[SEL] Semi OT - Trailer question

[bill at antique-engines.com]

A product called NoOx or just plain old silicone dielectric grease works,
too.
The former used by electricians to prevent connection problems, the latter
used widely in automotive applications.
I use the latter ANYtime I replace an auto bulb, too.

Bill

> On Apr 5, 2005 5:52 PM, John Cullom <jhcullom at adelphia.net> wrote:
>> Although I do use my trailer for hauling my engines & tractor - I hauled
>> out
>> my 16' flatbed trailer today in preparation for summer shows, & noticed
>> something peculiar. All the running lights work fine, as well as the
>> brake
>> lights, but when the lights are on, the electric brakes are engaging.
>> Enough
>> that when I turn the lights on when pulling it, I can really feel the
>> brakes
>> grabbing, so they are engaging all the way. Any ideas? I figured all the
>> grounds & other connections were clean & tight, since the lights worked.
>> But
>> could it be a frayed wire touching the body & feeding back into the
>> brake
>> wire? But that would blow the fuse, right? Got me stumped.
>> Thanks for the help,
>> John
>
> I have to reply to this with some uncertainty as we don't have
> electric brakes over here in the UK, but we DO have lots of salt on
> the road in winter which causes lots of bad connections.
>
> Assuming that the brake lights come on with the electric brake, and
> that the brake lights and side lights share a common ground in the
> bulb (assuming again a dual-filament stop and tail bulb) then it is
> quite plausible that the side lights are not grounded properly and are
> getting a ground through the stop light filaments, and thus to the
> electric brake.
>
> It is always a pain when bad earths or grounds happen, but usually it
> is just a case of cleaning up connections and applying some Komaline
> Jelly or Vaseline Jelly, DO NOT use ordinary grease on electrical
> contacts!
>
> Hope this may help in some small way.
>
> Peter
> --
> Peter A Forbes
> Email: listerdiesel at gmail.com
> Web: www.oldengine.org/members/diesel
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