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  1. 05-23-2025, 07:15 AM #1
    chad202
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    Reverse Solenoid

    I troubleshot it today. New fuse, I checked power leaving the truck, all good. I cut the blue wire going to the solenoid and ohmed the blue wire going to trailer backup lights to ground, it ohmed good, open, so no short. I then ohmed the blue wire going to the solenoid and the white ground wire on the solenoid and it shorted to 18.1 ohms. Idk what the solenoid coil should ohm so can’t say it’s bad or not. I also took a 12v battery and hooked to trailer reverse light and ground, the lights lit up nice and bright so I really don’t think it’s a wiring issue. I’m leaning toward solenoid.
    Chad St. Pierre
    Paulina LA 70763
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  2. squib
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    #2 05-23-2025, 07:54 AM
    Double check your ground. I believe they just ground through contact. You might sand down the contact points a bit to make sure you get a good ground. Also, if you can get very close to the solenoid when it gets powered, you can hear it click. You might be able to rig it up with some pigtails you can touch off of your trailer plug (probably the headlights) so that you can touch the wires and activate the solenoid while positioning yourself close by. If you hear the click (or feel it by putting a hand on it), then it is likely working. I have messed with them a lot and have never had one go out.
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  3. Champ 2001
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    #3 05-23-2025, 09:22 AM
    I think squib is on the correct path! I have had issues and usually it's a ground or connection causing it!
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  4. Fishshooter
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    #4 05-23-2025, 10:00 AM
    If white ground wire from solenoid is secured to trailer frame by a screw, remove screw, clean terminal & frame where terminal contacts frame, reconnect & retest. This is usually the problem or the wire is corroded or loose where terminal is crimped on .
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  5. chad202
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    #5 05-25-2025, 08:45 PM
    Would that cause my backup fuse to blow in my truck? That’s the issue, keeps blowing the backup fuse in my truck.
    Chad St. Pierre
    Paulina LA 70763
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  6. Champ 2001
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    #6 05-25-2025, 10:19 PM
    No. The ground wire loose or corroded won't cause a short.
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  7. Champ 2001
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    #7 05-25-2025, 10:21 PM
    Did you try disconnecting the wire to the solenoid and see if the fuse blows when in reverse?
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  8. chad202
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    #8 05-26-2025, 04:33 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Champ 2001 View Post
    Did you try disconnecting the wire to the solenoid and see if the fuse blows when in reverse?
    that is next. I did hook up a battery to just the backup lights to see if they blinked or were dim looking for a short there. Then I hooked up to just the solenoid to try and hear it pull in or click and couldn’t. My son put his finger on it and couldn’t feel it click either.
    Chad St. Pierre
    Paulina LA 70763
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  9. Champ 2001
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    #9 05-27-2025, 07:40 PM
    Updates?
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  10. chad202
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    #10 05-27-2025, 08:57 PM
    Well, since I did the above, I’ve been able to back up. I haven’t checked the fuse yet though. I don’t know if I had a short and by moving the wires around it’s not shorted anymore or by hooking solenoid a 12v battery directed to the solenoid, basically I was making/breaking connections repeatedly, that it somehow broke free and started working. I will verify fuse tomorrow.
    Chad St. Pierre
    Paulina LA 70763
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  11. Champ 2001
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    #11 05-27-2025, 09:11 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by chad202 View Post
    Well, since I did the above, I’ve been able to back up. I haven’t checked the fuse yet though. I don’t know if I had a short and by moving the wires around it’s not shorted anymore or by hooking solenoid a 12v battery directed to the solenoid, basically I was making/breaking connections repeatedly, that it somehow broke free and started working. I will verify fuse tomorrow.
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  12. billnorman1
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    #12 05-28-2025, 05:42 AM
    Sounds like you had a poor connection and fixed it while troubleshooting. Waterproof all your splices with Liquid Electric Tape and drive on.

    https://www.harborfreight.com/search...ctrical%20tape
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  13. Bill Reynolds
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    #13 05-28-2025, 02:17 PM
    I had a similar problem with the trailer for my Ranger RT188, it would blow the truck’s reverse lights fuse when I backed into the water. After several weeks I finally found a problem with the trailer wiring harness.
    The wiring harness passed through the channel frame through a ragged torch blown hole that abraded the insulation of the outside wire in the harness which happened to be the blue reverse wire. The picture shows how I fixed it with a split rubber tube.
    I also discovered abrasion where the harness passed through support washers that were welded to the frame. The second picture shows how I fixed those and any other places where the harness passed through the channel.





    It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a
    thought without accepting it. - Aristotle
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  14. chad202
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    #14 05-28-2025, 02:35 PM
    ​Good info, thanks.
    Chad St. Pierre
    Paulina LA 70763
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  15. billnorman1
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    #15 05-29-2025, 02:50 PM
    Excellent suggestion.
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  16. chad202
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    #16 06-02-2025, 07:39 AM
    Fuse still good and no issues backing up.
    Chad St. Pierre
    Paulina LA 70763
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  17. Champ 2001
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    #17 06-02-2025, 07:57 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by chad202 View Post
    Fuse still good and no issues backing up.
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