Disconnect Trailer lights
KYSEAN
Member Posts: 121 ✭✭
How many of you disconnect the trailer wiring before launching your boat?
2012 Rinker BR216 5.0
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KYSEAN
Member Posts: 121 ✭✭
Comments
I have has several boat trailers over the past 25 years, and never had a problem leaving the lights connected. I do however, know of a number of people who swear by disconnecting the lights before launching. These are the same people who on a number of occasions drove off with no trailer lights after the boat was back on the trailer due to disconnected lights.
Most boat trailer lights operate on a "bell principal" like trying to hold an upside down glass under water, it traps air, keeping the bulbs from submerging. If you are having issues with bulbs or fuses, then by all means unplug them. Or go with L.E.D. lights which I believe are waterproof and/or don't generate the heat that would cause an ordinary bulb to break.
If you have a trailer with surge disc brakes, you need to have them connected to back up. The lockout activates when the reverse lights are on. With my old 232, I didn't have disc brakes, so I always disconnected them until I upgraded to LED lights. On my new trailer with my 280, I ordered the trailer with LED lights, so I don't have to worry about it.
Go Steelers!!!
I upgraded all of the wiring and installed LED trailer lights and don't bother disconnecting them. I also have a smart wiring interface box for my tow vehicle that protects the factory wiring from shorts, overloads, etc...
However, I do disconnect the trailer lights when I park my vehicle without the boat on the trailer for long periods. This is due to the parking lights getting voltage from the smart interface, that keeps the parking lights on, but very very dim.
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
I never disconnect mine, and have had no problems.
2004 Rinker 312, 5.0 Merc's, Bravo III, Lake Wheeler, AL
Good info. Thanks all. Sean
my Ford Super Duty has a brake control module that is capable of disrupting engine operation if it shorts.... it's the braking centers brain, not just a brake controller, and it is around $400 new, and would cost another $2~$300 to install by a dealer.......
sorry fellas, I'm disconnecting my harness before dunking it, and that's all there is to it... I'm sure other makes (designed for towing) have similar set-ups.... just so y'all know...
You just have to buck the trend, don't you Drew
2019 MTX20 Extreme
I'm with Drew us ford guys gotta stick together
Electricals and bulbs (even leds) in water. No. Disconnect and also remove the wiring harness from the tow vehicle or tuck it up real high. MT
My last three tow vehicles over the past few years have all been Fords. 2005, 2008, and 2012. Never unplugged any of them. Not disagreeing with anyone that wants to, it does make sense. I guess I was just lucky and never had any issues. I only dunk my boat twice a year, but I am taking my jet ski in and out just about every weekend (no brakes there though), so I am on the ramp quite a bit. Perhaps I'm lazy, but I'll probably take my chances and keep it plugged in.
2004 Rinker 312, 5.0 Merc's, Bravo III, Lake Wheeler, AL
To quaify my response above, the ramps I used when younger used to require us to back so far down to launch/retrieve the boats that the harness and sometimes even the pin connecters on the vehicle chassis would get dunked. We didn't like that, so we just got used to removing the whole shot. ;-) MT
To clarify my position, the trailer brake control module is expensive and the truck won't run without it... It's the best controller I've ever met, but it's sensitive to voltage... Take your own chances, but maybe cruise over to powerstroke.org or powerstrokenation.com, even powerstrokearmy.com... Do a search on those things, andsee oof you don't change your mind...
Glad I got a Ram
You and me both!
Mark
2019 MTX20 Extreme
I love Rams.. especially the third generation 3/4~1 tons with the common rail 5.9... that may have been the best truck ever made for consumers, direct off the line... the OBS Fords w/7.3 was a fine truck, too.. I learned my lesson with Chevy's in the early '00s, when I purchased (well, leased, gov't contracts won't allow purchase) two identical stripped work trucks, and both of them were absolute hunks of junk and cost bookoo bucks to keep running... that said, I had a '93 I turned 331k miles on with minimal repairs/work done on it... at some point afterward, GMC started offering SUV's with utility boxes instead of a truck with passenger space like the others did. (prior to the SUV craze, a Blazer or Suburban was a truck with passenger boxes, too)..
these Super Duty's from '04 or so forward until now are freakin' comfortable trucks, and moreso than the Dodge (I've owned both), especially when hauling passengers+cargo over a long haul... knocking on wood, I've had very little trouble out of mine- but I keep up with the plights of others to prepare myself if I ever encounter the same issue's..
the braking system is a great one, and leaves chevy and dodge and anything aftermarket far behind, but it does something I wish it didn't: it communicates with the PCM and TCM- and if it isn't jiving, and fails in a certain way, the PCM shuts the truck down... I'm not certain the notion of comms with the PCM is a good one, because the only thing I can think of that would be beneficial is the cruise control function.... it makes me wonder, though, why someone would be towing a heavy load and running on cruise anyway... that isn't too smart.. comms with the TCM I get, because if you're using the tow/haul function you've engaged your engine brake, and that would be a good piece of information for your trailers braking system to have to know to apply a bit of clamp even though you haven't touched the trucks brakes- but, it's not like the TCM doesn't have an open line of comms with the PCM...
but anyway, FMC is mighty proud of their braking center, and it is somewhat complicated (the brain, that is).... I just can't bring myself to take a chance with it.
Good info Drew.
Mark
2019 MTX20 Extreme