Heavy vehicle

electrical wiring

Technical
Advisory
Procedure

Developed by the ATA Industry Technical Council

September 2015
© 2002 Australian Trucking Association Ltd (first edition)
© 2015 Australian Trucking Association Ltd (second edition)

This work is copyright. Apart from uses permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be
reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Australian Trucking Association.
Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction rights should be addressed to the Communications
Manager, Australian Trucking Association, 25 National Circuit, Forrest ACT 2603 or [email protected].

About this Technical Advisory Procedure (TAP):

This Technical Advisory Procedure is published by the Australian Trucking Association Ltd
(ATA) to promote good design and maintenance practices for electrical systems on heavy
vehicles. It aims to do this by identifying important issues, design practices and by providing
reliable electrical information. The TAP places particular emphasis on good practice for
achieving adequate voltage levels on combination vehicles because lighting and other
electrical loads on Australia’s long combinations places significant stress on the electrical
system. The Technical Advisory Procedure has been drafted to apply to a range of truck and
trailer combinations. It is not, nor is it intended to be, complete or without exceptions.

The Technical Advisory Procedure is a guide only and its use is entirely voluntary.
Recommendations or procedures may not be suitable for or applicable to all operators.
Operators should consider their own circumstances, practices and procedures when using
this Technical Advisory Procedure.

Operators must comply with the Australian Design Rules (ADRs), the Australian Vehicle
Standards Regulations, roadworthiness guidelines and any specific information and
instructions provided by manufacturers in relation to the vehicle systems and components.

No endorsement of products or services is made or intended. Brand names, where used in this
Technical Advisory Procedure, are for illustrative purposes only.

Suggestions or comments about this Technical Advisory Procedure are welcome. Please write
to the Industry Technical Council, Australian Trucking Association, Minter Ellison Building, 25
National Circuit, Forrest ACT 2603.

DISCLAIMER

The ATA makes no representation and provides no warranty that the information and
recommendations contained in this Technical Advisory Procedure are complete or without exception.
Reliance or use upon the information or recommendations is voluntary and the user accepts all risks
and responsibility for any such reliance or use and to the maximum extent permitted by law the ATA
excludes all liability to any person arising directly or indirectly out of any such reliance or use.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 2 of 27

Introduction

This Technical Advisory Procedure (TAP) has been developed by the ATA Industry
Technical Council (ITC) to provide operators with key information regarding the electrical
wiring system of a heavy combination vehicle to set minimum wiring standards and
awareness of issue around the wiring and connected components.

Reliability and satisfactory performance of truck and trailer electrical system performance
mainly depends upon good design and maintenance practices being applied.

A satisfactory system will:

• provide adequate voltage at the loads

• carry the full load current with some reserve capacity
• be protected by fuses or circuit breakers so that short-circuit on wiring at any
point will not result in burnt wiring
• operate reliably over the full range of practical temperatures
• have adequate moisture, corrosion and mechanical protection.

The prevalence of long combination vehicles on Australian roads causes significant

challenges for electrical designs to meet these objectives. Such vehicles have long cable
runs, substantial electrical current draw and multiple interconnection points. It is also
common practice to use 12V electrical systems on trailers and to fit additional side and rear
lights above statutory requirements.

This TAP covers truck and trailer wiring and connector practice to assist vehicle operators
and designers assess the suitability of proposed designs.

The aspects that are considered are:

• electrical performance of truck charging systems

• voltage distribution on heavy combination vehicles
• current draw and load at connectors
• suitable choice of wiring gauge
• maintenance of connectors

Because 12V electrical systems have higher load currents than 24V systems when other
factors are equal, the challenge to provide adequate voltage for trailer lighting on 12V trailer
systems is greater. The guide is therefore focused on 12V electrical systems, unless
otherwise noted.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 3 of 27

Table of contents

Disclaimer 2

Introduction 3

1. Towing motor vehicle voltage capability 5

a. Alternator regulation 5
b. Battery performance 6
c. Starting performance 7
d. Taking 12V loads off 24V battery systems 8
e. Prime mover voltage performance 8
f. Short-circuit protection of power cables 9
g. Summary 9

2. Light characteristics 10
a. Incandescent light characteristics 10
b. Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) 10
c. Summary 11

3. Automotive electrical cable characteristics 11

a. CAN bus and ABS/TEBS wire sizing 11
b. Summary 12

4. Description of common trailer wiring gauges 12

a. Summary 13

5. Truck/trailer wiring plugs 14

6. Trailer voltage and current distributions 17

a. Single trailer 17
b. B-Double 18
c. Road trains 20
d. Summary 21

7. Connector choice and maintenance 22

a. Summary 23

8. Truck-trailer cable choice 23

a. Summary 23

9. Electrical fires and typical causes 24

10. Good practice guide 25

a. Wiring
b. Lighting
c. Voltage level
d. Towing vehicle electrical performance
e. Alternator and battery considerations
f. Connector choice

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 4 of 27

 1. Towing motor vehicle voltage capability

The alternator on the towing motor vehicle is usually set to provide about 14V for charging.
This allows for voltage losses through the truck wiring, allowing the batteries to usually
experience 13.0-13.5V for charging. The alternator provides the load current when its
voltage exceeds that of the batteries. Figure 1 is an illustration of a truck charging system
with wire ground and chassis ground return.

