HELP! Last Min. Trailer Lights!!
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14489
Printed Date: November-17-2024 at 8:48pm
Topic: HELP! Last Min. Trailer Lights!!
Posted By: storm34
Subject: HELP! Last Min. Trailer Lights!!
Date Posted: July-16-2009 at 3:53am
SO I was just stringing up some LED caution lights for the side of the trailer before we head out to GL tomorrow and everything shorted out?!?!?!?! I was done with one side, got up to move all my tools and had nothing!
I had them running off the truck and ended up killing the battery on the truck lol. So I thought the truck was just dead, got it running and still have nothing!
Did I over load the lights system or something? I tried back tracking and taking apart what I did but still have nothing..If anyone can help me out that would be awesome! If I have to re string with new lights I'd have to run up to town w/o lights.
Sorry, I'll quit rambling!
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Replies:
Posted By: BuffaloBFN
Date Posted: July-16-2009 at 4:13am
On short notice, maybe put it back to tail lights? Sorry electricity isn't exactly my thing, but it sounds like a short or bad ground. If you have either in the string, I think you loose it all.
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http://correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=2331&sort=&pagenum=12&yrstart=1986&yrend=1990" rel="nofollow - 1988 BFN-sold
"It's a Livin' Thing...What a Terrible Thing to Lose" ELO
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Posted By: storm34
Date Posted: July-16-2009 at 4:41am
Thanks for the reply...I just went back out and pulled some more of my previous work off and discovered I have brake lights but no running lights. Threw the utility trailer on and same deal, no running lights either vehicle (GMC Sierra and Ford Expo).
Guess I could make it to GL but i'll see what I can dig up and hopefully fix it in the am!
Green Lake or Bust!!!
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Posted By: BuffaloBFN
Date Posted: July-16-2009 at 4:56am
Maybe a bad contact in the plug then? When did it work right last?
Try to clean the contacts with emery cloth or fine sandpaper(lightly oiled) and put dielectric grease on it. Wish I could help more.
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http://correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=2331&sort=&pagenum=12&yrstart=1986&yrend=1990" rel="nofollow - 1988 BFN-sold
"It's a Livin' Thing...What a Terrible Thing to Lose" ELO
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Posted By: harddock
Date Posted: July-16-2009 at 9:04am
I'd guess you cut a wire (brown one)- Seems odd you would have the same trouble with 2 vehicles and two trailers. Did you add lights to the utility trailer? Are you grounding from the ball or do you actually have a ground(white0 wire hooked up? Do you have a test light? If you have juice at all pins on truck, the problem will be on the trailer.
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http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=4487" rel="nofollow - 1998 Ski Nautique
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Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: July-16-2009 at 10:41am
Chris,
Trailer lighting always seems to be a big problem but a few good practices can make most of the problems go away.
Know the standard color coding of a trailer wiring harness.
Use a volt meter or at least a test light and test from the tow vehicle back.
Never use those damn insulation displacement connectors. They are the ones that don't need the insulation stripped off and you put over the wire and squeeze with pliers. They will come back to haunt you due to corrosion inside where the insulation is cut. I've even seen them cut the wire in half if used improperly.
Good "Sta-Con" crimp on connectors are available with adhesive lined heat shrink tubing over them. A decent auto supply will have them. If you can't find them then use adhesive lined heat shrink over your splices. If you really want to go all the way, solder the splices first.
Never try to get away with using the trailer hitch/ball as your ground. 95% of problems will be ground related. Most lights will use the mounting stud as a ground to the frame. This will plague you as well because a little rust under the nut to the frame and the ground is lost. I like to run a separate ground wire to a ring "Sta-Con" to each lights mounting stud. It had to be Henry Ford going cheap and deciding the metal frame of a car was good enough for a ground!!
Last, make sure all the wiring is firmly attached to the trailer and not flopping around in the wind as you run down the road. I have actual gone to the extent of using PVC pipe down each side of the trailer frame as a means of holding all the wiring. This isn't a conduit run like you would see a electric run in. The tubing is just open at the ends and in the middle where you need to "T" off to the running lights.
What lights are you adding? Are you bringing the trailer up to current DOT standards or just adding lights? Be careful with the latter as some officers of the law go out of their way to find non conforming trailers!!!
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/diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow -
54 Atom
/diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique
64 X55 Dunphy
Keep it original, Pete
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Posted By: storm34
Date Posted: July-16-2009 at 12:43pm
Thanks for the replies everyone!
I guess I am more confused because I lost my running lights only. Everything was in working order and I as just tapping into the original system to set new lights. These were originally there but we removed when we painted the trailer.
I had set a red LED light and an yellow LED caution light to the passenger side of the vehicle. Both were working just fine and then my truck died, thats when I realized I had lost everything! Well, I still have brake and turn lights, but no running lights.
I guess I'm really confused because I didn't mess with any grounds? If worse comes to worse I guess I can make it to GL this way and figure it out once the boat is off the trailer! Hoping to leave here in just a few hours!
Green Lake or Bust!
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Posted By: Donald80SN
Date Posted: July-18-2009 at 12:55am
I have a Chevy Tahoe and I had some of the same type of issues. I found out that I had blow the fuses in my trucks fuse box for trailer lights. Some were blown in the compartment under the hood ( 10 AMP or 15 AMP) and some were blown in the compartment one the side of the dash when you open the drivers door. They are clearly marked for Trailer Lights.
I hope this helps,
Donald
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Posted By: 89Ski_Nautique
Date Posted: July-18-2009 at 1:16am
I agree with Donald, check the running lights fuse on your vehicle most likely a 15 amp fuse connection. Assuming you fixed the root cause of your problem which sounds like you grounded out one of your trailer wires most likely the brown colored wire. Also check your ground wire (white wire) on your traiiler make sure you have a secure connection as well.
I just had simular problem with faulty wiring on my 89 trailer.
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Posted By: Clew In
Date Posted: July-18-2009 at 12:10pm
Hey,
I will bet it is the fuse and it is always the first thing to check.
Clew In
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Clew In
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