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Old 07-10-2021, 11:34 AM   #1
Debra
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7way Plug Wiring

So my husband decided we needed to replace the 7-way plug that goes from the trailer to the tow vehicle. He disconnected it last year from the trailer without making any notes. We bought a new cable with the same colors as the old. The problem is the wires coming from the trailer hitch are not color coded...

1 pink
2 green
1 white
1 brown
4 black

The old and new cable have:
white
blue
brown
red
green
yellow
black

Have searched far and wide to find a schematic for our specific trailer but it does not seem to exist. It is 2005 28RK Wildcat 5th wheel. I have attached a picture.

Wondering if anyone can at least point me in the right direction? Thanks!
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Old 07-10-2021, 11:45 AM   #2
chuckster57
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This should help:

https://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring-7-way.aspx

Remember that the break away switch will have one wire attached to the battery (black) and the other end to the trailer brake circuit (blue).
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Old 07-10-2021, 11:57 AM   #3
Debra
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Thanks but my trailer does not have the colors referenced in that link.
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Old 07-10-2021, 12:03 PM   #4
chuckster57
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Ok. Get a Volt/Ohm meter and a jumper wire:

Test black for battery voltage, mark it.

White should be ground.

Blue should be brakes

Yellow isn’t used.

Use the jumper to go from battery to the other 3 wires one at a time. The marker lights will light up OR the left turn brake OR the right turn brake. As you determine which is which hook it to the appropriate wire on the umbilical cord.
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Old 07-10-2021, 02:09 PM   #5
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I seem to remember that Keystone doesn't use the "conventional" colors on the plug, and the secret is in the Keystone standard wiring chart (first page, first large block).
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Old 07-10-2021, 02:19 PM   #6
sourdough
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OP if your husband knows how to use a VOM, of if he doesn't, now is a great time to learn how to use it and a hot wire to figure out trailer lighting. Works great on the RV or any other trailer and the concept/method is applicable to many other applications.
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Old 07-11-2021, 07:25 AM   #7
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Yeah it will be me learning how to use a VOM. My hubby not mechanical at all. I will see if I can find a learning video on Youtube.
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Old 07-11-2021, 07:29 AM   #8
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This would be helpful except I have no idea which wires coming from the trailer correspond since they do not follow any kind of color scheme. Sounds like I have to try to learn how to use a VOM and jumper to try to identify.
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Old 07-11-2021, 08:18 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Debra View Post
This would be helpful except I have no idea which wires coming from the trailer correspond since they do not follow any kind of color scheme. Sounds like I have to try to learn how to use a VOM and jumper to try to identify.
You only need the VOM to identify the battery lead. It should be black and the ground should be white.

Once you have the correct battery lead just use a jumper wire to see what works and attach to the truck wiring.

BLUE should be brakes, if you jumper that one don’t do it for very long. As I stated before the yellow wire from the truck is probably not used unless your trailer has reverse lights.
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Old 07-12-2021, 03:10 AM   #10
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I would also suggest that when you use your "jumper wire" that you install an in-fuse holder on it with 5 amp fuse. That way if you mis identify or inadvertantly hit the ground wire then the fuse will go vs burning up a wire. With the volt meter identify and tag the 12 v pos and neg. Then pull the pin on the emermency brake disconnect and find the "new" 12 v pos wire. Mark that as brakes . Now you will have 3 out of 7 identified. If your trailer does not have reverse back up lights then you have 3 remaining.

Use the jumper between the battery pos to one wire at a time. Connect the jumper to a wire then walk back to see what's illuminated. Both tail lights on = clearence lights. Curb side tail only = right brake/turn and road or driver side = left brake/turn. I use blue painters tape to wrap a "flag" on the wire and write on it with a black sharpie.

Hope this helps.
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Old 07-15-2021, 06:12 AM   #11
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update

UPDATE—-

I have been able to get the right turn, left turn, brake lights, and running lights to work With all of your suggestions! wooHoo!!!

However, I still have three black wires left on the trailer side that as far as I can tell, seem to do nothing. One of them seems to be a higher gauge wire.

I have two wires left on the truck side. A blue one and a yellow one. Any ideas as to how I connect these last wires. Do I just cap them?

You guys rule!

Thank you,

Deb
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Old 07-15-2021, 06:30 AM   #12
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The blue should be the brakes wire from your truck and I would think the yellow is the charge wire to charge the trailer batteries while driving. If the batteries on the trailer are fully charged, I would test the heaver black wire for 12+ volts and mark that. Then pull the brake away pin for the brakes and you should get voltage on one of the others (this is only if you have good batteries on the trailer).
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Old 07-15-2021, 06:44 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Debra View Post
UPDATE—-

I have been able to get the right turn, left turn, brake lights, and running lights to work With all of your suggestions! wooHoo!!!

However, I still have three black wires left on the trailer side that as far as I can tell, seem to do nothing. One of them seems to be a higher gauge wire.

I have two wires left on the truck side. A blue one and a yellow one. Any ideas as to how I connect these last wires. Do I just cap them?