Figure 1: Basic truck wiring schematic

a.) Alternator regulation

The alternator regulator attempts to hold the alternator terminal voltage at the set level
(typically 14.2V for vented lead acid batteries and 14.6V for maintenance free lead acid
batteries). Under heavy load, the regulator may reach its limiting capability and voltage will
fall substantially as current increases. Voltage will also vary with temperature depending on
the regulator circuit design.

The open-circuit voltage curve of a fully charged vented lead-acid truck battery is shown in
Figure 2, together with a typical alternator regulator characteristic. If battery charging is to
occur, the alternator voltage must exceed the battery voltage. An adequately designed
charging system will have the alternator providing the load current with a reserve that is
available to trickle charge the battery. The design should achieve this when the engine is
running at mid-range speed and at the usual working temperatures of●the alternator and
batteries.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 5 of 27

Figure 2: Temperature variation of fully charged vented lead acid battery (12V) and
alternator voltage with temperature. Source:- Dr P. Hart, Hartwood Consulting Pty Ltd.

When the battery is not fully charged the battery voltage falls. As a guide, the open-circuit
battery voltage drops by about 5 per cent between fully charged and half charged, so a
battery with half energy density at 40oC will have a voltage of about 13.5V. This is shown in
Figure 2. If the alternator voltage exceeds the battery voltage, battery charging will occur.

Figure 2 also shows that the battery and alternator have different thermal sensitivities. The
alternator is invariably in the engine compartment. When delivering current, it typically runs
at 50-70oC and higher temperatures can occur. The batteries are typically located in a
detached box that experiences lower temperatures than the engine compartment. It is
common for the battery temperature to be 40oC below that of the alternator. Such a
temperature difference reduces the alternator’s ability to adequately charge the batteries and
provide the load current.

b.) Battery performance

Battery voltage and alternator voltage will also drop with current level. The battery has
internal resistance with two components:

• plate resistance and

• electrolyte resistance from current flow through the electrolyte.

The electrolyte resistance dominates when the battery is discharged, and so the terminal
voltage fall is greater for a given current when the battery is discharged than when fully
charged. The battery resistance and the state of discharge determine the charge level for a
given charging voltage. When the battery charge level falls off, the electrolyte resistance
increases, which further limits the ability of the battery to deliver starter motor current.

When the battery is overcharged, the lead-acid charge storage action stops and the current
flow goes into heating the electrolyte. The electrolyte resistance increases, as does the
battery temperature.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 6 of 27

Figure 3: Battery condition as a function of discharge rate.1

Understanding figure 3, C/100 means it takes 100 h to discharge the battery. A higher
current (e,g C/5) will discharge the battery faster. The faster the discharge, the more energy
is wasted. With the battery 75% discharged, at low current draw (C/100), the available
voltage is only 12.2V. This drops considerably for higher current draws, for example during
starting when low voltage can be an issue for the ECU, preventing starting.

European manufactured alternators may require connection of an excitation wire to the D+

terminal. This requires an incandescent low-wattage globe to be connected between ignition
and D+. The globe usually doubles as the alternator charge warning light. If the globe fails
the alternator will not charge.

A new class of lead acid battery referred to as Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) is being used by
some OEM’s for their benefits of superior starting power, high reserve capacity and long
lasting life. They can be a direct replacement for flooded lead acid batteries, but cannot be
mixed with other types and are sensitive to charging. The charging voltage should never
exceed 14.8V.

c.) Starting performance

Recent practice has been to use 12V starter motors on high capacity engines. Previously, a
series-parallel switch was used that fed 24V to the starter motor. Considering the continuing
increase in engine power levels and the high compression ratios being used, reliable starting
using 12V is challenging.

Some manufacturers use dual starter motor positive cables to reduce starting resistance.
Take care to ensure that the cables do not rub on other metal features in the vicinity of the
starter motor. Fires can result.

1
The chart has been used with permission from Cadex Electronics Inc on behalf of
www.batteryuniversity.com

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 7 of 27

Good practice is to:

• Use cables with generous copper cross-section. 90 mm2 copper cross section
or greater should be used on 12V start systems.
• Minimise the length of the cable run.
• Minimise the number of terminals and joins in the cable run.
• Run a return cable between the starter and the battery – wire ground return.
Additionally, separate chassis connections at the battery and starter motor will
lessen the return path voltage drop – frame or chassis ground return.
• Keep the terminal connections tight and protect them with an electrical grease
to stop corrosion.

d.) Taking 12V loads off 24V battery systems

24V battery systems have two 12V batteries connected in series. When 12V loads are fitted
it is tempting to take the 12V off one of the two batteries in series. This practice inevitably
leads to battery failure even when the loads are small such as radio loads. If one battery in a
24V system is loaded more heavily than the second battery in the chain, the charging
system causes the lightly laden battery to be over-charged and the more heavily laden
battery to be undercharged. Eventually one or both batteries will fail.

