Trailer Lights.

[plyxrs]

can anybody tell me why the left tail light and side marker seem only to work occasionally? like when it gets in the water they will begin to work all the way till i get home and for that night but then next day sometimes they will work then they dont. and today i took the boat over to my grandparents and when i left my house only the right side trailer lights worked, but then i got there and then when i left there place i noticed my lights working again. whats the problem?

 

[Silverbullet555]

Re: Trailer Lights.

Loose connection somewhere. Start with the grounds and see what you find.

 

[plyxrs]

Re: Trailer Lights.

ok, all my lights go to the same ground which is on the tounge, i will check that tomorow i dont think its very good ground, i mean the placement is fine but i dont think its a good clean connection, if that doesn't work, then what?

 

[Silverbullet555]

Re: Trailer Lights.

ok, all my lights go to the same ground which is on the tounge, i will check that tomorow i dont think its very good ground, i mean the placement is fine but i dont think its a good clean connection, if that doesn't work, then what?

Do all the lights have a wire that runs to the ground or is the ground connected to the trailer frame and then the lights grounded to the frame?

 

[plyxrs]

Re: Trailer Lights.

im not 100% sure actually.. i will go out tomorrow and check it out. ill let you know then.

 

[KDAVID1]

Re: Trailer Lights.

Loose connection somewhere. Start with the grounds and see what you find.

+1.

 

[FLATHEAD MAC]

Re: Trailer Lights.

simillar issue with my buddy's trailer. previous owner had ran wires allover .half of which almost grug ground. i replaced hole harness $7.99 @ harbor freight. covered it with split loom and routed it properly thru trailer. kept ground wire to run back to left hand light. went to bouble check and right hand was weak and turn not functioning, noticed a little rubber seal between light and trailer.. so i made a short ground strap to go from trailer light mount bolt and connecterd to frame. all functioning like they should.

 

[plyxrs]

Re: Trailer Lights.

well my lights have just 2 wires, one is for like stop and turn and other is brake and parking light or whatever. im pretty sure the only ground i have it the white ground on my 4 way flat.. inless when the light bolts to the trailer maybe those bolts are the ground?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Trailer Lights.

inless when the light bolts to the trailer maybe those bolts are the ground?

Ayuh,... That's correct...

 

[Philster]

Re: Trailer Lights.

Check grounds means: Ensure ground wires are connected to grounding point, and that they are making good contact.... as you might have to clean them. Sometimes, they are connected and you need to clean 'em up. Even a zap of wd-40 works short term (or longer).

 

[Volphin]

Re: Trailer Lights.

It is a good idea to check the grounds before the season gets cranked up. A little sanding and grease helps keep the corrosion down. I always seem to find at least two that need attention every year! :facepalm:

HTH

V

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Trailer Lights.

the fact that they work when wet and not when dry tells you the connections at the place that gets wet needs attention.

It is better practice to unplug the lights before dunking the trailer.

 

[Volphin]

Re: Trailer Lights.

the fact that they work when wet and not when dry tells you the connections at the place that gets wet needs attention.

It is better practice to unplug the lights before dunking the trailer.

But how am I going to see my lighted guideposts at night then?

V

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Trailer Lights.

flashlights

street lights at the ramp

by sense of touch based on familiarity with your boat and trailer.

Attach jars filled with fireflies to the posts

Pour some gasoline around the trailer when it's sunk and light it

 

[109jb]

I always run dedicated ground wires from the connecter at the front all the way back to the trailer lights Also, if useng crimp connectors, use the ones that have a heat shrink sleeve

On another note, I've been dunking trailers for 30 years and have never unplugged the lights and have never had a problem.

 

[109jb]

Re: Trailer Lights.

Do all the lights have a wire that runs to the ground or is the ground connected to the trailer frame and then the lights grounded to the frame? Sometimes, they are connected and you need to clean 'em up. Even a zap of wd-40 works short term ...

Most of the time, like 99.99%, the lights use the trailer frame as ground. Most problems with trailer lights can be traced to a bad ground. That is why I run an extra ground wire all the way from the front of the trailer to the lights at the back. I do this on ALL my trailers, not just the boat trailer. Many light units ground through the mounting bolt. Just run a wire to that and get a ring connector to go under the nut. As I said, use the crimp connector that has the heat shrinkable sleeve. This will help keep the water out and prevent corrosion of the wire itself.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Trailer Lights.

My opinion is that it is a waste of time to run seperate grounds. You basically have doubled the complexity of your trailer wiring so when something doesn't work the next time you have two places to check instead of one. In over 30 years of boating in saltwater I have never had a lighting problem because I make sure my lights are mouted with clean grounds and the ground wire from the connector is mounted to a clean ground and then painted over or sealed to keep water out.

Take off each light and sand to bare metal and remount the light. Easier than running the extra ground wire and better in the long run.

 

[109jb]

Re: Trailer Lights.

My opinion is that it is a waste of time to run seperate grounds. You basically have doubled the complexity of your trailer wiring so when something doesn't work the next time you have two places to check instead of one. In over 30 years of boating in saltwater I have never had a lighting problem because I make sure my lights are mouted with clean grounds and the ground wire from the connector is mounted to a clean ground and then painted over or sealed to keep water out.

Take off each light and sand to bare metal and remount the light. Easier than running the extra ground wire and better in the long run.

To each his own, but using the frame as a ground, you are relying on the trailer connector, the ring connector at the frame in front, the connection between the ring connector and the frame, the connection between the frame and the light, and any connections between the frame pieces if it is a bolted together trailer. Also, in the case of a light unit with a separated ground wire you have another ring connector. You ask me, that is a lot of connections and a lot more places to check than a single wire that runs all the way to the light. There is potential for each of those connections to cause problems.

Running dedicated ground, I rely on the trailer connector, and 2 crimp connectors. One at the front, and one at the light as the lights I use have a separate ground wire for the unit.The crimp connectors with the heat shrink sleeve have been 100% reliable for me in all applications (Boat trailers, utility trailers, equipment trailer, and snowmobile trailers running on salted roads included).

Until I decided to run dedicated grounds, I used to have problems with dim lights or lights not working, etc. It was a relatively common occurrence. These problems were always traced to the ground. Since running dedicated grounds, I have not had one problem in the last 15 years or so since I converted them that was related to a ground issue. I'll go with my experience and run the dedicated ground.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Trailer Lights.

With both methods you still rely on the trailer connector. You make one good ground connection at the frame in front with a waterproof ring connector. With the dedicated ground to each light you have at least one place where you are splicing more than 3 wires together...probably a lot more. Show me a picture of your waterproof connector where all your grounds hook up at the front of the trailer .

I guess I subscribe to the KISS principle. Obviously, you can do whatever you want.

I agree a bolted together trailer creates more problems where you would need to consider a seperate ground but not one to each light.

 

[plyxrs]

Re: Trailer Lights.

hey guys thanks for all the advice and everything! i got all the lights working finally WOOT! i took lights off and grinded down the metal where they ground and everything and i found a very bad rotted connection where my side markers connect to one of the wire headed to the back so i re-did that connection and everything is great! once again thanks!