I have an F250 Super Duty diesel truck that I use to pull a 5th wheel travel trailer (RV). I have the standard 5th wheel hitch in the truck bed that connects to the pin on the 5th wheel. I have experienced no electrical problems through the 7 wire connector that connects truck to trailer. However, I devised a way to position the truck and trailer head to head to facilitate an easier parking arrangement. This allows the turning point at front of truck to be much closer to trailer than standard front to to back configuration and you can easily push the trailer with ease of effective & immediate steering response (and see where you’re heading). I installed another electrical connector (identical to the one in truck bed) under front hood of truck so my point of connection would reach. I devised a ball hitch that fits around my 5th wheel pin. Then, I designed a ball mount on the front of my truck frame. Finally, here’s the problem. As soon as I lowered the 5th wheel hitch down onto ball mount and the two metals touched, sparks flew and my new connector under the hood failed to work any longer. What caused this to happen and how can I correct it? I’m not an electrician. My new connector under truck hood had inline fuse. Do I need a ground of some type? Please help me with this problem or advise as to who would. I apologize for the lengthy ?. Thanks very much. BT Las Vegas, NV
Generally the frame of the truck and the hitch would be grounded and all power wires isolated from any ground. If there was a dead short, the fuse should blow. So if the hitch ball does not have a battery negative(ground) add one and you should be OK.
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Thanks for your response. However, I’m so inept at understanding electrical problems that I don’t know how to do what you suggest. The ball hitch temporarily mounts (pinned loosely) to a heavy duty metal “weed guard” on front of truck. Does it need to be tightly connected?
Tightly connected would help and make sure it is connected to the battery negative. Even if you use a jumper wire from the battery and connect it to the metal guard.
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