Alternatively, using a charge equaliser is another approach to power 12V loads off a 24V
battery system. A charge equaliser allows for a 12V supply to be provided while maintaining
an equal voltage and therefore charge across the two 12V batteries.

e.) Prime mover voltage performance

Voltage at points away from the alternator fall off under load due to:
• wiring resistances.
• internal battery voltage drops.
• contact voltage losses through relays and switches.
• alternator and battery voltage drop as temperature increases.

Truck alternators are typically driven at three to four times the engine speed. Alternators do
not charge until a sufficient engine speed is reached. This speed may be greater than idle
speed. Once this is achieved the alternator may continue to charge when the engine speed
falls back to idle. For applications involving long idling periods, the alternator charging speed
should be met at idle by suitable choice of drive ratio.

It is good practice to relay the trailer lighting circuit so that the load currents flow directly from
the battery box to the trailer connector and not go via the cabin. The cabin wiring need only
provide the control for the lighting relays. Use of generous wire gauge will also help. 5 mm2
copper stranded cable will give adequate performance.

The voltage available at the trailer coupling when the alternator is charging the batteries and
the electrical load should be in the range 13-13.5V. When the electrical load is higher such
as at night with the heater fan motors running and lighting, the available voltage is likely to
be in the range 12-12.5V.

All load current on trailers returns via the return pole on the truck-trailer connector. In
contrast the towing-vehicle load return currents usually return via both wire and chassis
metal paths.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 8 of 27

 f.) Short-circuit protection of power cables

Usual practice is that the starter motor cables have no circuit breaker protection. That is, the
heavy power cables run between the battery positive terminal and starter motor power
terminal without circuit breaker protection. Because the starter motor current draw can be
thousands of amperes, it is impractical to provide circuit breaker protection.

Starter motor cables should be double insulated and the terminals should be insulated to
provide protection against a short-circuit.

Power cables that provide supply for the electrical loads other than starter motor should be
protected by circuit breakers. The current load for a multiple trailer combination might be 100
to 150A. Circuit breakers capable of supplying this level are readily available.

It is preferable that a circuit breaker is provided in the battery box to protect the power cables
that run to the cabin and other electrical distribution points.

g.) Summary

• The no-load alternator voltage of a truck is usually set to about 14.2V. For
maintenance free batteries the setting may be higher at 14.6V.
• For battery charging to occur the alternator voltage must exceed the battery
voltage.
• Alternators may not generate sufficient charging voltage until alternator speed
is greater than about 2,000 rpm.
• Truck batteries are usually located away from the engine compartment where
they experience lower temperatures than the alternator. A loss of charging
voltage arises because of the different temperature sensitivities of batteries and
alternator.
• Voltage drops along the wiring between the batteries and the trailer connector
can be significant. To minimise these it is sensible to have relay controls near
the trailer connector and not to run the heavy trailer currents via the cabin. The
cabin wiring provides relay control only.
• Generous wire gauge running to the trailer connector will lessen voltage drops.
• Never connect 12V loads to one battery of a 24V system that has two 12V
batteries connected in series. Use a voltage reducer or charge equaliser
instead.
• A well-designed system should achieve 12V measured at the trailer connector
on the lighting circuit with lights on and with the truck at operating temperature.

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 2. Light characteristics

a.) Incandescent light bulbs

Usual practice is to use incandescent bulbs (12V) in trailer lights. The percentage light
output from a 21W incandescent auto globe varies with voltage as shown in Figure 3. The
nominal globe resistance at 12V is 6.9Ω. As the voltage rises the globe resistance also rises
so that percentage current drawn by the globe varies as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Variation of light output from a 21W incandescent globe as voltage varies.
Assumed ambient temperature is 20OC. Source: Dr P. Hart, Hartwood Consulting Pty Ltd.

b.) Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

The application of LED lamps has grown and they are now available for all positions on the
trailer. They offer many benefits – reliability, durability with typically reduced current draw,
and for recently released lamps, flexibility of voltage from 9V to 33V.

Other less well known benefits include fast illumination of LEDs at 0.159 of a second quicker
than incandescent lamps. This is equivalent of 4.4 metres at 100 km/h, and may mean the
difference between a rear-end crash and a near miss.

As a guide an LED lamp of the same brightness of an incandescent lamp is likely to draw
less than 10% of the total current. Table 1 provides examples.

Lamp type Current draw for incandescent Current draw for LEDs
at rated voltage (amps) (amps)
Clearance 1.3 0.1
Stop 4.2 1.0
Tail 1.2 0.2
Turn 4.2 1.0
Table 1: Comparison of current for incandescent lamps versus LEDs

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 10 of 27

LED lamps can vary between suppliers and models. A true regulated multi-volt LED product
can seamlessly handle 9 to 33V with stable light output, meeting the ADR candela
requirements without dimming.

The market is, however, faced with unregulated LED products that claim multi-volt capability
but do not meet the required light output under ADR when voltage drops. The light output of
these can perform similarly to the incandescent bulbs.

Although not all LED products are equal, they will all typically offer improvements in reliability
over incandescent bulbs. ADR compliance of a partially failed LED lamp is an issue; it is
generally not defined as to when an LED lamp becomes non-complying to the ADR when
individual elements or segments are non-functioning.

