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04-23-2024, 03:15 PM
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#1
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,112
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Thanks for the info. We don't mean to nag, but each question is sparked by an idea in someone's head, and if you don't answer, we can't proceed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kmikesell
YES the tongue jack has power (it has a LED light that works).
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Sadly, this doesn't tell us much other than the wires are at least somewhat connected. This is a good thing to know, but it doesn't tell us how good the connections are. An LED requires only a tiny amount of voltage / current to light up. Most of them will continue to light at 5 volts or so, and they require only a few 10s of milliamps of current. The jack motor requires around 1000 times as much current, and voltage near a full 12 volts.
So this brings us around again to the question of "do you have a good ground between the jack itself and the actual frame of the trailer", (not the swing tongue). The ground connection could be ratty/rusty/corroded/loose, and still pass enough power for the LED. But the voltage drop through the crummy ground will starve the jack, and it may not even twitch. This is a relatively common problem, easily confirmed or denied, and easily fixed.
Earlier posts point toward charge/discharge problems, and I have no problems with any of that. But the ground connection to the jack is easy to check, and if it eliminates one possible symptom, so much the better.
I hope your back surgery goes well. Get back to us when you can, and with your help, we will continue to scope this out.
Bill
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04-24-2024, 11:30 AM
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#2
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TrailManor Master
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Utah
Posts: 316
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill
So this brings us around again to the question of "do you have a good ground between the jack itself and the actual frame of the trailer", (not the swing tongue). The ground connection could be ratty/rusty/corroded/loose, and still pass enough power for the LED. But the voltage drop through the crummy ground will starve the jack, and it may not even twitch. This is a relatively common problem, easily confirmed or denied, and easily fixed. Bill
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I was originally concerned with a good grounding... So I supplemented the simple (The bolt through the base plate is your ground) and wired a direct connection from the base plate to a grounded bolt on the main frame, not the swing arm.
Upon further reflection, I may have done this to myself. About 6 months ago, when returning from a weekender, my bargman cable got loose and drug on the ground, wearing away several of the internal wires. I "spliced" them as a repair.... Now I'm thinking that i did an inadequate job and there is a short some where in my repair. Maybe I should Just replace the entire cable as a start. Thoughts?
__________________
Moved to the "Dark Side" (Pop up's for 15 years)
Bought what DW calls "The Golden Unicorn"
TM 2006 2720sl
DH/DW 2018 Ford F-150
North Utah
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04-24-2024, 11:45 AM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kmikesell
About 6 months ago, when returning from a weekender, my bargman cable got loose and drug on the ground, wearing away several of the internal wires. I "spliced" them as a repair....
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Good thought. How did you do the repair? Twist the wires and tape them? Wire nut? Solder and tape? Shrink sleeve? Good quality crimp fitting (difficult for an amateur to do)?
Quote:
Now I'm thinking that i did an inadequate job and there is a short some where in my repair. Thoughts?
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There won't be a short (which would blow a fuse somewhere), but there might be an intermittent open. As this open circuit comes and goes, it would effect the operation of the jack, and would also result in intermittent or no charging. Since you seem to be experiencing both, I think you may be pointed in the right direction.
Bill
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04-24-2024, 12:03 PM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kmikesell
About 6 months ago, when returning from a weekender, my bargman cable got loose and drug on the ground, wearing away several of the internal wires... Maybe I should Just replace the entire cable as a start. Thoughts?
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When a Bargman cable comes loose and the plug drags on the ground, the worst damage is usually experienced by the plastic body of the plug. If there is enough damage that any of the 7 individual contacts is exposed, the structure of the plug may no longer be strong enough to hold the contact in place, even if it looks OK. Each contact in the plug must mate very firmly with the matching contact in the tow vehicle half of the pair, and if there is any looseness, the contact will quickly go open or intermittent.
If this is what you are seeing, the answer to your question may be yes. Good thinking.
Bill
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04-24-2024, 12:43 PM
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#5
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TrailManor Master
Join Date: Jan 2022
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 2,838
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kmikesell
Upon further reflection, I may have done this to myself. About 6 months ago, when returning from a weekender, my bargman cable got loose and drug on the ground, wearing away several of the internal wires. I "spliced" them as a repair.... Now I'm thinking that i did an inadequate job and there is a short some where in my repair. Maybe I should Just replace the entire cable as a start. Thoughts?
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You don't have to replace the entire cable. I had the same problem on a cargo trailer that I bought the precious owner tried to splice the cable.
I bought this cable and put wire end connectors on where I cut the original cable at the frame. Then it's just a matter of putting the right connectors on the proper terminals in the box.
https://www.amazon.com/Snowy-Fox-Tra...8&sr=8-14&th=1
__________________
TrailManor Elkmont
640W solar- 230AH LiFeP04 Battery
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05-02-2024, 11:14 AM
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#6
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TrailManor Master
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Utah
Posts: 316
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wavery
You don't have to replace the entire cable. I had the same problem on a cargo trailer that I bought the precious owner tried to splice the cable.
I bought this cable and put wire end connectors on where I cut the original cable at the frame. Then it's just a matter of putting the right connectors on the proper terminals in the box.
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That is EXACTLY what I was thinking about (Well actually I was going to buy a junction box from HD and make the splice in there) THANK YOU for letting me know this exists!
I would include a picture of my "Repair" but I don't know how.
__________________
Moved to the "Dark Side" (Pop up's for 15 years)
Bought what DW calls "The Golden Unicorn"
TM 2006 2720sl
DH/DW 2018 Ford F-150
North Utah
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05-02-2024, 01:22 PM
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#7
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TrailManor Master
Join Date: Jan 2022
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 2,838
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kmikesell
That is EXACTLY what I was thinking about (Well actually I was going to buy a junction box from HD and make the splice in there) THANK YOU for letting me know this exists!
I would include a picture of my "Repair" but I don't know how.
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Don't count on the wire colors matching up.
__________________
TrailManor Elkmont
640W solar- 230AH LiFeP04 Battery
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