Fixing trailer lights?

[Seth]

Are there any easy step by step directions online that tell you how to try and fix boat trailer lights? The lights on the trailer that I just got aren't working.

I don't know anything about electrical work, but everybody tells me that it is an easy fix.

Any help is appreciated.

[jdmidwest]

Scrape the bulbs and make sure you have good contact. Buy a circuit tester or a meter to find the shorts or problems. Make sure the wires match your plug on the vehicle. If all else fails, buy a complete new set and redo the whole thing. Make sure you have a good ground.

[Rick F]

Here is the "typical" wiring scheme.

4 way connector type

Green right turn signal and brake lights

Yellow left turn signal and brake lights

Brown taillights and clearance lights

White ground

5 way

same as above plus a red wire is used for backup lights

6way

same as above plus a blue wire is used for electric brakes

7 way sames as above plus a black wire is used for aux. power or batt. charge

Again, this is typical not set in stone. If the same color wire is down both sides that is 99% of the time your taillights and clearance lights. The other color is for turn and brake lights and red is usually for backup lights. If Gomer did the wiring, strip it all out and do it yourself. One more tip. When you get the lights running make sure you disconnect the plug from your vehicle before launching your boat to help prevent and short.

[Seth]

I think I am just going to run new wires and be done with it. The old ones already on there don't look that great anyway.

What do you guys use to fish the cables down through the trailer? Do you just pull the new wire through as you pull the old ones out by taping them together or what?

[Wayne SW/MO]

Seth take it from an old electrician, pull two pieces of nylon cord through with the old, tape one off for now, then use one to pull your wires through. When you pull the new wires through pull easy and have someone feed them so that as little strain as possible is put on them. When you're done tape the other cord down for later use if needed.

New, sealed, taillights are pretty cheap, and good insurance against headaches.

[Dutch]

One thing you should be sure of is your ground. Ground both to the truck frame and the trailer frame. The most common and frustrating lighting problem I have ever had is ground problems.

[porter57]

i agree dutch,one of the best things you can do is make sure of your ground.

i drilled a small hole on the trailer andattached the ground to a self tapping screw. made a huge difference!

[Seth]

Thanks for the replies. My dad helped me out and got them working again. The only things needed were new bulbs and we had to strip some wires on the left tail light and re-crimp them to the light.