dang trailr lights

rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭

well, I really did a lot of searching before bringing this one to the site....have put a lot of work into the trailer and pulled it a couple hundred miles with no wheel issues so assume all the grease packing, new seals etc. was a good fix.  I replaced the trailer lights with what I thought were some pretty decent lights from Harbor Freight, they were 50 bucks which is high line for them...already lost both of them so I replaced with just the old bulb type for 15 bucks and they look like they seal better.  Anyway, put the 2nd one on yesterday, running lights work but the brake/turn does not. I checked the volts at the truck side and the socket side of the trailer and have 12 volts. When I checked at the back of the trailer, only like 4 or 5 volts. Now, me and electrical do not get along well and I always look at this as either it has juice or does not: if I have a connector in line somewhere that has corroded, will it create resistance and drop the voltage to where the lights won't work? The running light wire has 12 at both ends. There are several connections that don't look real good but the are all on the running light wire where it gets tapped into for the side markers.

Comments

  • Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2014

    Sounds like a bad ground issue or maybe a chaffed wire that is internally corroded.

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,011 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I agree with BD. Bad ground or bad wire. Since you are getting 12VDC on the running lights, I am betting on a bad wire.

    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
  • midwestemidweste Member Posts: 135 ✭✭

    Hey Ras, 

    I purchased new sets of LED lights and two sets of wiring from Harbor Freight and they are holding up and working great. When I purchased my boat, the wiring on my Trailmaster trailer was chopped off and the light housings were shot, so I decided to replace everything. The new lights were easy to install and I taped onto the old wiring to pull the new wiring through the circle mounts and trailer tube head. I also decided to run my own grounds versus using the rusty trailer ground points. I used marine rated heat shrink butt connectors then wrapped all the connection points with 3M Super 33 electrical tape. It was easier than I thought and only took about 45 minutes to install everything. The LEDs are super bright, draw little current and are waterproof. Total cost was around $72. Now, the trailer looks like a mini-semi going down the highway and lights up the night!! 

    Sometimes its better to replace everything than to spend hours trying to band-aid old wiring and sockets. :D

     

    -MW 

    2000 180 Bowrider, 135hp 3.0L Merc, 2.00 Alpha One Gen 2 OD, 14.5 x 19P prop

       Regular weekender, trailer stored indoors, Southern Ohio  

  • TikiHut2TikiHut2 Member Posts: 1,431 ✭✭✭✭✭


    Like Midwest said above, I too did the HF LED taillights and new wiring. Working perfect since new 2 1/2 yrs ago.


     I also suspect you have a ground issue. Voltage will read on a meter just fine until there's a load when it just isn't gonna cut it using old wiring or a trailer ball for a ground connection to the trucks 12v source. Seems to be a common theme here...

    2004 FV270, 300hp 5.7 350mag MPI Merc 305hrs, 2:20 Bravo3 OD w.22p props, 12v Lenco tabs, Kohler 5kw genset, A/C, etc.etc...
    Regular weekender, Trailer stored indoors, M/V TikiHut, Sarasota, Fl
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I do have a good ground and re did that prior to installing the new lights as I was having issue with the reverse brake solonid when I replaced that. The LED's, not sure what happened but they got down to only a couple of the lights inside lighting up so I pitched them. Since the running light side seems to be fine, for now I will just try to replace the one wire for the brake/turn. One thing I really thought was a problem, I did not have the truck on the ball but just plugged in. Since the divers side worked find for both functions and only had an issue on the right side, brake and turn, I assume it's wire and not ground. I'll give that a whirl before the next trip and then start looking to just replace the wires as it can't be that tuff a job!

  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    well, I re checked the socket for power and I do seem to have power: I'm checking the turn signal so I get a fluctuating current up to about 1ov and then it drops off as it blinks...but it does not work when I put a bulb in. I took the other wire off for the running light and was able to light up the turn/brake light....am I not getting enough volts to operate the brake and turn light? Very confusing......and I checked my brake fluid and the dang thing was dry.......trailers
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ok, Well, even managed to figure this one out by myself....I was getting voltage but I guess not enough to power anything (or amps I guess it would be). My truck as the round plug for a 7 pin which I have a converter plug in that to step down to a 5 blade. I also have the 4 blade. I plugged it into the 4 blade (have surge brakes so need the 5 to operate) and guess what, got lights that go blink. I replaced the converter plug and all is good!
  • Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    sweet!

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
  • bigal6030bigal6030 Member Posts: 157 ✭✭
    I really hate trailer lights 

    Big Al - 2006 - 270 Express Crusier

    Home port: Hammond Ind.

Sign In or Register to comment.