trailer lights

[embo]

How bout this one...have running lights and turn sigs but hit the brakes and all trailer lights go out. Only been towing at nite, so this is a problem.Anyone??? And let me say that I think this place is amazing all the help you guys provide to anyone that just asks, so cool. Thanks in advance.

 

[spdracr39]

Re: trailer lights

Sounds like a bad ground.

 

[embo]

Re: trailer lights

I'm on it, thank you!!!

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: trailer lights

Its not a bad ground, its a no ground at all. The tail lights are grounding back through the brake light circuit. Step on the brakes and you got no ground at all.
Add a ground wire from the lights to the plug. Dont use the trailer to ground.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: trailer lights

Its not a bad ground, its a no ground at all. The tail lights are grounding back through the brake light circuit. Step on the brakes and you got no ground at all.
Add a ground wire from the lights to the plug. Dont use the trailer to ground.

Agree,99.9% the cause for that problem.Seen it many times.

 

[embo]

Re: trailer lights

Add a ground from the lights to the plug? I'm so sorry I'm just not picturing it.

 

[Josh P]

Re: trailer lights

make sure your connector has a good ground from the tow vehicle and make sure it goes to a spot on the trailer frame and is clean. i like to run a ground all the way back to the rear tail lights and put one up front as well. dont relie on the truck gorund going through the trailer hitch to the tounge to the trailer frame for ground

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: trailer lights

Add a ground from the lights to the plug? I'm so sorry I'm just not picturing it.

Where the lights bolt to the frame and or mount, there is or should be a wire to ground the light. Extend that wire to go to the ground prong in the plug on the trailer side so you dont have to worry about a bad connection to the trailer anymore.
If there is no ground wire, you can: 1 take the lights apart and add one or, 2 clean the mounting bolts (thats where they ground) and add a wire from the mouning bolt to the plug so you have a direct ground and again bypass the trailer for grounding.
At the very least, clean the light mounting bolts, and where they contact the trailer, then add a wire from the trailer to the White wire from the plug to the trailer frame.

 

[embo]

Re: trailer lights

Thank you and thanks for your service, I'll be trying all that manana.

 

[Shrike]

Re: trailer lights

The top three causes of trailer light problems:
Ground.
Ground.
Ground.

 

[jessicaann]

Re: trailer lights

Perhaps you need a new connector. You should check out:
www.ezconnector.com

You aren't going to have to worry each and every time you connect and disconnect.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: trailer lights

Perhaps you need a new connector. You should check out:
www.ezconnector.com

You aren't going to have to worry each and every time you connect and disconnect.

for $100 a set I hope not! Cool idea but I will wait until it becomes more standardized before I jump in, I would also be interested in how the contacts react to Mag Chloride.

 

[Sixmark]

Re: trailer lights

The contacts react very well, they corrode as good as anything else!!

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: trailer lights

The contacts react very well, they corrode as good as anything else!!

so you think I am right in that I would be better off just replacing the connectors when needed? and saving the $75 dollars difference! The video says the magnets have 16 lbs pulling force, that isn't going to make it in the spring and fall snows when trailer wiring builds up with wet heavy snow either, I'm sure you will agree with that where you are as well.

 

[Sixmark]

Re: trailer lights

I would just replace the connectors, and use some greas or other type of lubricant or protectant for the plug. Be sure to put the cover on the plug when not in use. We have a 1977 Dilly trailer that has never needed to be rewired or anything just because it gets taken care of and maintained when needed. Proper connections are a must, bad grounds lead to premature failure of other parts of the system on a trailer as it will often try to ground through the trailer itself.

 

[Splat]

Re: trailer lights

Perhaps you need a new connector. You should check out:
www.ezconnector.com

You aren't going to have to worry each and every time you connect and disconnect.

Creative, but spam none the less. Go try somewhere else.

Bill

 

[Silvertip]

Re: trailer lights

You didn't mention what the tow vehicle is. If you happen to have a vehicle that has separate turn and stop lamps you need what is commonly called a "converter". Trailers have a two filament bulb. One filament is tail (running) light. The brighter filament serves both brake and turn signal functions. Therefore if your tow vehicle has amber turn signals or uses a two bulb system (one for brake and one for turn) you need the converter.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: trailer lights

every once in a while I'll wire brush the male connectors and clean out the female too.I use a drill bit that is snug enough to make them shine. It always works for me. Besides if you have been using your trailer ,all that other stuff has already been done or it wouldn't have worked in the first place.

 

[WebsterCityIowan]

Re: trailer lights

Perhaps you need a new connector. You should check out:
www.ezconnector.com

You aren't going to have to worry each and every time you connect and disconnect.

No offense, but are you trying to market these?

 

[jeeperman]

Re: trailer lights

every once in a while I'll wire brush the male connectors and clean out the female too.I use a drill bit that is snug enough to make them shine. It always works for me. Besides if you have been using your trailer ,all that other stuff has already been done or it wouldn't have worked in the first place.

And on the flat four-way type male ends, I push a nail set punch into the end of the contacts. This helps to re-size the male contacts so that they fit into the female contacts more securely.