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Old 03-07-2016, 01:37 AM   #1
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Trillium Turn Signal

So, I have had my trailer in storage and am getting it ready for this summer. It has been in my heated garage and no issues, rust or otherwise, have popped up. I was testing my 7-way connector tonight and brake and turn signal lights on the passenger side are not working. The 7-way was installed prior to me purchasing and is a very professional job.

1) Verified that I have voltage going to the turn signal out of the car.
2) Verified that I have voltage coming out of the 7-way wire and what would go to the trailer.
3) Swapped bulbs and wires (out of the 7-way) around and still nothing on the passenger side.


Obviously I can access the wiring to the lights from inside the rear. Everything looks good, nothing frayed or disconnected. I know what I need to do to troubleshoot, just want to see if there are there any common issues that I should check first on the Trilliums?


The only other thing I have done was disconnect the battery and take it out, I don't think that would cause this issue though unless something was utilizing the ground....
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Old 03-07-2016, 07:15 AM   #2
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The most common issue with any tail light is lack of a good ground connection.
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Old 03-07-2016, 09:35 AM   #3
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I have to agree, it's a ground. Normally two functions (stop and tail) would not quit at once. Ground may be common to these two. Good luck !
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Old 03-07-2016, 09:42 AM   #4
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The wires for the tail lights typically run from the plug that connects to the vehicle, up through the floor, into the gaucho, (to a junction box). There, it splices to the interior wire that runs behind the fridge, into the dinette seats. Do you have a multi meter? Set it on the continuity setting, then plug one probe end into the marette in the junction box. Then to the end that connects to the tail light. You may need extra long probes. If your probe is sharp enough, (I sharpen mine on the concrete side walk) then it can pierce the insulation, without needing to strip the wire. Use liquid electrical tape to seal the piercing. What you are looking for is the conductor that is not connected. Then you at least know where to look.
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Old 03-07-2016, 10:05 AM   #5
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"... brake and turn light on the passenger side not working..."

The brake and turn light use the same wire, and same pin on the 7-pin connector. This is the brown wire that goes from the trailer 7-pin connector to the passenger taillight. You should check continuity for that wire, and also make sure there is no corrosion in the taillight bulb socket and in the associated pin.

Also, what do you mean when you say that you swapped wires out of the 7-way??
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Old 03-07-2016, 10:13 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bullington View Post
I have to agree, it's a ground. Normally two functions (stop and tail) would not quit at once. Ground may be common to these two. Good luck !
Note that the OP indicated that the brake/turn signal light isn't working.

If the marker/parking light filament in the taillight bulb is working, then its not a ground problem.
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Old 03-07-2016, 01:50 PM   #7
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Use a battery charger and clamp black lead to a bare spot on the trailer frame. Connect the red lead to the rt turn signal terminal of the trailer side connector, Run a jumper wire from the tail light ground wire to a bare spot on the frame. Brake lamp bulb should light now. Trillium ran a green wire to the frame in the rear aft of the wheel on both sides. Corrosion during the winter may have affected this connection. Clean the connection under the screws and check for operation then. There is a ground wire for each lamp. Just because on side is working well the opposite may not work . Hope this helps you somewhat.
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Old 03-07-2016, 03:44 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by getaway1 View Post
Use a battery charger and clamp black lead to a bare spot on the trailer frame. Connect the red lead to the rt turn signal terminal of the trailer side connector, Run a jumper wire from the tail light ground wire to a bare spot on the frame. Brake lamp bulb should light now. Trillium ran a green wire to the frame in the rear aft of the wheel on both sides. Corrosion during the winter may have affected this connection. Clean the connection under the screws and check for operation then. There is a ground wire for each lamp. Just because on side is working well the opposite may not work . Hope this helps you somewhat.
There is some confusion here. Actually, in Trilliums, the very thick green wire attached to the frame which you mention is for AC/shore power only.

There is also a thin green wire that runs from the 7-pin connector back to each side light and each taillight to power the tail/running lights.

