ezloader trailer light issue

[bigwave]

I have an 07 ezloader trailer, and just in front of the wheels on both sides of the trailer are 2 lights that are supposed to light up a "skeeter" mosquito boat emblem. (most bassboats have these manufacturer emblem lights on their trailers) Recently these lights went from bright to dim, and now from dim to off. All other lights are aok.

Can someone please troubleshoot why these lights stopped working? Maybe someone else has had a similar problem.

I don't think it is the bulb since both sides went out at the same time and in the same fashion. I don't think it is a fuse since they usually just pop like a light bulb, they don't get weaker over time, right? Could it be a bad ground? (the trailer brake and tail lights are aok, and I think they have something to do with ground being bad.)

ANy ideas?

Thanks in advance

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: ezloader trailer light issue

I think you answered it yourself. Bad ground. Whats left? The lights will be grounded to the frame and the frame connected to the harness through the plug to the frame of the pulling vehicle. How are the other light? If there fine than start at the affected light(s).

 

[bigwave]

Re: ezloader trailer light issue

ALL The other lights on the trailer and the truck are all AOK. I thought if the ground was bad then it should affect all the lights. Maybe these 2 lights that are affected are more sensative/draw more power or something.

Ok I'll try and check the ground and make sure it is connected and not corroded or anything. I think its the white wire.

 

[cribber]

Re: ezloader trailer light issue

Each light has a positive and ground connection so I'd check the white colored wire that is connected to the trailer frame and the light giving you problems.. Likely you'll find some corrosion at either end of the wire.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: ezloader trailer light issue

The top 3 issues with trailer light problems.

#1. Bad Ground
#2. Bad Ground
#3. Bad Ground

It will affect any or all lights and change symptoms and lights with the wind.

 

[bigwave]

Re: ezloader trailer light issue

OK OK the ground. Thanks so much for the info about a ground at each light...I thought there was only one ground that controlled the entire system. But if each light has its own ground that makes a lot more sense to me why a bad ground could be my problem (or one of my problems...Thanks!

 

[Bondo]

Re: ezloader trailer light issue

Ayuh,... While it sounds like a grounding problem with those lights,...
Have you Checked the power wire going to those 2 lights, from the brown power feed to the running lights,..??

 

[Silvertip]

Re: ezloader trailer light issue

Yup -- the brown wire in the harness from the tow vehicle feeds every running light and these logo lights so that brown wire must split along it's route to feed those lights. Loss of power to the lights is a very real possibility and I would suspect that before the ground in this case as it is unlikely both sides lost frame ground at the same time. However, if this trailer has a ground wire running directly to each light rather than using the frame as the ground, then a bad ground goes to the top of the list.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: ezloader trailer light issue

Not all lights have a separate ground wire. Some use the base housing and one of the mounting screws to get ground via the trailer frame.
Maybe yours is like that. Or maybe yours has a short ground wire and the installer merely grounded it to the frame right at the light instead of using a ground wire connected to the pigtail.
It could be that either of the above, if done the same, have corroded at the same rate and lost ground at the same time.
Even the bulb sockets could have issues connecting with the bulb.

 

[bigwave]

Re: ezloader trailer light issue

Well I haven't made much progress-just more questions, so I gathered more info hopefully something will be relevent...

As far as checking the ground...... I'm not sure how to tell if my lights are grounded individually, or en mass. At the plug(1female and 4 male prongs) I have 3 white wires(ground wires I think) and 8 other wires(not ground wires?). SO I think I have more than 1 ground on my 2006 trailer system-but maybe some lights are grounded by these wires and other are not..I just don't know......HOWEVER lets jump to the 2 lights that are not working

These 2 lights are mounted to a fiberglass fender = no local grounding to the fiberglass, right? Each of the lights are very tightly sealed so I can't see bulbs or LEDs inside. Each light has 2 thin gauge BLACK wires coming out. One BLACK connects to the trailer's green wire, and the other BLACK connects to the trailer's brown wire. No obivous wire connection to the trailer as a local ground here. I can see a brown wire at the plug(1female and 4 male prongs) however I can't find a green wire at the trailer plug so perhaps this green wire is a local ground????? Thats all I can say about these 2 lights that don't work and if it is because I can't see with my eyes if they are grounded or not.

I have a multimeter, and thought that I should do this...
1. Disconnect one of the 2 BLACK wires from one of the nonworking lights from its' connecting wire (separate the BLACK from the green for instance).
2. Set the meter on 200k ohms with the black probe in 10ADC slot, and the red in the volt ohm milliamp slot, and touch the red probe to the BLACK wire and the nonred probe to the green wire. If I get a reading then I know all of the wires are continuously connected in through the trailer so if I have a charged battery and the lights are on, power should be getting to the lights in question. TO CHECK FOR CONTINUITY DO I NEED TO HAVE THE TRUCK LIGHTS ON AND THE TRAILER PLUGGED IN TO THE TRUCK, OR CAN I CHECK FOR CONTINUITY WITHOUT THE TRAILER PLUGGED INTO THE TRUCK AND THE TRUCK LIGHTS ON???
3. Ok assume stellar continuity is determined. Now my thought was to check for grounding by leaving the trailer plugged in and lights on touch a probe to the BLACK disconnected wire and the other probe to the metal (not paint) trailer and look for the non functioning light to light up (since it is grounded now). If the light doesn't light up, reconnect the BLACK and green wire, disconnect the OTHER BLACK from the brown wire touch a probe to the BLACK wire and the other probe to the metal trailer and look for the light to light up. I do this because I assume that the light if properly grounded (by my multimeter probes) will work even though one of the BLACK wires from the light is not connected to its partner (the green or the brown). IS THIS ASSUMTION CORRECT?
WHAT SETTING SHOULD MY MULTIMETER BE ON TO DO THE TEST FOR GROUNDING???

IF I determine that the lights work with a local ground, I'll worry what to do next at that time, but if you guys could please respond to this novel I have written I'd sure appreciate it!
I hope the info in the novel is pertanent.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: ezloader trailer light issue

It would appear someone at some time has done some rewiring and ignored the commonly used plug terminals and wire colors.
The female terminal of the trailer plug should be the ground with white wires.
The green is normally for the right turn/brake light.
The yellow is normally for the left turn/brake light.
The brown is normally for the taillights and side marker lights.

I would guess that at your side lights the brown connect is hot and the green is the ground.

Check this site for more http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx

 

[Knightgang]

Re: ezloader trailer light issue

I would suggest rewiring the trailer to put the appropriate wire color combinations back the way they should be. This will also eliminate confusion if there are future issues and having fresh wire and proper connections should give you a better feelign of security while towing at night...

The color/usage that jeeperman stated is correct and the link he posted is a great reference.

Also, if you decide to rewire the trailer, I would run a white wire ground loop through the entire trailer, rather then ground through the frame which is common practice. To me, having the ground loop makes troubleshooting ground issues easier...