Okay....so here's the problem. I have an '08 wing and an Aspen camper. The wing has a 5 pin round connector. The camper has a 5 pin flat connector. A buddy of mine let me borrow an adapter as so I could get it all hooked up. Before the adapter came in the mix, the camper lights (LED's) were tested with the wing and a VTX and all worked great. When the adapter was added to the mix, the lights on the camper are now dim. They look like they are barely on. Everything works as it should except as I said, the lights are dim.
I was told it could be a ground issue. I took the adapter a part and rewired the ground but that did nothing.
I am not overly savy with all things electrical so I am a bit baffled at this point.
Any thoughts?
It just seems like its the adapter as all worked before that was added.
That darn hitch
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AZgl1800
- Posts: 2932
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'02 GL1800 lives in Dawsonville, GA now.
My son is going to enjoy it for many years to come.
Re: That darn hitch
The adapter apparently has diodes in the mix, which drop the voltage to the trailer lights by 0.7-0.8 volts.
also, you need a separate ground wire, do not depend on the trailer hitch to provide a ground.
I don't like adapters, I prefer straight through, some prefer to use an Isolator with relays in it. That gives the trailer lights full battery voltage, and isolates the bike's wiring in case the trailer wires develop a short.
use a volt meter to trace where the voltage drop is.
I had an adapter once, it burned up, took it out, went straight thru wire-wire on a trailer that has separate Brake Lights, Turn Lights, and Running lights, just like the bike does.
so it is a 5 wire trailer.
also, you need a separate ground wire, do not depend on the trailer hitch to provide a ground.
I don't like adapters, I prefer straight through, some prefer to use an Isolator with relays in it. That gives the trailer lights full battery voltage, and isolates the bike's wiring in case the trailer wires develop a short.
use a volt meter to trace where the voltage drop is.
I had an adapter once, it burned up, took it out, went straight thru wire-wire on a trailer that has separate Brake Lights, Turn Lights, and Running lights, just like the bike does.
so it is a 5 wire trailer.
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Borninusa
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2018 3:26 pm
- Location: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
- Motorcycle: 2008 Honda Goldwing
2007 Honda VTX 1800T
2017 Yamaha FZ-09
Re: That darn hitch
Update on that ole hitch problem (because it may help somebody out there)
Had a buddy come over and we tried to figure out the issue of the dim lights on the camper. We played with the adapter by taking wires out....putting new ones in....rewired the ground....took the wires out of the hitch connection and put them back in. All a no go. We finally eliminated the adapter totally and just wired the camper to the bike directly. Still....a no go. 3 hrs in and frustration setting in at this point. It was also determined we had a battery problem and that needed replaced (thought that was a part of the issue for a bit but apparently not)
Finally.....got into the backside of the bike...and pulled the 2 wires that go from the hitch directly to the battery. We did not know this but upon pulling the 2 wires that went into the battery to inspect them....there was an inline fuse....which was blown. Yep.....the issue was a blown fuse. That was it. Lots of hours spent playing only to find out there was an inline fuse connected to the hitch that was blown. Still....even though it was a simple fix and could have been fixed within 2 minutes a few good things happened. We eliminated the need for the adapter by putting on a 5 pin round on the camper...and we also learned the battery was on its last legs (which we are leaving for a trip this weekend so yeah, that could have stunk if we were out and about and the battery fizzled out. So it def wasnt 3 wasted hrs
You learn stuff everyday...is all I can say
Had a buddy come over and we tried to figure out the issue of the dim lights on the camper. We played with the adapter by taking wires out....putting new ones in....rewired the ground....took the wires out of the hitch connection and put them back in. All a no go. We finally eliminated the adapter totally and just wired the camper to the bike directly. Still....a no go. 3 hrs in and frustration setting in at this point. It was also determined we had a battery problem and that needed replaced (thought that was a part of the issue for a bit but apparently not)
Finally.....got into the backside of the bike...and pulled the 2 wires that go from the hitch directly to the battery. We did not know this but upon pulling the 2 wires that went into the battery to inspect them....there was an inline fuse....which was blown. Yep.....the issue was a blown fuse. That was it. Lots of hours spent playing only to find out there was an inline fuse connected to the hitch that was blown. Still....even though it was a simple fix and could have been fixed within 2 minutes a few good things happened. We eliminated the need for the adapter by putting on a 5 pin round on the camper...and we also learned the battery was on its last legs (which we are leaving for a trip this weekend so yeah, that could have stunk if we were out and about and the battery fizzled out. So it def wasnt 3 wasted hrs
You learn stuff everyday...is all I can say