The trillium right taillight has three terminals attached to a single 1157 bulb which has three contacts and two filaments, and is wired as follows:

White wire = ground terminal (white ground wire runs back to 7-pin connector, not to frame)
Green wire = terminal for tail/running light filament
Brown wire = terminal for brake and right signal light filament

Also note that when running vintage Trillium wires into the 7-pin connector, these wires do not use the standard 7-pin color coding.
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Old 03-07-2016, 04:23 PM   #9
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Trillium wire colors into 7-blade connector

Some vintage Trilliums seem to have had 6-pin connectors. Some may currently have a 4-pin connector. To convert to a 7-blade connector, the vintage Trillium wires (which are NOT the same color as 7-blade standard wire colors) should be matched up as follows:

PIN 1 GROUND/COMMON: Vehicle side white to Trillium side white
PIN 2 TRAILER BRAKES: Vehicle side blue to Trillium side blue
PIN 3 TAIL/RUNNING LIGHTS: Vehicle side brown to Trillium side green
PIN 4 AUX 12V+ CHARGING: Vehicle side red or black to Trillium side black
PIN 5 LEFT TURN/BRAKE LIGHT: Vehicle side yellow to Trillium side red
PIN 6 RIGHT TURN/BRAKE LIGHT: Vehicle side green to Trillium side brown
PIN 7 BACKUP LIGHTS: Vehicle side purple to Trillium side yellow or not used

YMMV!
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Old 03-07-2016, 10:39 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John in Michigan View Post
"... brake and turn light on the passenger side not working..."

The brake and turn light use the same wire, and same pin on the 7-pin connector. This is the brown wire that goes from the trailer 7-pin connector to the passenger taillight. You should check continuity for that wire, and also make sure there is no corrosion in the taillight bulb socket and in the associated pin.

Also, what do you mean when you say that you swapped wires out of the 7-way??
Actually in the molded wire itself, the molded wire end was worn and I wanted to ensure something in the wire wasn't broken. I swapped the left and right with the left still working and right still not, so it is definitely something on the trailer.
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Old 03-08-2016, 04:10 PM   #11
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Or in the light itself. I don't mean to be insulting, but have you checked the bulb?
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Old 03-09-2016, 08:39 PM   #12
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Or in the light itself. I don't mean to be insulting, but have you checked the bulb?
Not insulting. As I said in the original post, I have swapped bulbs.
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Old 03-09-2016, 09:20 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JBjunior View Post
So, I have had my trailer in storage and am getting it ready for this summer. It has been in my heated garage and no issues, rust or otherwise, have popped up. I was testing my 7-way connector tonight and brake and turn signal lights on the passenger side are not working. The 7-way was installed prior to me purchasing and is a very professional job.

1) Verified that I have voltage going to the turn signal out of the car.
2) Verified that I have voltage coming out of the 7-way wire and what would go to the trailer.
3) Swapped bulbs and wires (out of the 7-way) around and still nothing on the passenger side.


Obviously I can access the wiring to the lights from inside the rear. Everything looks good, nothing frayed or disconnected. I know what I need to do to troubleshoot, just want to see if there are there any common issues that I should check first on the Trilliums?


The only other thing I have done was disconnect the battery and take it out, I don't think that would cause this issue though unless something was utilizing the ground....

JBJunior, have you EVER observed the right brake and turn signal light working? These two functions use the same wire/same filament in same bulb. If not, then the problem could be:

1. At PIN 6 RIGHT TURN/BRAKE LIGHT, the wrong wire used from either the vehicle side, the trailer side, or both. Should be Vehicle side green to Trillium side brown.

2. Broken or disconnected RIGHT TURN/BRAKE LIGHT wire (brown) somewhere in the trailer.

3. Broken or disconnected wire or corroded socket INSIDE the taillight fixture.

Even if you HAVE at some point observed the right brake and turn signal light working, could be problem 2 or 3.

Also, is the PIN 3 TAIL/RUNNING LIGHTS function working on all lights?

It is VERY easy, even for a professional, to miswire the 7-blade connector when connecting vintage Trillium wires.
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Old 03-12-2016, 08:43 PM   #14
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Just got back to work on it today and did nothing on the trailer side. I added my 12v power wire for the 7 way and the back up lights wire, both on the car side..... and everything on the trailer works. I will keep a close eye to see if any gremlins pop-up.
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Old 03-12-2016, 10:20 PM   #15
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J, that's great! good luck!
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Old 03-14-2016, 02:03 PM   #16
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Name: Duane
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I like to wrap a little steel wool around a small drill bit and run the drill backwards to clean the coupling sockets and male pins as well . I do this every spring when using the trailer for the first time. Poor connections are a common fault with wiring. Ground is the reason, 9 times out of 10. High resistance is why the brake lights won't come on even though the tail lights work. They draw more amps ! Duane
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