From a current draw point of view, the truck voltage drop figures in section 6 should be
applied to LEDs as a conservative approach to wire sizing. The voltage drops / current draw
are still relevant for unregulated LEDs, while for incandescent lamps they are significantly
more consistent across brands and models. Therefore, the wiring guide can assumed to be
appropriate for both LEDs and incandescent lamps.

c.) Summary

• The light output of an incandescent globe falls off rapidly with reducing voltage. With
10V at the globe terminals the light level is about 50 percent of that with 12V.
• In contrast to incandescent lighting, regulated LED lighting can maintain light output
levels irrespective of voltage over the design voltage range of the lamp.
• Despite this, follow the wiring guide recommendation for incandescent lamps at all
times, in case unregulated LEDs are fitted. These can have higher current demands
than regulated LEDs.

3. Automotive electrical cable characteristics

The electrical resistance and stranding characteristics of heavy truck wiring are detailed in
Table 2. The data is cable manufacturers’ data for commonly used cabling on original
equipment manufacturer installations. Replacement market or after-market cables having the
same common description as those described below may have a smaller copper cross-
section. To avoid issues, compare the wire’s cross sectional area in mm2 to ensure they are
like for like.

Nominal Common Stranding Resistance Maximum De-rated

cable copper electrician per metre current current
cross terminology V105 cable (de-rating
sectional 143%)
area (nominal
(mm2) OD in mm) (Ω/m) (Amps) (Amps)

1.25 mm2 3 mm 16 x 0.32 0.0140 10 7.0

2.0 mm2 4 mm 26 x 0.32 0.0087 15 11.0
2
3.0 mm 5 mm 41 x 0.32 0.0054 25 17.5
5.0 mm2 6 mm 65 x 0.32 0.0034 38 27.0
8.0 mm2 8 mm 112 x 0.32 0.0024 80 56.0
Table 2. Electrical details of common auto wire sizes

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 11 of 27

 a.) CAN bus and ABS/EBS wire sizing

Controller Area Network (CAN bus) in a truck is similar to the blue ethernet cable connecting
computers together in the office or home. Modern trucks have multiple computers or
Electronic Control Units (ECUs) – engine, transmissions, body computers, doors, instrument
panel are all linked together via the CAN bus to manage the function and controls of the
vehicle.

CAN bus wiring stands out by usually being a white/green with a white/brown as a twisted
pair cable set, to protect the signal from radio interference, of only 1 mm2 cross section.

CAN bus wiring should never be cut or spliced, as this will cause system issues. The CAN
harness will provide legs with resistor plugs insert into the terminal pack to allow for
additional equipment to interface with the network.

Voltage drop across CAN bus wiring is an issue in longer vehicle combinations often
requiring CAN bus repeaters to be used to support second and subsequent trailers in a
combination.

b.) Summary

• Stranded copper cable is usually used on truck electrical systems.

• 1 mm2 cross-sections are often used for CAN bus communications.
• 0.85 and 1.25 mm2 cross-sections are often used for control functions.
• 1.25, 2.0 and 3.0 mm2 cross-sections are often used for light loads.
• 5.0 and 8.0 mm2 cables may be used for heavy loads.

4. Descriptions of common trailer wiring gauges

Table 3 show common trailer cabling configurations. The use of a heavier gauge return wire
accounts for the common return of the load circuits in this conductor. Some poor quality
trailer cables (and connectors) have the return circuit of the same gauge as the load circuits.
The loop resistance is the sum of the resistances of one delivery core and the return core
per metre length.

Description Cores Loop resistance Trailer cable

(with copper cross sectional per m loop resistance
area) (from Table 1) (assume 5 mΩ
contact resistance 1)
Light duty wiring 1 x 3 mm2 & 6 x 2 mm2 14.1 mΩ 90.5 mΩ
Medium duty wiring 1 x 5 mm2 & 6 x 3 mm2 8.8 mΩ 64.0 mΩ
Heavy duty wiring 1 x 8 mm2 & 6 x 5 mm2 5.8 mΩ 49.0 mΩ
Table 3: Details of the wiring used in the calculation of truck voltages

Note
1
The trailer cable resistances are based upon a cable length of 5 m and 5 mΩ per contact.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 12 of 27

ADR63/00 - Trailers designed for use in road trains dictates that:
 Main line supply cables, other than feeder wires to the lamps, must have a DC
resistance of not more than 4 m/metre or in the case of copper cables must have a
cross-sectional area not less than 5 mm2.
 Every trailer must be equipped with a return electrical conductor have a minimum
cross-sectional area of 5 mm2, independent of the mechanical metal coupling
components.

ADR64/00 - Heavy goods vehicles designed for use in road trains and B-doubles, dictates
that:
 Be fitted with a lighting supply system having a minimum capacity available for
connection to the trailers of 30 amps for a nominal 12V system or 15 amps for a
nominal 24V system.
 The interconnection between the vehicle parts must be through a “single connector
for trailer lighting and signalling circuits”.
 Be fitted with resettable circuit breakers for all lighting and signalling equipment
circuits.
 Be equipped with a generator having a minimum rated power output capacity of 100
amps for a nominal 12V electrical systems or 50 amps for a 24V electrical systems.

