Trailer lights
07-12-2004, 07:09 AM
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Trailer lights
Noticed yesterday when applying the brakes that all the trailer lights light up. Got out and checked them and they all appear to be working. One thing I did notice is the right side brake light is not as bright as the left. So I swapped the two and same thing. The right side turn signal will not work with either lamp. Any suggestions?
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07-12-2004, 10:36 AM
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Re: Trailer lights
Where should all the grounds be located? It's just the secondary light thats not lighting up.....when the parking lights are on...everythings fine....when you hit the brakes the right side lamp does not brighten...only the left. It's not the lamp either because if I swap lamps same thing happens.
07-12-2004, 12:00 PM
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Re: Trailer lights
Sounds like a bad ground. I just re-wired my trailer. I have a 7 way connector on my truck and one prong is a ground. I ran that wire, from the trailer side connector, to the brakes and then spiced it and screwed it in the frame for a ground by the tongue. Your brake lights should be grounded to the frame. Trailer connections are easily corroded from dunking in the water and are a PITA to diagnose. I always cover my connections with electrical grease. Hope this helps.
07-12-2004, 12:02 PM
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Re: Trailer lights
I would guess it's a bad ground also, you can ground them at every light if you have too but that's a little excessive usually one ground on the trailer is enough. Most that i have seen are grounded right at the front but if your just having problems with one light the wire coming out of the light may be broken.
07-12-2004, 12:57 PM
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Re: Trailer lights
Get LED's but check all your grounds.
Freaking trailer electrics..... the voodoo world of boating!
Kick, yank, spray, swear, sweat, splice, tape and sometimes it works for five minutes
Freaking trailer electrics..... the voodoo world of boating!
Kick, yank, spray, swear, sweat, splice, tape and sometimes it works for five minutes
07-12-2004, 03:07 PM
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Re: Trailer lights
actually this might pin point it more.....when I apply the brakes, all the lights light up. Sounds like a bad ground....but how the heck do I fix it?
07-12-2004, 03:31 PM
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Re: Trailer lights
Sounds like a bad ground - mine did the same thing this past spring when I bought a new ball mount. Alot of the trailer mfg just hook the ground wire to the trailer and let the ground go thru the trailer ball/receiver to the truck frame. New ball mount had no bare surfaces (it was powdercoated), so there was no good "path" for ground and the trailer lights did all kinds of goofy things. If you look at the wiring connector on the trailer, I'll bet you that there is no wire to the ground terminal, or if there is a wire, it is probably not connected to anything. My ground wire from the connector was just hanging inside the plastic loom, connected to nothing - the trailer co was depending on ground thru the trailer frame thru the trailer ball into the truck frame (and ground). I connected the ground wire from the connector (trailer side) to one of the bolts on the trailer frame giving me a dedicated ground to the truck and all my lighting problems went away!
