# rewiring a trailer-side marker lights



## ol sarge (Feb 17, 2012)

I am repalcing the lights on my trailer with LED lights and replacing the wiring harness as well. My question is, how do I wire the side markers? Do I just splice into the harness and make the connection? I would imagine it would have to be spliced into the brake light not the turning light so that it is on all of the time. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. this is my first rewire and I just want to do it right.


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## PSG-1 (Feb 17, 2012)

Here's a diagram:





You need a tap connector for each side.

Using a razor, CAREFULLY separate the brown wire from the yellow wire on one side of the trailer, and separate the brown wire from the green wire on the other side. You only need to separate them for a few inches.

Now, using the tap connector, place it onto the brown wire, and then insert the wire from your side marker light, then use a set of pliers to mash the metal tang into the slot...this makes the electrical connection. Then snap the plastic keeper in place. It's a good idea to go ahead and wrap this connection with some 3M splicing tape. Don't use regular electrical tape, it's about useless for keeping moisture out.

Install the side marker lights, being sure to make a good connection with the mounting screw or bolt to the frame of the trailer. This completes the circuit, and at this point, the side marker light should work when you turn on the parking lights.


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## ol sarge (Feb 17, 2012)

Thanks for the assistance. Wish me luck!!!!!


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## Bob Landry (Feb 17, 2012)

A few guys have a problem with soldering, but I have had good results with it. I spliced the marker wires into the harness by using twist connections and then soldered. I laid the wires so that I had as flat a connection as possible then covered the splice with heat shrink that has the adhesive inside so that it "oozes" out the end and makes a watertight seal. I have never used the 3M Splicing tape, so I can't attest to it, but it must be good if 3M makes it. I'm just more comfortable with soldering, from my Navy ET days.

I also ran wires down both sides of the frame to attach the lights to ground from the plug instead of relying on the trailer frame to deliver ground.


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## PSG-1 (Feb 17, 2012)

Bob Landry said:


> I have never used the 3M Splicing tape, so I can't attest to it, but it must be good if 3M makes it.




If you've never used it, you really ought to try it out. Unlike electrical tape, which gets gooey, or brittle, this stuff seems to be more tenacious as time passes, it hardens up a good bit. It's the same stuff they use to splice the wires at the electrical service entrance to your house. I started using this stuff a few years ago, and it's a product I swear by, I always have an extra roll or two in my electrical tool kit.


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## F239141 (Feb 17, 2012)

Bob Landry said:


> I also ran wires down both sides of the frame to attach the lights to ground from the plug instead of relying on the trailer frame to deliver ground.



Thats always a good idea


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## ol sarge (Feb 23, 2012)

Well, I got the job done. Took a bit longer than expected but the lights work. I had a hard time with getting all of the lights to work the way they are susposed too. I tried to use the water proof 3m connectors with shrink wrap, but after crimping and sealing, the lights did not work. So I went back to the old stand by of a wire nut and use liquid electrical tape to seal the connection and then shrink tubing and then wrapped everything up with electrical tape to make it look pretty. Should be nice and waterproof. I live in Wisconsin so I still have about a month of hard water left (ice) before it goes soft and I can test it out. One word of advice, if you by the LED set that they sell at Walmart and the like, the connector on the harness is pretty cheap. I had a hard time getting it to fit into the truck receptacle and I think this is where some of my issues came in at. I will most likely replace that connector with a better quality one in the near future.


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