Within the ADRs, road trains are defined as covering all multi trailer combinations (having
more than 1 trailer) other than B-Doubles which are treated as a special case.

ADR63/00 dictates the minimum at 5 mm2, which is often necessary to counter the impact of
the long loops used on multi trailer combination such as road trains. The minimum
recommended wiring gauge for a road train or multi trailer combination is heavy duty.

Note: ADRs are amended from time to time and the most up to date information can
be found https://infrastructure.gov.au/roads/motor/design/index.aspx

c.) Summary

 The circuit length on the trailer is much greater than on the prime mover, the
choice of wiring gauge for trailer circuits is very important. Substantial voltage
losses may occur on the trailer.
 Trailer cable gauge is often too light for the current level and excess voltage
drops often occur across the trailer cable.
 Minimum trailer wiring gauge that meets ADR63/00 requirements for road train
service is 5 mm2.
 Heavy duty wire gauge is recommended for all multi trailer applications.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 13 of 27

 5. Truck/trailer wiring plugs

a) Heavy duty 7-pin trailer connector,

Australia Standard AS4735 for lights and power.

Figure 4: Plug viewed from the towing vehicle side

This connector is based on both SAE J560 and ISO 1185 and is
providing either 12V with 7 x 40A or 24V with 7 x 20A.

The voltage varies from vehicle to vehicle.

Table 4: Wiring guide for HD trailer connector

Note: The ISO plug is also available with a ground receptacle rather than a pin. This can be
used as an accessories plug with no risk of incorrect interconnection.

Do not use ‘Anderson plugs’ for truck-trailer power connections. These plugs are intended
for fork-lift charging and do not have suitable mechanical protection for wiring on moving
vehicles.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 14 of 27

 b) Heavy duty 7-pin Australian trailer connector
for lights and power.

Figure 5: Plug viewed from the towing vehicle side

Australia uses basically the same wiring as the ISO standard with the
exception for pin 5 and pin 2. The problematic part here is that pin 5 is
used for trailer brakes, which means that if you for some reason
connect an Australian trailer to a towing vehicle with ISO wiring you will
get into trouble with the trailer brakes being applied as soon as you turn on
the lights.

Table 5: Wiring guide for HD Australian trailer connector

Note:
The light-duty seven-pin trailer connector is not recommended. Use the heavy-
duty connector instead.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 15 of 27

 a.) ABS and EBS trailer plug/wiring

24V plug, key at 6 o’clock position 12V plug, key at 3 o’clock

Figure 6: Plug viewed from the towing vehicle side

Note with the ABS plug, pins 6 and 7 are usually not included and certainly not active.

Table 6: Wiring guide for ABS/TEBS trailer connectors

Note: There are multi volt trailer ABS/EBS cables available. These are not recommended! In
preference, trailers should be equipped with both 12V and 24V sockets, which would then
enable them to support the use of either pure 12V or pure 24V cables.
The issue is that multi-volt Trailers Electronic Brake System (TEBS) units, for trailer stability
control, support multi-volt CAN sign and power supply, but not mixed 12V / 24V sources. For
further information on smart braking systems, refer to the RSC and ESC systems TAP.

For multi volt TEBS units EBS ABS / load sensing RSC
Communications functionality functionality
12V power / 12V CAN signal YES YES YES
24V power / 24V CAN signal YES YES YES
12V power / 24V CAN signal NO YES NO
24V power / 12V CAN signal NO YES NO
12V or 24V power / no CAN signal NO YES YES
Table 7: Impact of mix and matching power and CAN signal format

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 16 of 27

 6. Trailer voltage and current distributions

Based on the relationship between voltage and light output given in figure 3, the light output
at the rear of the last trailer for each considered vehicle configuration has been calculated
and is given in table 14. The voltage distribution on the side marker/rear position lights circuit
has been calculated using the cable resistance values in tables 1 and 2 and the lamp current
levels indicated in figure 7.

It has been assumed that the towing vehicle can provide 12.5V at the trailer coupling for a
single trailer, 12.25V for a double trailer vehicle and 12.0V for a triple trailer vehicle.

For each of the following examples, incandescent lamps are used.

a.) Semi-trailer voltage distribution

Figure 7: Semi-trailer voltage distribution – acceptable installation.

Light positions Semi-trailer

bulb quantity & wattage
Rear position 4 * 5W
Stop 4 * 21W
Directional indicator 4 * 21W
Number plate 4 * 5W
Table 8: Light bulb position and wattage

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 17 of 27

b.) B-Double voltage distribution

12.25V

Figure 8a: Light duty trailer cables and medium duty wiring on both trailers -
Not an acceptable installation.

Light positions A-trailer, single tail lamp setup B-trailer, dual tail lamp setup
bulb quantity & wattage bulb quantity & wattage
Rear position 2 * 5W 4 * 5W
Stop 2 * 21W 4 * 21W
Directional indicator 2 * 21W 4 * 21W
Number plate 1 * 5W 1 * 5W
Table 10: Light bulb position and wattage

Figure 8b: Medium duty trailer cables and heavy duty wiring on the A-trailer -
Marginally acceptable installation,
consider upgrading the B-trailer wiring to heavy duty!