You guys rule!

Thank you,

Deb
Black wires should be battery positive. Blue wire is the brake lead from the truck brake controller. Yellow is for reverse lights. If the trailer doesn't have reverse lights then wire nut and tape it off.
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Old 07-15-2021, 06:47 AM   #14
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The yellow wire in the TRUCK umbilical is the "accessory feed" and is typically used for the backup lights. Keystone does not install backup lights on the majority of their trailers, so the yellow wire in the umbilical is "not used by Keystone".

The blue wire in the TRUCK umbilical is the "brake feed" for the trailer electric brakes. It connects to one of the black wires. The other two black wires "should be the emergency breakaway switch wires"... One will be connected to the battery feed and the other will be connected to the ground terminal.

VERIFY THAT YOUR TRAILER IS WIRED THIS WAY BEFORE ASSUMING THAT KEYSTONE BUILT AND WIRED YOUR TRAILER THE SAME WAY AS THE ONE THAT PRECEEDED IT DOWN THE ASSEMBLY LINE........
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Old 07-15-2021, 10:05 AM   #15
Debra
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What do you mean by pull the breakaway switch? Is it the cable that attaches to the side of the hitch? If so that puppy doesn’t move!
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Old 07-15-2021, 10:43 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Debra View Post
What do you mean by pull the breakaway switch? Is it the cable that attaches to the side of the hitch? If so that puppy doesn’t move!
The break away switch should have a plastic pin that will pull out if you yank on the wire cable attached to it. If it won’t yank out then it probably needs to be replaced. It should take about 35 ft ponds of force, that’s not a LOT but you should be able to pull it out with a good yank.
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Old 07-15-2021, 01:24 PM   #17
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I "mis-spoke" in post #14. What I said was:

The blue wire in the TRUCK umbilical is the "brake feed" for the trailer electric brakes. It connects to one of the black wires. The other two black wires "should be the emergency breakaway switch wires"... One will be connected to the battery feed and the other will be connected to the ground terminal.

What I should have said is: One will be connected to the battery feed and the other will be connected to the trailer brake wire, which also connects to the blue wire from the truck umbilical. It is not connected to ground. The ground is provided "through the trailer brake magnets".

Yes, the break-away switch is mounted to the side if the trailer A-frame. There are two black wires coming from it (probably two of the black wires you're trying to identify)... There is a lanyard attached to a plastic pin that's inserted into the break-away switch. If you pull the lanyard, the pin pulls out of the switch. This causes the spring loaded contacts in the switch to close, completing the circuit from the battery to the brake wire, activating the trailer brakes in the event of a tow vehicle/trailer separation.

Once you pull the lanyard and the pin comes out of the break-away switch, be sure to reinsert the pin to "deactivate" the switch, interrupting power to the brakes or you'll probably melt the break-away switch and/or burn up the wiring in your brake magnets inside the hubs. That switch is an "emergency, last resort safety device" and it is not designed to apply "long term power" to the brakes. It's a "one time, last resort, probably will be destroyed while trying to stop a run-away trailer" kind of device....
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Old 07-18-2021, 07:17 AM   #18
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Get This Important Wiring Done Right

Quote:
Originally Posted by Debra View Post
UPDATE—-

I have been able to get the right turn, left turn, brake lights, and running lights to work With all of your suggestions! wooHoo!!!

However, I still have three black wires left on the trailer side that as far as I can tell, seem to do nothing. One of them seems to be a higher gauge wire.

I have two wires left on the truck side. A blue one and a yellow one. Any ideas as to how I connect these last wires. Do I just cap them?

You guys rule!

Thank you,

Deb
Might be a very good idea to take this into a RV Shop and have an experienced technician work on it. Verify that all the items noted in this thread are working properly. Failure to do this right could result in a serious safety issue.
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Old 07-18-2021, 07:28 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by lcarver02 View Post
Might be a very good idea to take this into a RV Shop and have an experienced technician work on it. Verify that all the items noted in this thread are working properly. Failure to do this right could result in a serious safety issue.
If the blue wire isnt connected then she has NO BRAKES. Not a good idea to tow it without them working.
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Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.

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Old 07-18-2021, 07:30 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
The break away switch should have a plastic pin that will pull out if you yank on the wire cable attached to it. If it won’t yank out then it probably needs to be replaced. It should take about 35 ft ponds of force, that’s not a LOT but you should be able to pull it out with a good yank.

Just as a side note since the breakaway switch is being discussed;

When installing my disc brakes yesterday they guy doing it, who has done hundreds, used the breakaway switch to test/activate the disc brake pump/reservoir. He told me that quite a few breakaway switches DO NOT activate when the lever is pulled because they have sat so long unused that the contacts corrode over and when the lever is pulled out the contacts don't make. He said adding dialectric grease to the end of the pin would help keep the contacts free of corrosion and can sometimes be used to improve contact if they are slightly corroded vs replacing the switch. Just an fyi (putting the grease on mine today).
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