Need help, boat wiring

[NW-Bound]

I keep posting on threads like this, then go on the Web to buy geeky hardware and toys.

No wonder I never get to see the "girl in a yellow sweater". Arghhh...

 

[Texas Proud]

That is why I have one of these and shoot my wheels with it whenever I stop for a break: Amazon.com: HDE Temperature Gun Infrared Thermometer w/ Laser Sight

I just clicked on it and if I buy it and this, I get a discount!!!

Amazon.com: The Ghost Meter EMF Sensor: Home Improvement

So far, I have not had any ghost scares....

 

[travelover]

I worked at a trailer rental place between high school and college. Part of my job was to keep the trailer lights working. The number one lesson that I learned was DO NOT USE THE FRAME as a ground. Run a separate ground wire (preferably soldered) to each light from the harness plug. The cost is pennies and the increase in reliability is huge.

If it is a boat trailer, this advice is 10X.

 

[Bimmerbill]

I read a good boat trailer tip recently. When installing the bulbs, coat the bottom metal peice in dielectric grease. It helps with contact and also prevents a lot of corrosion.

I just had a stuck bulb on my boat trailer and got it out with a pair of needle nose pliers (after breaking the glass etc).

 

[ERD50]

I worked at a trailer rental place between high school and college. Part of my job was to keep the trailer lights working. The number one lesson that I learned was DO NOT USE THE FRAME as a ground. Run a separate ground wire (preferably soldered) to each light from the harness plug. The cost is pennies and the increase in reliability is huge.

If it is a boat trailer, this advice is 10X.

I'm also suspecting ground connections. That is the most reasonable explanation for getting voltage readings of 4 or 7 volts at some points.

With a good ground, you either get battery voltage (~13V) or 0 volts, nothing in-between. But with a bad ground, the current finds it's way through one bulb filament, and then with no path to ground, it goes through the other filaments of the other bulbs to ground. That splits the voltage across the different filaments, giving you some fraction of battery voltage, rather than the all or nothing you should be getting.

-ERD50

 

[Texas Proud]

I worked at a trailer rental place between high school and college. Part of my job was to keep the trailer lights working. The number one lesson that I learned was DO NOT USE THE FRAME as a ground. Run a separate ground wire (preferably soldered) to each light from the harness plug. The cost is pennies and the increase in reliability is huge.

If it is a boat trailer, this advice is 10X.

.



Since I do not have a separate ground wire, I have to use what I have... if the LEDs work, I will leave the existing wires... if not, then I will make sure I add the extra wire when I rewire the trailer.

 

[travelover]

.
Since I do not have a separate ground wire, I have to use what I have... if the LEDs work, I will leave the existing wires... if not, then I will make sure I add the extra wire when I rewire the trailer.

Or you can simply buy a 25 foot piece of #14 braided wire and run it from the 4 way plug to each light base in succession. It doesn't hurt to duplicate the ground, but it sure eliminates a lot of problems.

Your call. I'd rather be fishin' than trying to fix the lights at the last minute.

 

[ChadR]

It actually is a 5 wire, but I do not know what the 5th wire is for since I do not have brakes or a reverse light... I am using a 4 wire to connect to the tow vehicle...

What kind of trailer/boat?

Most small boats that I see with 5 wire plugs on the trailer is because the trailer has surge brakes and the 5th wire prevents their activation when trying to back up.

 

[Texas Proud]

What kind of trailer/boat?

Most small boats that I see with 5 wire plugs on the trailer is because the trailer has surge brakes and the 5th wire prevents their activation when trying to back up.

It is a 18.5 ft bow rider... the trailer does not have any brakes... trust me... we had two blowouts and I had everything off...


Thanks to travelover I am going to try a wire from the right side to the left... if it is a ground issue I hope that the side were the light is working has a better ground...

If that does not work, I will run a wire the length of the trailer and see if that works... if so, I guess I will live with it for awhile... but might do the rewire and LEDs anyhow... I have not talked to DW about what she would want.... most of the time she just wants things to work....

 

[Texas Proud]

An update:

We went to the lake yesterday and all the lights were working.... I do not know why the one was not working the other day

 

[travelover]

An update:

We went to the lake yesterday and all the lights were working.... I do not know why the one was not working the other day

Who say inanimate objects don't have a sense of humor?

Now, next time when you are all packed and ready to go, trying to beat rush hour traffic, it will go back on strike.

 

[HFWR]

An update:

We went to the lake yesterday and all the lights were working.... I do not know why the one was not working the other day

My old saw is that if it can "fix" itself, it can break itself...

 

[ls99]

An update:

We went to the lake yesterday and all the lights were working.... I do not know why the one was not working the other day

FM, well known in the electronics trades.

 

[samclem]

FM, well known in the electronics trades.

Aviation, too. It's disconcerting to see a serious write-up by a previous crew ("smoke in cockpit") with the maintenance guy's accompanying comment "CND" = "could not duplicate." Okay, I guess I'll take the plane and see if it actually catches fire in flight so we can troubleshoot this problem.

 

[ls99]

Speaking of squawks. A pilot noted "autoland inoperative" Mechanic signed off "this model does not have autoland"

 

[NW-Bound]

Intermittent failures in electronics can drive one insane to trouble shoot. There is a reason why connectors used in military equipment and aerospace applications cost several hundred to thousands dollars each. Yes, there is a reason for all those Mil-Specs.

Luckily, this trailer wiring is not too complicated if one really wants to track it down. But perhaps the simplest thing is to rip it all out and to start over.