Light positions A-trailer, Single tail lamp setup B-trailer, Dual tail lamp setup
Bulb quantity & wattage Bulb quantity & wattage
Rear position 2 * 5W 4 * 5W
Stop 2 * 21W 4 * 21W
Directional indicator 2 * 21W 4 * 21W
Number plate 1 * 5W 1 * 5W
Table 9: Light bulb position and wattage

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 18 of 27

Figure 8c: As for figure 8a) but with connector pole resistance of 20 mΩ -
Not acceptable installation.

Light positions A-trailer, single tail lamp setup B-trailer, dual tail lamp setup
bulb quantity & wattage bulb quantity & wattage
Rear position 2 * 5W 4 * 5W
Stop 2 * 21W 4 * 21W
Directional indicator 2 * 21W 4 * 21W
Number plate 1 * 5W 1 * 5W
Table 11: Light bulb position and wattage

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 19 of 27

 c.) Voltage distributions for two and three road train configurations

Figure 9a: Double road train with heavy-duty cables -

Marginally acceptable installation, lamps should upgrade to regulated LEDs.

Light positions A-trailer, single TL setup Dolly trailer, dual TL setup B-trailer, dual TL setup
bulb quantity & wattage bulb quantity & wattage bulb quantity & wattage
Rear position 8 * 5W 4 * 5W 4 * 5W
Stop 4 * 21W 2 * 21W 4 * 21W
Directional indicator 4 * 21W 2 * 21W 4 * 21W
Number plate 1 * 5W 1 * 5W 1 * 5W
End Outline Marker 2 * 5W
Table 12: Light bulb position and wattage

12.0V

Figure 9b: Triple road train with medium duty cables and heavy duty trailer wiring
Not an acceptable installation, lamps must upgrade to regulated LEDs.

Light positions Semi trailer, dual TL setup Semi trailer, dual TL setup Semi trailer, dual TL setup
bulb quantity & wattage bulb quantity & wattage bulb quantity & wattage
Rear position 8 * 5W 4 * 5W 4 * 5W
Stop 4 * 21W 2 * 21W 4 * 21W
Directional indicator 4 * 21W 2 * 21W 4 * 21W
Number plate 1 * 5W 1 * 5W 1 * 5W
End Outline Marker 2 * 5W

Light positions Dolly trailer, single TL setup Dolly trailer, dual TL setup
bulb quantity & wattage bulb quantity & wattage
Rear position 4 * 5W 4 * 5W
Stop 2 * 21W 2 * 21W
Directional indicator 2 * 21W 2 * 21W
Number plate 1 * 5W 1 * 5W
Table 13: Light bulb position and wattage

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 20 of 27

 d.) Summary

The following figures show the calculated voltage distribution on the marker and rear position
light circuit for various truck configurations. No other loads, such as stop lights or direction
indicator lights are active.

The assumed loads are identified on each diagram. The loads reflect common practice;
however, other configurations may also be encountered.

Combination Light Voltage at Configuration Status

(with figure intensity rear of the
reference) (100% at last trailer
12V)
7) Single Trailer 75% 11.3V Light duty truck-trailer Acceptable.
cable1.
Medium duty wiring.
8a) B-Double 41% 9.62V Medium duty wiring. Not acceptable
Light duty truck-trailer
cables1.
8b) B-Double 50% 10.42V Medium duty wiring for Marginal,
the B-trailer consider
Heavy duty wiring for the upgrading the B-
A-trailer. trailer wiring to
Medium duty trailer-trailer heavy duty.
Cables1.
8c) B-Double with 31% 9.06V Configuration as for 8a). Not acceptable
high contact Connector contact
resisitance resistance
is 20 mΩ per pole.
9a) Double Road 38% 9.32V Heavy-duty wiring. Marginal2,
Train Medium duty truck-trailer should upgrade
cables1. to regulated
LEDs
9b) Triple Road <25% 6.33V Heavy-duty wiring. Not acceptable2,
Train Medium duty truck-trailer must upgrade to
cables1. regulated LEDs
Table 14: Summary

Note:
1
Contact resistance at the truck-trailer connectors is assumed to be 5 m per pole.
Approximate light output from tail-lights at the rear of the last trailer 100% light output is
defined as that achieved at 12V.
2
As road trains operate in and through remote areas, where the ambient light levels
are significantly lower than in the populated cities, the poor light performance noted above,
should not the issue expected.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 21 of 27

These results illustrate how difficult it is to achieve adequate voltage level at the rear of the
last trailer in a multiple combination. It can be seen that:

 Voltage levels and thereby incandescent light output is unsatisfactory for many
combinations. Choice of cables, connectors and minimal application of lighting is
important for achieving acceptable performance.
 Voltage drops of 1V or more occur across the trailer-truck connections when light-duty
trailer cables are used or when the connector contact resistance is high.
 Voltage levels of about 6V can occur at the rear of road-trains. This voltage level is
inadequate for night lighting levels. Design action to reduce the load and/or increase
the system capacity is recommended.
 The use of regulated LED lamps is highly recommended due to lower current draw
and improved durability in longer combinations.

