Draw-tite Mod-u-lite = JUNK!!

[MikeC]

Bought a Draw Tite Mod-u-lite HD 2 to 3 yrs ago.

My thinking was "cool, take the load off the headlight switch and life will be good!"

About 10 months later it internally shorted and melted down, first symptom was the cruise wouldn't work and second finding was that the brake lights stayed on while we were stopped at a restaurant.

Got a new one under warranty. The newer one just, at about 1 1/2 yrs. decided to also internally short. This time the dash lights and all marker lights on the Suburban would come on when the brake was applied.

It's time for Mike to build his own using relays on the higher loaded circuits and trash the idea of using the Draw-Tite P.O.S.

It is my opinion that they are junk.

Mike

[tanker]

Yikes Mike! Mine is about 2 years old now :rolleyes: . Hope I don't have the same problem your having. I'd like to see if anyone else is having the same problem.

[Spindrift]

For those of us who may be a little eletrically challenged ;) , is this the best way to take the load off the headlight switch. I run at night quite a bit and would rather not have to face a meltdown when any other normal person would be in bed.

[Kennedy]

I've had excellent luck with them myself. I haven't run my Iveco for a couple of years now, but that's all that would last.

I'm wondering if it could be seeing excessive voltage during "load dump" like when the plugs cycle. This, I believe is what is responsible for the premature failure of the old Phillips Rally bulbs on trucks with DRL function.

The Silverado series (at least diesel) hold the field off of the alternator for quite a while at startup. I believe that this is to ensure that the voltage doesn't spike when the intake heater and glow plugs cycle...

[MikeC]

The only thing my module does is trip a relay to supply 12v from the fuse block to the trailer marker lights/turn signals/brake lights.

With my trailer plugged in it only functions when I use any of the above mentioned circuits. When the turn signals are on you can hear the relay in the box cycling with the flash.

I got the first unit warrantied. I'm not going to try with this one, it's going to get taken apart if possible to look for trouble, ie moisture.

Also, I'm going to replace it with a 40 amp relay from NAPA for the trailer marker lights (18 bulbs) and just run the turn signals/brakes direct as there is only one bulb per side. Cheaper and easier to repair.

Mike

[CareyWeber]

Originally posted by Spindrift:
For those of us who may be a little eletrically challenged ;) , is this the best way to take the load off the headlight switch. I run at night quite a bit and would rather not have to face a meltdown when any other normal person would be in bed. Spindrift,

I cut the clearance light wire and used the end from the switch goes to the switch terminal on the relay the other cut end goes to the power out relay terminal. The relay is in the engine compartment. The relay's power comes from the battery and is protected with a 30A breaker. My truck has 19 clearance lights from the factory add a camper and a trailer I'm close to 45 before the fix I replace 4 headlight switches and one connector (they are more $$ than the switches). ;)

I have about $12.00 in the mod to bad it took me 4 time to figure it out. redface.gif redface.gif

[Spindrift]

Thanks, Carey.

[CareyWeber]

Originally posted by CareyWeber:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Spindrift:
For those of us who may be a little eletrically challenged ;) , is this the best way to take the load off the headlight switch. I run at night quite a bit and would rather not have to face a meltdown when any other normal person would be in bed. Spindrift,

I cut the clearance light wire and used the end from the switch goes to the switch terminal on the relay the other cut end goes to the power out relay terminal. The relay is in the engine compartment. The relay's power comes from the battery and is protected with a 30A breaker. My truck has 19 clearance lights from the factory add a camper and a trailer I'm close to 45 before the fix I replace 4 headlight switches and one connector (they are more $$ than the switches). ;)


Carey
I have about $12.00 in the mod to bad it took me 4 time to figure it out. redface.gif redface.gif </font>[/QUOTE]Spindrift,

The top two wires in the head light switch plug are for the clearance lights and IIRC the wire closest outside of the truck is the one you want to cut.

Carey

[CareyWeber]

Mike,

Howie's site has some go pic of the headlight switch.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze54tx9/id4.html

Carey