Wiring Issue

[BigInSeattle]

This might be a pointless question but I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction.

My TT has been in storage for about 6 months and I had since purchased a new tow vehicle. Now, this vehicle had an issue with the rear wiring harness when new. It was "loose", causing the right rear turn signal not to work. It was fixed.

I put a new battery in my TT this morning before setting off. Everything in the RV was working well. All lights worked, etc.

I had the truck and trailer hooked up for about 10-15 minutes while I was running around tending to things. As I was pulling out of my spot, I turned on my headlights and started to head out. I made it maybe 50 feet when I smelled something burning.

Smoke was pouring out of the rear of the truck, as well as the bluetooth trailer brake controller I had connected. I quickly unplugged everything and the smoke cleared.

My brake controller had a hole burned into the side and the ground pin was completely melted. Also, the wiring harness at the rear of the truck burned off a lot of the electrical tape around it. A quick visual inspection of the trailer wiring didn't show anything to be an issue.

The ground pin on the 7 pin on the trailer seemed to get a little hot but the brake controller and the truck had the biggest issues.

What would be the most likely scenario?

1. Persistent issue with wiring harness in truck?
2. Problem with the bluetooth trailer brake? It was also new?
3. Trailer wiring issue?

Like I said, everything was fine until the pulled out and turned on my headlights?

[tuffr2]

My 1st knee jerk answer is there is a short somewhere. Maybe mice chewed a wire. I hope it is obvious because mice can chew a wire in a hidden space.

[hohenwald48]

First thing I'd check is the breakaway switch. Did somebody pull the pin while in storage?

Sent from my SM-S127DL using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app

[BigInSeattle]

That's not a bad idea. I'm headed up there today to check everything out. I'm going to test all of pins on the connector as well, to make sure nothing has a path to ground that shouldn't.

I'm starting to think I blew up the bluetooth trailer brake controller but plugging it in when the truck was running and also having the trailer still connected to shore power when I connected everything? I dunno.

Truck is at the shop already hopefully getting that rear wiring harness replaced.

[DR60]

There should be a fuse that protects the wiring. so, before the wire and brake controller start melting the fuse should have burned. One other thing you said was suspicious. You said that you replaced the battery, Was it fully charged? could that have been why there were so many amps moving through the trailer plug?
And could there have been a poor connection at the plug? It sounds like you had at least two issues with the wiring. Good Luck DR

[hohenwald48]

Originally Posted by DR60

There should be a fuse that protects the wiring. so, before the wire and brake controller start melting the fuse should have burned. One other thing you said was suspicious. You said that you replaced the battery, Was it fully charged? could that have been why there were so many amps moving through the trailer plug?
And could there have been a poor connection at the plug? It sounds like you had at least two issues with the wiring. Good Luck DR

Most TT's don't have a fuse in the breakaway wiring harness. There ay be a master fuse in the battery hot lead but that's going to be much higher rated than the brake wiring.

[kdauto]

Originally Posted by BigInSeattle

This might be a pointless question but I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction.

My TT has been in storage for about 6 months and I had since purchased a new tow vehicle. Now, this vehicle had an issue with the rear wiring harness when new. It was "loose", causing the right rear turn signal not to work. It was fixed.

I put a new battery in my TT this morning before setting off. Everything in the RV was working well. All lights worked, etc.

I had the truck and trailer hooked up for about 10-15 minutes while I was running around tending to things. As I was pulling out of my spot, I turned on my headlights and started to head out. I made it maybe 50 feet when I smelled something burning.

Smoke was pouring out of the rear of the truck, as well as the bluetooth trailer brake controller I had connected. I quickly unplugged everything and the smoke cleared.

My brake controller had a hole burned into the side and the ground pin was completely melted. Also, the wiring harness at the rear of the truck burned off a lot of the electrical tape around it. A quick visual inspection of the trailer wiring didn't show anything to be an issue.

The ground pin on the 7 pin on the trailer seemed to get a little hot but the brake controller and the truck had the biggest issues.

What would be the most likely scenario?

1. Persistent issue with wiring harness in truck?
2. Problem with the bluetooth trailer brake? It was also new?
3. Trailer wiring issue?

Like I said, everything was fine until the pulled out and turned on my headlights?

How can anyone give meaningful help without knowing what vehicle this is? Also, what's the trailer? Also, what type of "bluetooth controller", and whywould you use that?