 side marker lamps with the single fuse #22 which is 5 amps?

The reason that I am asking is that your Jetta has individual bulb filaments for brake, turn signal, and the tail lamp. Do your trailer lamps have a separate bulb filament for each of these functions just like the Jetta? If you don't have separate filaments to match the Jetta bulbs (for example just one double filament bulb on each side), how did you wire it up? If the trailer does have matching filaments, can you pull fuse 22 and plug in the trailer connector to your Jetta and confirm that the brake and turn signal bulbs light correctly?
 

doc_m

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Re: fuse issue....

all the wiring does and has worked for two year, so I'm thinking the converter has a short so I am going back and getting a new one, as I just replaced it, all worked well before so I will see what happens, but what I have is brake/signal and marker for left and right, plus a marker for each end of the trailer one in front and one rear. And the brake and turn signal work regardless just the markers that blow the fuse
 

doc_m

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Re: fuse issue....

well interesting thing today I removed two marker light as I figured the rear ones were not needed since I changed the positioning of my rear stop/turn tail lights, and well seems to have corrected the problem, will leave it this was and see how long this lasts
 

doc_m

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Re: fuse issue....

well had the same problem so out the marker lights back on and replaced all the trailer wiring and all works well so far with the 5 amp fuse
Must have been the old wiring messed up some where
 
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