2008 Chev Duramax 3500

[Jash]

I got the plug mounted in the box of the truck back by the tail gate, I checked out the harness and could see no damage to the wiring so I wrapped it back up. It was 14 this morning so I got out the truck and took it for a spin to warm everything up. When I returned I checked out the plug and made sure all the light, signals etc worked. No problems

[Mike Clay]

Good, that is where mine is mounted also, so what was the problem?

[Jash]

The fifth wheel wire harness just aft of where it was tie wrapped was crushed between the frame and the box. Regarding the power to the battery pin on the connector I didnt make any connections at the fuse box, Im going to take it to the dealer and let them do that. I did check the lug on the fuse box and it always has 12 volts on it, I thought it would disconnect when you turn the key off on the truck.

I checked the window sticker on my truck and it says the truck has an option for low battery protection, I checked the Chev web site and cant find any ref to what that means. Do you disconnect your trailer plug when you stop for the night when on the road, seems you could run down the battery in your truck if you didnt.

[Mike Clay]

Well most of the time I dont dry camp so the answer is yes I unplug it, although I have forgot when leaving the trailer hooked to the truck a couple times and never had a problem.

[Don Wilson]

Jash,

I have pulled into places like a truck stop, or rest area and spent the night without disconnecting from the trailer and leave the 12 volt cord plug hooked up to the truck without any problem. I have actually left it plugged in for as much as two days parked in front of the house without shore power when we are getting ready for a trip without any problems!

Don

[Future Fulltimers]

I checked the window sticker on my truck and it says the truck has an option for low battery protection, I checked the Chev web site and cant find any ref to what that means. Do you disconnect your trailer plug when you stop for the night when on the road, seems you could run down the battery in your truck if you didnt.

"Low Battery Protection" - If you leave something on in the truck such as the interior lights, the computer will turn them off. Leave your door open for a while and you'll see what I mean.
Yes, I also always disconnect the truck when parked.

[Jash]

I got the truck out of the garage and took it to the chev dealer, looking at the top picture the lug on the left with the red wire is power to the brake controler. The lug on the right is for battery power to the trailer, the green fuse just above the lug is the 40 amp trailer fuse. The dealer gave me the nut for the lug but said they would not hook it up under warranty, nice Hu. I asked them to confirm that if I did it would not void the warranty and they confirmed that.

Its a sad day with dealers, I bought my first new car from this dealership in 1976, was being transfered from Kodiak Island to North Carolina and had the Camaro waiting at the dealer ship. Got off the plane went to the dealership, gave the salesman some king crab I had frozen for the trip and off I was to North Carolina. Boy was I a happy camper in that new camaro!

[Jash]

The dealer would not hook up the harness, they gave me the nuts for the post, pulled the wire up to the post and said just hook it up. My truck came with two red wires coiled up, one to the left of the large fuse box with no labels on it and one to the right with a tag, (aftermarket trailer wiring battery feed). The dealer told me to hook up the one on the left which had no label on it. I asked him about the other wire and he had no explination.

When I got the turck home I hooked up the one on the left with no label and it powered the battery feed at both output recepticals, (now Im really confused). I pulled the 40 amp fuse to see if it was fuse protected and lost power to both connectors. Seems this feeds both.

Next I disconnected this lead and hooked up the one that was labeled after market battery feed, no power anywhere, tried starting the truck thinking it was switch fed. No power.


The only thing I can figure is that when they add the fifth wheel harness they must join the two harness's some where in the circuit. They must cut this red wire that was tied up to the right of the fuse box marked aftermarket battery feed.

The dealer truly had no clue, I called GM and they said take it to the dealer, they can call the tech desk for help. I told them I wanted to and they said the dealer has too.


I believe I have had it with this issue. Ive got power the battery feed and its fuse protected. Ill just leave the wire to the right of the fuse box coiled up. I just cant believe there is not a place to get help from the manufacturer on technical issues.

[snoking]

The dealer would not hook up the harness, they gave me the nuts for the post, pulled the wire up to the post and said just hook it up. My truck came with two red wires coiled up, one to the left of the large fuse box with no labels on it and one to the right with a tag, (aftermarket trailer wiring battery feed). The dealer told me to hook up the one on the left which had no label on it. I asked him about the other wire and he had no explination.

When I got the turck home I hooked up the one on the left with no label and it powered the battery feed at both output recepticals, (now Im really confused). I pulled the 40 amp fuse to see if it was fuse protected and lost power to both connectors. Seems this feeds both.

Next I disconnected this lead and hooked up the one that was labeled after market battery feed, no power anywhere, tried starting the truck thinking it was switch fed. No power.


The only thing I can figure is that when they add the fifth wheel harness they must join the two harness's some where in the circuit. They must cut this red wire that was tied up to the right of the fuse box marked aftermarket battery feed.

The dealer truly had no clue, I called GM and they said take it to the dealer, they can call the tech desk for help. I told them I wanted to and they said the dealer has too.


I believe I have had it with this issue. Ive got power the battery feed and its fuse protected. Ill just leave the wire to the right of the fuse box coiled up. I just cant believe there is not a place to get help from the manufacturer on technical issues.

I believe that wire may go to the after market brake controller plug under the dash. My neighbor at home had a brake controller installed and it did not work until I hooked that wire up for him. It required a metric nut. Chris

[Jash]

My truck came with the GM installed brake controller. Its the wire that is installed on the left lug in the picture and is protected by the 30 amp pink fuse just above it in the picture.

[Rob & Cathy]

Do you disconnect your trailer plug when you stop for the night when on the road, seems you could run down the battery in your truck if you didnt.

Hi John

On mine the 12v is disconnected from the connector unless the key is in the ON position. This keeps the trailer form discharging the truck battery when the truck is not running. You may want to see if yours does the same thing.

Rob

[Jash]

On my new chev there is always power to the trailer battery connector. Ill just have to disconnect it when not in use. I suppose I could get a soleniod and power it through a switch. Im sure the old style solenoids that used to come on auto start systems would carry the load with no problem. What might work better is the smaller solenoids that come on electric start lawn tractors. Ill wait till the warranty expires till I make any changes.

It wouldnt be to hard to put a switch in the truck to actuate the solenoid.