Need electrical help

[hlothery]

I'm putting this in Campfire to try and get the greatest exposure. Just got a small trailer for my RT. Trailer hitch is installed, with the CANBUS helper and powered (and fused) booster coming off the battery, using the supplied wiring harness which came with the RT hitch. However, as one would expect it has five wires (seperate brake and turn signals, of course) and the trailer is a flat 4. I have purchased two different 5 to 4 converter boxes from Autozone and Pep Boys. Each one lets the running lights through, but I cannot get brake lights or turn signals (based on the little LEDs on the four flat coupler I installed. I know the bikes new wiring is working, because I can trigger the LEDs if I wire directly. (Of course then I have to make choices....do I have running lights and brake lights with no turn signals, or vice versa. ) I have wired many cars for trailers in the past using these boxes, nevery had a problem. Any thoughts on what the problem might be.

TIA for your help.

Hugh

[wmubrown]

I've made my own harnesses for my Trailmaster camper to the bike, and to the SUV. The bike is 5 pin, the SUV is 4 pin. I didn't need an adapter box. Anyhow, recently the lights weren't working correctly and it was a bugger to figure it out, but it turns out there was a bad ground connection and the symptom I had was running lights worked, but nothing else. That might be a good place to start. If that doesn't reveal anything, it sounds like the RT wiring harness could be wired differently than standard and it might be worth a call to the manufacturer.

[hlothery]

Thanks for the suggestion. Tried it last evening, even grounding the converter directly to the negative pole on the battery, and it still would not let anything through but the running lights. If anyone has any other suggestions...........?

[deilenberger]

Mine would be to add more lights to the trailer.. perhaps more LED lights. Seperate out the functions so you don't need an adaptor. BTDT years ago when hooking up trailers to euro cars. You'd have to add a simple 2 pin SAE wiring connector to the bike and trailer to add another set of lights, but you eliminate entirely the troublesome converter boxes.

I suspect 'cause of how the CANBUS controller runs the brake lights this might be your only answer.

[hlothery]

Yea, I've pretty much come to that conclusion. I am going to call the Technical Support guys at the converter company today to see if they have any answers. But I suspect I will end up rewiring the trailer to a five wire configuration, and adding two turn signal lights. Right now I am running brake lights and turn signals, with no running lights. Not a real problem, since I never ride at night anyway.

[hlothery]

Just in case anyone is interested, I called the Technical Support folks at Hopkins, which manufactures most of the converters you will find at Walmart and auto parts stores. They said their converters will not work with most motorcycle electrical systems, and they get calls like mine all the time. They could not tell me why, because they do not do research on motorcycles (amazingly, since they get calls like mine all the time). So it appears that deilenbergers solution is the only option. If you are contemplating buying a trailer, you had probably better also plan on rewiring it to a five-wire configuration with separate turn signals. Thanks for your help.

Hugh

[mthelmet]

try putting a ground on the trailer from the bike. The trailer may not be getting enough ground throught the hitch and ball.

[hlothery]

Again, thanks for all the help. As I was packing my bike for the ride to Dallas on Friday, I found the instructions the installer had left there (unbeknownst to me) after the hitch was installed. Bushtec makes a "plug and play" 5 to 4 converter, which I ordered this morning. Also of interest, for anyone else contemplating this adventure, it seems the conversion from 5 to 4 wires must be done in between the Canbus isolator and the powered relay wired to the battery. Not sure why, but that is the way the wiring diagram from Bustec shows it. Apparently, that relay prevents an adapter from working if you install it as the last link in the chain. Hopefully, when that part arrives, my wiring dilemma will be solved. :scratch

BTW, I pulled the trailer back from Dallas on Sunday (with my golf clubs inside!) and had no problems. Gas mileage dropped a bit, and I could tell it was there from a standing start, but once moving I could not tell the trailer was back there. Gotta love new horizons!

[hlothery]

5 to 4 adapter arrived from Bushtec. Plug and play, just like they promised....took about 5 minutes. Now the lights work fine. I'm not sure if an "off the shelf" 5 to 4 converter would have worked if I had spliced it in between the Canbus isolater and the powered relay, as this new device is. Just happy it works. FYI.

Hugh