P38A Trailer lights - strange behaviour - earth fault?

JamesBB · Feb 11, 2022

Hi All

I attached a hired trailer to my 1996 Gems P38 and all is ok except the trailer lights are behaving oddly.

Standard old style LR wiring on the original socket. Using a 7-13 pin adaptor as the trailer is newer.

When the hazard lights are on all lights at the rear flash.
Braking seems to dim the lights.

Is this a bad earth? Where are the earthing points? Any advice is welcome.
Thanks
James

kermit_rr · Feb 11, 2022

Sounds like a bad earth, but is the trailer wired correctly and is the adapter pukker?

JamesBB · Feb 11, 2022

The trailer is fairly new and a hired one. It was ok last week apparently and I borrowed a light board to plug into the P38 and it did the same.
Do you know where the earth is bolted to the chassis? Is it on the rear lights? I have seen something mentioning RHS.

Thanks

marjon · Feb 11, 2022

Often have trailer light issues if not used for a while. Make sure the socket/plug pins are clean

.
Never had to dig into the car wiring to get all working.

Is the trailer LED lights?
Not sure why It would be a problem as our 90 tows an LED equipped trailer with no issue. But the P38 maybe a bit smarter

and not like the LEDs

.

if the trailer board was normal type bulbs, my money is on the socket being ****ty

J

Ratae · Feb 11, 2022

Towing electrics faults are often in the towing sockets as they're exposed to the elements.
Not unusual to find wires badly corroded or broken.
Clean the pins & sockets that the trailer connectors go onto & it's usually worth splaying the pins to be sure they'll make good contact when you push the trailer connectors on.

myfirstl322 · Feb 12, 2022

Almost guaranteed to be corroded connectors/wire terminations in your socket.

Datatek · Feb 12, 2022

The earth at the socket is sometimes the problem. The P38 does not like LED trailer lights if the trailer socket is wired correctly to the connectors provided. However it seems that often the trailer socket wires are spliced into the rear lights and the joints can be troublesome.

Ratae · Feb 12, 2022

Especially if scotchloks have been used.

Datatek · Feb 12, 2022

Ratae said:
Especially if scotchloks have been used.

I hate those bludy things

Jon Dor · Feb 12, 2022

Ratae said:
Especially if scotchloks have been used.

Scotchlocks... PAH! Spawn of the devil in my opinion! I always use heat shrink connectors, crimped ONLY by using ratchet crimp pliers...or soldered using correct size heat shrink.

Grrrrrr · Feb 12, 2022

JamesBB said:
Hi All

I attached a hired trailer to my 1996 Gems P38 and all is ok except the trailer lights are behaving oddly.

Standard old style LR wiring on the original socket. Using a 7-13 pin adaptor as the trailer is newer.

When the hazard lights are on all lights at the rear flash.
Braking seems to dim the lights.

Is this a bad earth? Where are the earthing points? Any advice is welcome.
Thanks
James

First thing is the socket itself and then check how it has been wired in. I doubt they paid for the Land Rover kit.

JamesBB · Feb 12, 2022

Ok it was dirty and corroded contacts in the socket. a gentle rub over with a fine needle file and sprayed out with electrical contact cleaner and all is ok, except for reverse. Will look at that more.
Cheers all.

dazer200 · Feb 12, 2022

JamesBB said:
Ok it was dirty and corroded contacts in the socket. a gentle rub over with a fine needle file and sprayed out with electrical contact cleaner and all is ok, except for reverse. Will look at that more.
Cheers all.

May I introduce you to a possible new best freind ? ACF50....not the aerosol the pump bottle that you fill.
I use to own a Chinneese motorbike and as some will know show them the bucket and they rust ! ACF50 use to kill it dead and no rust, it leaves a thin film on top as so it will not corrode, I have done tests on the stuff on the underside of my car and 3 months later its still there.
read reveiws and it will say others are better as they cling more and leave more film.........do not listen ! more film attracts more sirt and dust as we all know from putting to much greese around things !

Get it and spray the inside of the connector and next time you use it it will be ok.......trust me on this mate not cheap but you will find so many uses for it like me you will buy more !

myfirstl322 · Feb 12, 2022

JamesBB said:
Ok it was dirty and corroded contacts in the socket.

dubbleRR · Feb 12, 2022

myfirstl322 said:
Almost guaranteed to be corroded connectors/wire terminations in your socket.

Last time i plugged me trailer in it only worked on one side

,,but a bit of electrical cleaner and a wiggle all good now

and on mine i think the white socket is used for reversing lights

Ratae · Feb 13, 2022

JamesBB said:
Ok it was dirty and corroded contacts in the socket. a gentle rub over with a fine needle file and sprayed out with electrical contact cleaner and all is ok, except for reverse. Will look at that more.
Cheers all.

With the old 2 sockets the 12N does all the road lights but the 12S (white cap) does the charger/fridge/ and also the reversing light.
The yellow wire in the 12S is the reversing light.

The pink wire on the 13 pin is the reversing light.
Wiring 13 pin trailer caravan Euro Plugs | UK-Trailer-Parts

P38A Trailer lights - strange behaviour - earth fault?

JamesBB

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kermit_rr

Very

JamesBB

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marjon

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Ratae

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myfirstl322

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Datatek

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Ratae

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Datatek

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Jon Dor

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Grrrrrr

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

JamesBB

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dazer200

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myfirstl322

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dubbleRR

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Ratae

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