Wiring Problems

[bnilssen]

I have a small enclosed utility trailer I use for camping that I can run off of vehicle wiring or I can plug the 7way plug into a receptacle I have wired to a separate battery. While cutting wires, to hook up a 12v cigarette lighter type receptacle, I made the mistake of grounding out the wires before I hooked them up. I had the radio going inside the unit as well as an interior light. When the cut was made, both units quit working. Now when I hook up a test wire to the negative side of the battery and touch the tester to a ground inside the unit, the test light comes on, indicating I have positive going to the frame of the trailer. To top it off, when I now plug the trailer into my vehicle, the right tail light comes on on my truck. HELP - any advice or assistance would be most appreciated. Thank you.

[bnilssen]

Thanks DougE. That sounds like exactly what happened. Just can't figure out why I lost ground, when I cut the wire and everything quit. All was working fine b4 that.

[DougE]

EMF? Not a EE, but if a circuit is not grounded it will have a voltage impressed on it. If the circuit is grounded the voltage will go away. No real amperage involved. I have hooked up battery power to a starter solenoid that was not grounded. Even though the solenoid was not energized, all terminals registered voltage on my meter.

[bnilssen]

Several hours and testing later, after I tightened the ground to the trailer, everything works. Why I lost ground when I cut the wire is a mystery but all seems to be OK now. Why I had power to the ground of the trailer is also a mystery.