Bulldog-Lippert Electric Trailer Jack Switch Wiring Diagram
Some RV owners are skeptical. They think that finding a wiring diagram for any feature on an RV is like finding a pig that can fly. In other words, they do not exist in most cases. Some features of an RV are wired very simply and you really do not need a wiring diagram to help you.
You may be able to get help from e-trailer. Their website has a wiring diagram for the Lippert system. They are more than happy to help people when you email and ask them. If you do not like e-trailer, we have diagrams below.
To view these wiring diagrams, and learn more about these systems, just continue to read our article. It provides both the diagrams as well as the information you need to troubleshoot your electric trailer jacks.
Electric Trailer Jack Wiring Diagrams
Electric Tongue Jack Wiring Diagram
This diagram is for a generic A-frame tongue jack:
It can apply to almost any towable RV but double-check to see if it will describe your current set-up and trailer. Sometimes it is best to contact the company that made the electric jacks and get a diagram from them.
That way you know the diagram is for your specific model of jack and trailer.
Electric Trailer Jack Switch Wiring Diagram
The following diagram shows you how simple the wiring can be for these essential systems. They are not wired that complicated and you should be able to troubleshoot the problem without calling in a technician.
Again, you can talk to the company that made your set of jacks or your brand’s dealer to see if they have a copy of the actual wiring diagram for your specific model and make of the trailer.
It is possible that they may not be able to hand them out to you due to company policy. But it never hurts to ask as having a specific wiring diagram will save you a lot of guesswork.
Lippert Power Tongue Jack Wiring Diagram
One RV parts outlet has posted the following diagram independently from our search. That tells us that this diagram should fit the Lippert system.
The instructions are: The blue wire from the switch will go to a 6 amp breaker; The yellow wire will go to positive circuit when retracting; The red wire will go to the positive battery terminal; the black wire will go to the negative terminal for ground.
Bulldog Electric Trailer Jack Wiring Diagram
The following diagram is for a 5th wheel set-up. It comes from e-trailer even though it is for a Bulldog product. We checked the Bulldog website and they do not offer wiring diagrams in their support web pages.
Check with the company to see if they will send one out to you for your specific trailer electric jack model.
As you can see, there is nothing complicated about the wiring in this model. Sometimes the simple way is the best way to keep electrical products operating normally.
Keeping things simple is often the best approach to constructing any item.
Haul Master Electric Trailer Jack Wiring Diagram
We checked a couple of manuals for this brand of electric trailer jacks. The design of these jacks is so simple that they only have about 2 wires to them. There is no real need for a wiring diagram. You have a black and a white wire according to the exploded parts diagram.
These wires simply go up the shaft of the jack till they reach their terminals. The instructions for wiring one of these devices to your vehicle or battery are as follows:
Before mounting, chock the trailer wheels to prevent the trailer from rolling.
If using the Jack with electric power:
a. If wired to the vehicle battery, plug the Jack wire into the quick connect. If wired to the trailer battery, keep the Control Switch in the middle (OFF) position.
b. If needed, turn on the LED light using the Light Switch.
Note: The LED light will only work when the Jack wiring is powered.
c. Push the Jack’s Control Switch UP to raise the trailer to the level of the towing vehicle’s hitch. Release the Control Switch to stop the Jack. (source)
The link to the exploded parts diagram is here. You will note that there are a lot of parts powered by only the two wires.
How Does an Electric Trailer Jack Get Power?
These electric jack models usually get their power from the DC side of the electrical system in your trailer. If you want to use shore power, then you would need a converter to change the AC power to DC before the jacks will work.
Usually, the power for these jacks will come from either your tow vehicle or your trailer battery. The instructions are easy to follow when you want to hook your electric jacks up to your preferred power source.
The connections are not hard to do either. Your biggest worry will be to make sure that they are secure and protected from the weather. Excess moisture can do damage if you are not careful.
Double-check your work to ensure all steps were done correctly.
How Many Amps Does an Electric Trailer Jack Draw?
For the Lippert model, you should find that it only draws about 30 amps at maximum levels. It will draw fewer amps when you are not near the weight capacity the jack is rated for.
You may find that the Lippert competitors have also designed their electric jacks to draw a maximum of 30-amps. That is true for the Stromberg-Carlson models.
We checked one product at the Bulldog website and the company did not specify the amount of amps needed in their specifications section. We checked a stronger version but the company did not mention the amperage needed for this model either.
Husky says its electric jacks use 25 amps but you will need a 30-amp fuse to cover for the LED lights. The Uriah brand says one of its jacks will need between 38 and 42 amps when under load.
Other brands are not mentioning the number of amps needed to operate their electric jacks.
How Do You Ground an Electric Trailer Jack?
If you are connecting it to the 7-pin connector on your tow vehicle, the ground is already taken care of for you. All you have to do is make sure you are using a 10 to 12-gauge wire when you make the connection.
The process should follow the NEC or National Electric Code for wiring trailers to your tow vehicle. There is a warning that you should not wire your electric jack directly to your battery.
But if you decide this is the best option for you, connect the black wire to the negative terminal on your battery. Once that is done, you should be fine and grounded safely.
The warning is issued because some people fear that the electric jack will be overcharged. They think that the battery will have its lifespan shortened and bulging of the battery may occur.
If you wire directly to the battery, consider using a wiring kit that includes a regulator so you can prevent overcharging.
What Size Fuse For The Electric Trailer Jack?
The size of the fuse will depend on the amount of amps the electric jack will draw. Most electric jacks seem to be around the 25 to 30-amp range. That may or may not include any lights n the jack.
We have seen where only a 30 amp fuse is needed but some jacks may draw up to 42 amps. That would require a 50-amp fuse to make sure there are no power failures.
Look at the amount of amperage drawn by the brand and model of your electric jack and go with a fuse that is higher than that and provides ample power room. You may not want to cut it too close just in case.
Should You Use an Electric Jack?
Sure, these are great additions to the towing lifestyle and make hitching and unhitching your trailer a lot easier. These jacks may be a little more expensive than the manual models, but what you are saving in energy use may be worth the extra expense.
The key to using an electric jack is to make sure they are rated for more weight than your trailer tongue is rated for. We have seen some of these models up to 12,000 and 25,000 pounds but you may not need one that lifts more than 5000 pounds.
Some Additional Words
Wiring diagrams are really not needed when it comes to most electric trailer jacks. They are very simple in design and do not have a large number of wires inside of them.
Using an electric jack is a good way to go. Once they are installed, you will have more energy to do other activities once your campsite is set up. They may cost a bit more than a manual jack but sometimes the power option is just better.
