Community Forums

partsman01 · 07-26-2005, 09:15 AM

Just bought a used fifth wheel, now I have to hook up a plug on the truck and brake controller.

What guage wire should I use?
And where should the wires start from and end up?
I see pretty diagrams on sites showing the tow vehicle and trailer end, with colours, but not what guage wire or where to start taking feed from, like where does the battery charging wire start from and where is the best place to get into the light circuits and such.

Sorry it is a 77 F-250

partsman01 · 07-26-2005, 09:15 AM

Just bought a used fifth wheel, now I have to hook up a plug on the truck and brake controller.

What guage wire should I use?
And where should the wires start from and end up?
I see pretty diagrams on sites showing the tow vehicle and trailer end, with colours, but not what guage wire or where to start taking feed from, like where does the battery charging wire start from and where is the best place to get into the light circuits and such.

Sorry it is a 77 F-250

Dagwood · 07-26-2005, 05:37 PM

partsman you willneed 10 ga. for the batt chg circuit and ground wire but for the rest I would use 12 ga. I would go to the battery for the chg. wire with a fuse at that location.Start with a 40 amp fuse but I wouldnt go any smaller. Hope this helps. Enjoy that camper.

Ray,IN · 07-27-2005, 06:23 PM

Thiswebsite has all the information you need to wire your truck and trailer.

partsman01 · 07-28-2005, 09:16 AM

Thanks that is all good info, just printed off the colour picture here at work, don't want to use my own ink.

skipper · 08-01-2005, 06:54 PM

Use a 30 amp auto reset breaker at the battery ,available at RV store looks like one inch x half inch two post one steel one brass hook up brass side to battery steel to plug for trailer. Skipper entry level over fifty years.

partsman01 · 08-01-2005, 08:57 PM

I have access to lots of breakers, but they are either manual resets or they do not have the mounting bracket, so will actually have to go spend my own money.

allendp · 08-05-2005, 04:47 PM

Hey partsman - you not trying to do this on the cheap are you

partsman01 · 08-09-2005, 08:36 AM

Kinda, don't like spending too much.
Anyway, everything is up and running, had a good weekend trip to try it out on.
Only did 159 miles round trip, but good for getting to see how things are working.
Am going to drop the hitch head two inches, as it is a little high at the front when towing.