Truck Reverse Tow/Backup Fuse Blowing

[chaseerry]

2015 Tundra.
2011 Skeeter with EZ Loader trailer.

I replaced the entire actuator assembly including the reverse solenoid earlier this year due to the previous owner neglecting it. Brakes have been working great since then.
Last week at the ramp I went to back the boat in when I was stopped suddenly by the surge brakes. After panicking I found the truck's TOW BK/UP 7.5A fuse had blown. Replaced the fuse quickly and I was able to backup.
Yesterday it happened again when getting to the boat ramp (30 miles away). This time I put the fuse in and it immediately blew when I put the truck in reverse. Had to use a socket with duct tape to keep the actuator from compressing in. Initial look at the blue wiring that I spliced (leads directly into the solenoid) looks great.

Any ideas? Any help is greatly appreciated as I am not an electrician, but savvy enough to figure things out.

[Joe4d]

well you have a ground in your backup light circuit. Try it without the trailer hooked up. If everything is good, then u know its the trailer. Back up lights on trailer with water maybe ? Ground in it somewhere, corrosion in plug and connections , just gotta hunt it down. If you have an ohm meter, you can disconnect trailer hook one lead of meter to the backup wire, the other to the ground , and or the trailer frame itself... Check ur ohms,,, then start moving wires or connections till the ohms go away or increase. May help narrow down the problem

[chaseerry]

well you have a ground in your backup light circuit. Try it without the trailer hooked up. If everything is good, then u know its the trailer. Back up lights on trailer with water maybe ? Ground in it somewhere, corrosion in plug and connections , just gotta hunt it down. If you have an ohm meter, you can disconnect trailer hook one lead of meter to the backup wire, the other to the ground , and or the trailer frame itself... Check ur ohms,,, then start moving wires or connections till the ohms go away or increase. May help narrow down the problem

Thanks Joe. I don't have reverse lights on this trailer.
Does the blue wire from the solenoid go straight to the truck plug or does it go somewhere else down the trailer frame?

[Joe4d]

u'll have to google a diagram,, my trailers are either electric or no brakes.

[fishnfireman]

Thanks Joe. I don't have reverse lights on this trailer.
Does the blue wire from the solenoid go straight to the truck plug or does it go somewhere else down the trailer frame?

Yes;.........If the trailer has no back up lights the solenoid wire should just go to the plug. and should be blue.

[chaseerry]

Yes;.........If the trailer has no back up lights the solenoid wire should just go to the plug. and should be blue.

Got it. So today I took the wiring out of the tongue to check it out. The blue cable from the plug is spliced into three other blues - one of them going to the reverse solenoid. The other two go into the trailer frame? Could they be just wrapped up near the back for future use?

[fishnfireman]

Got it. So today I took the wiring out of the tongue to check it out. The blue cable from the plug is spliced into three other blues - one of them going to the reverse solenoid. The other two go into the trailer frame? Could they be just wrapped up near the back for future use?

That would be my first thought.
very well could be the source of your problem. I would unhook all but the solenoid and give it a try.

[chaseerry]

That would be my first thought.
very well could be the source of your problem. I would unhook all but the solenoid and give it a try.

Ah okay, I follow ya. I'll cut those, re-splice only the two blues (plug to solenoid) and give it a shot! Thanks!

[Kc188]

Had the same issue once. My trailer didn’t have reverse lights, but the reverse light wire was just laying in the trailer frame. However, the end was cut at an angle, just enough so the bare wire could touch the frame and blow the fuse. Found that, cut the end straight and never had a problem again.