Electric Tongue Jack Power Problem

[Delano1981]

If anyone has any electrical experience, I have a problem with this electric tongue jack I purchased from eTrailer.com:

https://www.etrailer.com/Camper-Jacks/Buyers-Products/3370093500.html

It has a 7 pin plug like the standard plug on a trailer that you can plug into the truck for power. The problem is that the jack doesn't work when I plug it into the truck 7 pin connector, even though I have verified 12V power and ground is present on the correct pins of the truck connector. But, if I run a jumper wire from the positive post of my trailer battery to the correct 12V power pin on the jack 7 pin connector, it works perfectly. My guess is that it is not getting ground when plugged into the truck. Any ideas on what could be wrong?

Thanks

[Sjm9911]

On the etrailor site they have that senerio covered also. Have fun.

[bob213]

Delano1981 wrote:
Thanks everyone for the replies. I think I'll follow the advice to hard wire it to the trailer battery. That will be a simple solution.

Thanks

I would suggest you add an inline fuse if the jack doesn't have one now.

[Delano1981]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I think I'll follow the advice to hard wire it to the trailer battery. That will be a simple solution.

Thanks

[Grit_dog]

Diamond c wrote:
If my camper battery is dead nothing on the camper work but the lights when I plug the camper to the truck. I need to put a fuse in the fuse block of the truck,although I don’t know where. You might try charging your camper battery and see if that works.

????

[Sjm9911]

If you click on the product link you posted, E trailor has a bunch of troubleshooting info there , including wiring diagrams. As bob said, most common thing is the fuse in the truck itself. Good luck.

[Lwiddis]

An electric trailer jack that isn’t wired to the trailer? New to me but I’ll try the drill/impact powered jack next time.

[MFL]

🙂

WNYBob wrote:
Jerry, the OP said he just added positive power to the jack pin! He didn't check the truck output.

" The problem is that the jack doesn't work when I plug it into the truck 7 pin connector, even though I have verified 12V power and ground is present on the correct pins of the truck connector."

Here is the quote: Maybe a difference in our reading comprehension???

[Diamond_c]

If my camper battery is dead nothing on the camper work but the lights when I plug the camper to the truck. I need to put a fuse in the fuse block of the truck,although I don’t know where. You might try charging your camper battery and see if that works.

[WNYBob]

Jerry, the OP said he just added positive power to the jack pin! He didn't check the truck output.

[MFL]

WNYBob wrote:
Check your truck manual, I needed to add a fuse in the fuse box, it may be blown or not there.

Bob...in the OP, he stated that he has verified power coming from truck's connector.

Jerry

[MFL]

ScottG wrote:
Sounds like you figured it out - the jack is using the trailer for ground and not the ground at the trucks 7 pin conn.
Personally, I would cut the connector off and wire it to my trailers battery like most jacks are.

Agree with Scott, it would be much nicer to have the jack wired to trailer battery. If you wanted to raise/lower the trailer front, it seems foolish, to have to connect to the truck to do so.

Jerry

[WNYBob]

Check your truck manual, I needed to add a fuse in the fuse box, it may be blown or not there.

[ScottG]

Sounds like you figured it out - the jack is using the trailer for ground and not the ground at the trucks 7 pin conn.
Personally, I would cut the connector off and wire it to my trailers battery like most jacks are.