Should truck engine be turned off when connecting or disconnecting trailer pigtail to truck?

[JohnD]

I've always turned off the truck when connecting or disconnecting the trailer pigtail to the truck, and make sure the headlights are are off as well just to be safe.

I don't know if it would hurt anything . . . which is why I was wondering about this.

 

[whp4262]

I've always turned off the truck when connecting or disconnecting the trailer pigtail to the truck, and make sure the headlights are are off as well just to be safe.

I don't know if it would hurt anything . . . which is why I was wondering about this.

Probably not, there isn't enough current going through the pigtail to cause any serious arcing and everything is fused. So if there was a short it would pop a fuse before it damaged anything. I would say that I probably hook up trailers 95% of the time with the truck running.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Shortest Straw]

I grew up on a ranch, drove semi's for awhile, and currently have 3 trailers of my own. In all that time I have never even blown a fuse plugging in while my pickup/truck was idling. Yes I differentiate between the two. I drive a pickup not a truck. Besides that I am not shutting off the engine for the brief time it takes to hook up.

 

[dbbls59]

I have never shut mine off.

 

[Bob&Patty]

I only turned off the engine and all lites when pulling a boat trailer. Thats because the trailer lites were under water. Sometimes the engine is off...sometimes not. Never has any issues either way. A short in the marker or stop/turn lites would blow the fuse at the truck...not the trailer. No trailer lites are fused in the trailer itself.

 

[JohnD]

Update:

I've recently plugged and unplugged with the engine running and didn't blow up the neighborhood . . .

I don't know why . . . but I still feel like I should.

Just like I feel that I should unplug an electric heater from the wall after I turn off the heater, and not while it is still running.

 

[whp4262]

I leave the engine running while hooking up and have never had an issue.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Oregon_Camper]

Engine on for quick get-a-ways.

 

[Gtoli]

Have never given it a second thought, just plug or unplug and go.

 

[StarryNight]

Update:

I've recently plugged and unplugged with the engine running and didn't blow up the neighborhood . . .

I don't know why . . . but I still feel like I should.

Just like I feel that I should unplug an electric heater from the wall after I turn off the heater, and not while it is still running.

Hey John,
Even if you had started a fire all the snow today would have helped put it out!! lol

According to the in-house electrical engineer...the long version I heard was essentially "...blah, blah, blah, yakkity smackity..." the short version was it's ok to leave the truck running when unplugging/plugging in, no arcing, connector pins of plug designed to take load...I also heard the words "battery, fuse, lights, Ford..."
Now, compared to that space heater in your home....again there was quite a bit of blah, blah, blah that I heard...but, yes it should be turned off before unplugging, arcing can occur (connector pins are not suitable size to take the 13-15Amps)....I realize this isn't the technical info you wanted to hear, but, hey, I'm the comic relief in this family!!

You can get the full version from Don when we see you @ Buena Vista...in fact you may be able to get a diagram out of him as well! lol

 

[pegmikef]

I just make sure my truck lights are off as I have blown one of the truck fuses for trailer lights when it arced when I plugged it in because the trailer lights tried to draw the current as I plugged in the pegtail because the truck running lights were on. Happened one other time before it dawned on me what was causing it.