[AT] Portable Trailer lights from Harbor Freight

Stephen Offiler soffiler at gmail.com
Thu Aug 10 04:26:20 PDT 2017


Well, there's a bit of conjecture in what I am about to say... but the
thing is, computers and semiconductor switches have become very
inexpensive. It is possible to reduce the copper in any given circuit by
using tiny low-current signals on local area networks and only running full
current the shortest possible distance to the bulbs or whatever electrical
load.  Copper and high-current connectors are relatively expensive and
heavy, two things they're always looking to minimize in auto design.  So
that's how something this simple could end up with a computer in the mix.
Require is obviously a strong word.

SO


On Thu, Aug 10, 2017 at 6:41 AM, Dean VP <deanvp at att.net> wrote:

>
> Yes, I did always have the 7 pin wiring to my trailer hooked up before and
> during the 4 pin HF stuff.  That is one test I didn't try. Intelesting.
> How could something this simple require computer control?  I'm not sure
> anyone could write a program to cause it to do what it is doing but.....
> 😊   I sure as hell am going to try your suggestion. I agree it would take
> a computer to cause these strange things to happen. I honestly don't
> believe there is anything in the HF stuff other than wires and bulbs.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [mailto:at-bounces at lists.
> antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Stephen Offiler
> Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2017 2:11 AM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Subject: Re: [AT] Portable Trailer lights from Harbor Freight
>
> Dean, if I read correctly, you had your trailer hooked up to the 7-pin and
> then you added the HF lights to the 4-pin?  If so, did you try
> disconnecting the 7-pin to see what would happen?  (My underlying thinking
> here is that modern trucks probably have a computer somehow involved with
> powering those trailer connectors)
>
> SO
>
>
> On Thu, Aug 10, 2017 at 2:53 AM, Dean VP <deanvp at att.net> wrote:
>
> > Several months ago this was a topic on Atis when Harbor Freight had
> > these light sets on sale for like $5 or $10 or so.  Well I bought two
> > sets of them In case I needed then on my trailer and the second set to
> > carry around in my truck for anyone else who might need them at an
> > Antique Tractor show.  Well recently I decided maybe I ought to hooked
> > one up to my truck and trailer to see how I liked them.  Didn't work
> > so good.  The first indication was it appeared I had a crossed wire or
> > poor ground since whenever I turned on a turn signal both turn signals
> > blinked at a lower brightness.  Chased grounding, cleaned contacts, etc,
> etc.  No solution.
> > Keep in mind my normal trailer lights are working fine. Then I found
> > out that if the tail lights were on, night time, whenever I braked,
> > both taillights would go out. Not dim, completely out.  That had me
> > really going and then I found out that if the tail lights were not on,
> daytime, the
> > brake lights worked just fine.   Now that had my h!
> >  ead completely spinning.
> >
> > So after a while of being completely dumfounded I finally realized I
> > had another brand new set in the truck so hooked them up. Same damned
> thing.
> >  Let me reiterate, my regular lights on the trailer work perfectly.
> > The only difference is the HF lights are fed by the small 4 pin
> > connector right next to the 7 pin connector that feeds the normal
> > trailer lights. Now One could come to the conclusion that there must
> > be something wrong with the 4 pin connector circuits  or  both HF
> > light sets are defective. I have tested the 4 pin connector with a
> > volt meter and the voltage appears correctly with no cross talk
> > between pins for the turn signals.  I get a good low ohm ground
> > measurement between the ground on the 4 pin socket and the ground on the
> truck.
> >
> > I'm stuck.  At the present time I am convinced I have two identically
> > defective light sets from Harbor Freight.  Primarily because I cannot
> > come up with anything that could be wrong in the 4 pin circuits that
> > could produce these kinds of weird results. Am I overlooking something
> > really simple? Or even something complex. It has me stumped if it isn't
> the lights
> > themselves.   Unfortunately I have nothing else to check the 4 pin
> > connector with here.  I suppose there may be a commercial tester for
> > them but I haven't looked for one.  Maybe I'm just flat stubborn
> > believing it is the lights.
> >
> >
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