What Gauge Wire Is Required On a 7-Way Connector

Question

Question:

I want to make a 4 foot extension on my 7 blade rv connector. I want to know what guage wire i need. I think the power and the ground are different gauges than the other 5. Thanks for the help.

asked by: Tom

0

Expert Reply:

On a 7-Way connector the suggested minimum wire gauge for the White (ground) wire, the Red or Black (power) wire, and the Blue (brake power) wire is 12 gauge. The minimum wire gauge for the remaining Green (right turn/brake) wire, the Yellow (left turn/brake) wire, the Brown (tail lights) wire, and the Purple (reverse light) wire is 16 gauge.

I have the Hopkins 7-Way Molded Trailer Wire Connector with Lead, part # H20042. This is a 7-Way blade plug on one end and a 3 foot wire lead. Also, the Hopkins 7-Way Molded Trailer Wire Connector with Lead, part # H20046, which is a 7-Way blade plug with an 8 foot wire lead.

I am including a link to a FAQ page on wiring.

expert reply by: Jeff D

0

Gerald G.

5/11/2020

Looking for information on what gauge wire the tow vehicle manufacturers GM, Ford, RAM would typically use for this connection? Especially for the plus and minus. We have a Bull Dog 650 hoist from etrailer.com that we intend to power from this connection.

Reply

Chris R.

5/13/2020

I'm not sure there's really a standard but typically 12 to 10 gauge wiring would be used for the 12V circuit on a factory 7-Way harness. I highly recommend hooking up the Bulldog Hoist directly to the truck's battery or an aux battery for best performance.

Reply

Angel

8/11/2024

I converted my 4 lin trailer plug to a 7 pin. The 4 to 7 pin adapter has 14 awg so I ran a 14 awg wire to my brake controller as well as to the battery. I see on the internet that it's fine but I am a little scared it won't work because I also see that the 12 volt lead from the 7 pin to the battery should be 12 awg and the wire from the 7 pin plug to my brake controller shouod also be 12awg. Am I okay with the 14 awg or do I NEED to switch it

Reply

Jon G.

8/12/2024

@Angel Great question. We prefer to recommend 10 and 12 gauge wiring for this purpose (nothing wrong with going a little bigger), but 14 gauge wire is still safe to use so you won't need to rewire everything.

Reply

Answer 1

Typically 4-way wiring consists of 18 and 16 gauge wires. For a 4-way that has all 16 gauge wire you would want the Wesbar 4-Pole Flat Connector #W787264. The part #HM38138 uses 18 gauge for all wires but the white that uses 16 gauge.

view full answer...

Answer 2

It's a wire color difference but not a function difference on the pins of the 7-way. The difference comes from the fact that the two different styles are representative of two different areas that uses trailers. Traditional is usually seen on…

view full answer...

Answer 3

I recommend using at minimum a 12 gauge wire like #12-1-1, but preferably 10 gauge wire like #10-1-1. When you try to run 12v power for electric brakes through a thinner 14 gauge wire to power something like your brakes it overloads the wire and…

view full answer...

Answer 4

The 7-Way trailer connector #PK11893 does not take any wire directly. It is what is called a US car connector. There is a mating harness that plugs into the back of it that will either already be on the vehicle or you would use #PK11998 which uses a…

view full answer...

Answer 5

I checked with Dexter, manufacturer of many trailer parts, and according to them there should be at least 1 inch of space between the tires when under load. So once your trailer is loaded and ready to tow, if you have more than 1 inch of space…

view full answer...

Answer 6

The Dexter Axle 4-Leaf Slipper Spring w/ Hook End for 2,500 pound Trailer Axles - 26-3/4 inch Long #DX93QR has a slipper width of 2 inches. The site has both 2 inches and 1 3/4 inches but 2 is the correct measurement. To mount the double eye spring…

view full answer...

Answer 7

I can confirm that the parts listed below are all compatible. I do recommend replacing your spring hangers since you are upgrading everything else on your suspension. The Single-Axle Trailer Hanger Kit for 2" Slipper Springs - 3-3/4" Tall…

view full answer...

Answer 8

The only difference between 7-Way Utility and 7-Way RV is the color of the wires. The pin outs are the exact same so either would work just fine with the other. If you check out the picture I attached you'll see that the functions are all the…

view full answer...

Answer 9

It's pretty common for vehicle batteries to die when the vehicle is being flat towed since the braking system typically draws it's power from the towed vehicle to activate. This is a problem for nearly all systems including the Brake Buddy…

view full answer...

Answer 10

I have seen several people use the Mounting Bracket #HM40978 to relocate the 7- and 4-Pole Trailer Connector Socket #HM40975 on their 2019 Toyota 4Runner to a more easily accessible location. I have linked a image below showing where they remounted…

view full answer...

Answer 11

The correct Lock N Roll hitch assembly is going to depend on the size of the channel the coupler of your trailer sits on. You need about a 5" drop, and the closest is going to be the 4-1/2" drop Lock N Roll Articulating Hitch for 2"…

view full answer...

Answer 12

Based on the images you sent in it appears your 2005 Starcraft RT10 does not use a traditional A-Frame coupler so the Lock N Roll #336TS504 will not work for your application. Instead you will need to measure the width between your frame rails the…

view full answer...

What Gauge Wire Is Required On a 7-Way Connector

Products Referenced in This Question

Product Page this Question was Asked From

Featured Help Information

Instructions

Miscellaneous Media

Continue Researching