Turn signals dim

[mikehoyt]

I have 4 prong flat connector.

Brakes, turn signals, running lights all working. However when the lights are on the running lights are much brighter than the turn indicators both left and right. I have checked and the sec`ond filiment is flashing just so dimly that it cannot be seen with the running lights on.

I have replaced both rear taillights. I have replaced the trailer end of the connector (pigtail???) and have cleaned and reattached the ground to the trailer frame.

In an attempt to diagnose I even ran a second wire from the white connector to the frame and when that did not work directly to the bolts on the rear lights. Made no difference.

The only thing I have not checked is the vehicle end but the problems were initially occurring with a different vehicle so that is last thing I will check (or next if you are counting).

Any help will be appreciated

Mike

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Turn signals dim

check you wiring colors, on both vehicle and trailer heres diagram

"http://www.accessconnect.com/trailer_wiring_diagram.htm"

this also helps when chasing wiring of vehicle http://www.iboats.com/Seasense_EZ_T...d.217589--list_time.1200876288--view_id.56357

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Turn signals dim

If the colors are correct then it really sounds like a grounding issue.Run a temporary ground off the tow vehicle frame to the trailer and see if that fixes the problem.

 

[woosterken]

Re: Turn signals dim

check the flasher in the fuse block.
I had to put a heavy duty electronic one in my F150
the oem was not strong enuff for the extra load of the trailer lites
woosterken

 

[DJ]

Re: Turn signals dim

Grounds are the biggest issue with boat trailers. Gound each light seperately until you find an issue.

Also, check side marker lights for mis-contact on the bulbs. There should be a side maker bulb on each tail light, on the side.

Also, don't necessarily trust new lights. A mis-contacted, or wrong, bulb will cause that issue. Both trailer lights should have dual filament bulbs in them (1157's).

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Turn signals dim

check the flasher in the fuse block.
I had to put a heavy duty electronic one in my F150
the oem was not strong enuff for the extra load of the trailer lites
woosterken

Possible but usually if the flasher unit is week they will flash really fast and look dim.
All good suggestions...

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Turn signals dim

The key here is that the lights were just replaced. Whenever the running lights are brighter than the turn/brake lights, that's an indication the brake/turn and running light circuits are reversed. The brown wire in the harness is the running lights. Green and yellow are the turn/brake lights. Perhaps the trailer is wired correctly but the tow vehicle is wrong.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Turn signals dim

The key here is that the lights were just replaced. Whenever the running lights are brighter than the turn/brake lights, that's an indication the brake/turn and running light circuits are reversed. The brown wire in the harness is the running lights. Green and yellow are the turn/brake lights. Perhaps the trailer is wired correctly but the tow vehicle is wrong.

Agreed. Other possibility is a really bad ground.

 

[mikehoyt]

Re: Turn signals dim

update

This morning it hit me. The turn signals work when the running lights are not on ad even when the running lights are on the turn/brake filiment is lighting but much dimmer than the other.

So - when driving at night the running lights are suposed to be on with headlamps but when brake is applied or turn signal it is supposed to be much brighter than the running light.

Might the wires be reversed on each tailight? Of course they were!

Interestingly I had simply cut the old tail light wores and connected the new yellow on left to the red one from previous and the black to black. On the right I connected green to green and black to black. Should work right? No way - they were reversed -

So I connected on left the new black to yellow and red to black. On right new red to black and new black to green.

All works.

go figure

Mike

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Turn signals dim

very common mistake,

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Turn signals dim

update

This morning it hit me. The turn signals work when the running lights are not on ad even when the running lights are on the turn/brake filiment is lighting but much dimmer than the other.

So - when driving at night the running lights are suposed to be on with headlamps but when brake is applied or turn signal it is supposed to be much brighter than the running light.

Might the wires be reversed on each tailight? Of course they were!

Interestingly I had simply cut the old tail light wores and connected the new yellow on left to the red one from previous and the black to black. On the right I connected green to green and black to black. Should work right? No way - they were reversed -

So I connected on left the new black to yellow and red to black. On right new red to black and new black to green.

All works.

go figure

Mike

Glad to hear it !!!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Turn signals dim

I think I proposed that issue a couple of posts before you arrived at that conclusion. Now that you swapped wires at the lamps, you have two incorrect wiring issues. If the wires on the lamps were connected green to green and yellow to yellow to begin with, that wiring was correct. The issue lies at the other end of the harness. Either the tow vehicle plug was wired wrong or the trailer harness plug was wired wrong. There is an old saying that two wrongs do not make a right, but in this case it does. The only issue now is a future owner will scratch his head trying to figure out why the wiring is so screwed up on this trailer.