Some manufacturers and operators install a heavy power and return cable so that the lights
on the rear trailer(s) are supplied using a relay connection fed from the heavy power supply.
A suitable heavy-duty connector for road train service is identified in the Australian Standard
AS4735-2003 Heavy Road Vehicles – electrical connectors for articulated vehicles.

Measurement of the voltage at the rear of the vehicle with night lighting on provides the best
guide to the adequacy of the electrical system. A voltage level of 10V or more is
recommended.

7. Connector choice and maintenance

Degraded connector terminals will have increased contact resistance. This can lead to
further temperature-related degradation. Experience is that new connectors have contact
resistance per pole of 3-5 mΩ. For a modest increase in pole contact resistance from 5 mΩ
to 20 mΩ, the voltage available at the rear of B-Double configuration 3 falls from 10.42V to
9.06V (Figures 8b) and 8c)). The light output falls from 50% to about 30%.

Appropriate maintenance of connector terminals is important to keep the contact

resistance low and thereby minimise voltage loss.

Poor terminal condition also causes terminal heating under heavy load. If the first connector
(configuration 9b), is carrying 22.7A and has high contact resistance (20 mΩ), the power
loss at each pole is 10W. Over a long journey with high ambient temperatures, such heating
may cause further terminal degradation. Heavy gauge cable helps to transmit terminal heat
away.

Heavy gauge cable plays an important role in removing heat from connector terminals. Often
wire gauge is selected to provide good mechanical strength and ‘heat sink’ ability. Use of
light gauge wire causes not only unacceptable voltage loss but contributes to connector
terminal degradation, which exacerbates voltage drop. Designers should be careful to select
connectors that have robust connector terminals that are designed to take heavy-duty wiring.

The computations have not considered the effect of occasional operation of the stop and
direction indicator lights. These lights often use 21W 12V bulbs that draw substantially more
current that the 5W, 12V bulbs in the park light circuit. Whilst fewer 21W bulbs are used,
their greater current consumption results in current levels that are comparable with the
marker/rear position light loads. As all trailer load current returns via the connector return
poles, the return current level may be at the rating of the connector.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 22 of 27

For example, all lights are active at night; the return pole connector current at the towing-
vehicle to trailer connector of the triple road-train will instantaneously carry about 45A. If the
connector has a contact resistance of 20 mΩ the power loss at this pole has a peak of 40W,
which is unacceptably high.

The current rating of the light-duty connector (AS2513-1982 – Reference ADR 42/03
General Safety Requirements) that has been commonly used on heavy vehicles is usually
15A. Consequently it can be concluded that road train vehicles cannot satisfy the
requirements in ADR 64 using a light duty connector because the service current exceeds
15A. Furthermore, considering that the return pole current is the sum of all active circuit
currents, the return current level on a B-double will often exceed the rating of the light-duty
connector.

Connectors should be regularly inspected for signs of terminal heating and corrosion.
Corrosion can be prevented by routine use of lithium or lanoline based grease. Such
greases have minimal conductivity. Their function is to prevent moisture ingress into the
connector and to lubricate the poles. Good connector design should also provide moisture
protection to the cable side of each connector part. Poor contact between the pole and the
incoming cable is a common cause of terminal heating and degradation.

Summary

 Both the supply and return current flows via the connectors. In particular, the
total return current flows through the earth pole.
 Voltage losses occur at the connector poles arising from both contact
resistance and the connection resistances between the cables and the
terminals.
 Heavy gauge poles and wire terminations help minimise voltage drops.
 Heavy gauge wiring helps transfer heat away from the connector poles.
 Preventative maintenance at the connector that prevents corrosion and keeps
wiring tightly in place is important.
 Wiring should be supported near the connector so the terminals are not loaded
by the weight of the wiring.

8. Truck-trailer cable choice

As is illustrated in Section 4, significant voltage loss occurs across the trailer cable when
light duty cables are used on multiple combination vehicles. Light duty trailer cables have
been used in the past to reduce the weight on poor quality connectors. The greatly improved
connectors specified in this TAP are able to withstand the loads imposed by the weight of
medium- and heavy- duty trailer cables.

Summary

 The use of heavy-duty truck-trailer cables are preferable, because they lessen
voltage losses in multi combination vehicles.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 23 of 27

 9. Electrical fires and typical causes

The 2015 NTI / NTARC report, covering its 2013 insurance claims, found “truck fires
continue to account for 10.7 percent of large loss incidents with electrical failures accounting
for 68.5 percent of cabin / engine compartment fires”.

Trucks and trailers take a pounding in their life, travelling the roads of Australia. There is a
lot of relative movement between the cab, chassis and powertrain components plus multiple
electrical cable plugs and connection points.

There are 3 main areas of concern that could result in fires or electrical reliability issues:-

 Electrical insulation failure

 Excessive current flow
 Excessive resistance

Road vibration combined with gritty moist road grit creates an abrasive mix, which is often
hidden, wearing away at insulation resulting in electrical short circuits.

 Cable routing and strapping is critical for harnesses. They should be supported every
200 mm and be protected from any potential contact points during the full movement
of surrounding components with a minimum clearance of 25 mm.
 The electrical harness should never sag.
 Split conduit is not recommended as wires can drop out and it can trap grit around
the cable.

There are key positive cables (battery to starter motor and alternator) which due to their
nature may not be provided with a circuit breaker (refer to figure 1). The terminals on the
starter and alternator are often also exposed and any metal object item landing on them
could create a short circuit produce extreme current flow, resulting in a fire.

 Always disconnect batteries when working on a vehicle.

 Regularly inspect the unfused cables for wear and contact or rub points.

Terminals and plugs (lighting and ABS/EBS) are often a source of intermittent reliability
issues. Heat is a great tell-tale for either excessive resistance or current travelling through a
cable or excessive resistance at a joint. In extreme cases plugs will melt and cables will sag
often resulting in contacting a wear point.

 Plugs should never be under strain and stretch the terminals. This reduces the
contact pressure and increases their resistance.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 24 of 27

 10. Good practice guide

a.) Wiring
 Use medium- or heavy-duty truck-trailer cables on multiple combination trucks.
Heavy-duty wiring is preferred on road trains: ADR63/00 specifies a minimum
cross section of 5 mm2.
 Wiring gauge should be chosen to safely carry the maximum load current and
to provide acceptable voltage drops. Often voltage drop considerations
determine the choice of wire gauge.
 Particular attention should be taken of trailer-cable choice because significant
voltage drops often occur across the interconnections.
 Road train voltage levels are improved by using a relay scheme on trailers
whereby the loads are fed from a main power and return cable. The supply
currents flow through a heavy-duty two-pole connector and the seven-pole
connector only carries control circuits.

b.) Lighting
 Incandescent bulbs have light outputs that are very sensitive to voltage level.
 Added lights will increase current flow and reduced voltage. If additional lights
are desired for night-time safety, use them only where they are seen.
 In some jurisdictions dolly trailer lighting can be disabled when the dolly trailer
is under a semi-trailer.
 LED based lighting will provide more reliable lighting levels on multiple
combination trailers because this lighting has lower current draw. Voltage
regulated LED lighting will provide reliable lighting levels over a wide voltage
range. Due to variability in current draw of LED lamps, use the same wire
gauge that would be used with incandescent lamps.

c.) Voltage level

 24V (nominal) lighting systems will produce higher light levels on trailers than
12V (nominal) systems, other factors being equal.
 A minimum voltage of 10V is recommended at the rear of a multiple
combination, with night lighting on.

d.) Towing vehicle electrical performance

 The prime mover should be designed to provide at least 12V (for a nominal 12V
system) at the trailer connector when the continuously operating night-time
lighting is on. On a single trailer vehicle this voltage should be at least 12.5V.
 Higher trailer voltage levels are achieved when the main current path of lighting
circuits to the trailer(s) does not go via the cabin. That is, when the lighting
circuits are relayed outside the cabin.
 Generous wire gauge should be provided on the circuits that run to the trailer
connector.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 25 of 27

 e.) Alternator and battery considerations
 Alternator voltage should be set considering the battery type and temperature
environment.
 An alternator voltage setting of 14.2V (lightly laden on a nominal 12V system)
or 28.4V on a lightly laden nominal 24V system are usual. Slightly higher
voltages are required with low maintenance or sealed lead-acid batteries.
 The battery charging ability of the electrical system is reduced if the alternator
is at a substantially higher operating temperature than the batteries.

f.) Connector choice

 Light-duty seven-pole connectors (per AS 2513-1982 and ADR 42/03 Cl 10.2)
are inadequate for road-train or B-double combination vehicles and not
recommended for use with any heavy trailers.
 Use of heavy gauge wiring to the connector will help to remove heat from the
connector poles.
 High temperatures at connector poles lead to degradation and dust ingress.
 Connectors should have robust terminations suitable for heavy-duty wiring.
 Regular maintenance, involving application of electrical grease to the poles of
the connector, will minimise contact resistances.
 Connectors should seal tightly to reduce dust ingress.
 The connector body should support and clamp the wiring to reduce stress on
the terminals.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 26 of 27

About the ATA Industry Technical Council:

The Industry Technical Council (ITC) is a standing committee of the Australian Trucking
Association (ATA). The ITC’s mission is to improve trucking equipment, its maintenance and
maintenance management. The ITC was established in 1995.

As a group, the ITC provides the ATA with robust professional advice on technical matters to
help underpin the ATA’s evidence based policymaking. It is concerned with lifting technical
and maintenance standards, improving the operational safety of the heavy vehicle sector,
and the development of guidelines and standards for technical matters.

ITC performs a unique service in the Australian trucking industry by bringing operators,
suppliers, engineers and other specialists together in a long-term discussion forum. Its
members provide expert and independent advice in the field to inform the work of the ITC.
The outcomes from ITC benefit all ITC stakeholders and the heavy vehicle industry at large.

The ITC operates under the Australian Trucking Association’s Council, which formulates
industry policy for implementation by the organisation.

Joining ITC:

We welcome applications to join the ITC. For further information,

please call the ATA (02) 6253 6900
email [email protected]
or download information from the ATA website www.truck.net.au by follow the links under
the members tab to join here.

Second Edition, September 2015 Page 27 of 27