# Trailer light problem



## Chief2 (Apr 29, 2013)

My boat trailer lights all work. Problem is, when I turn on a turn signal, ALL of them flash - marker lights... everything!

Anyone have a suggestion what might be causing that malfunction in order to point me in the right direction once I begin my attempts to fix it?

The trailer has not be towed in a while, and it has the detachable tongue that can be removed to save space and also prevent theft.

Might this be a grounding problem?


----------



## BassBlaster (Apr 29, 2013)

Definately a grounding problem. Clean up your connection at the trailer and clean up the ground at each light and youll probably be fine. Im not certain on how your removable tongue works but make sure your getting proper ground through there as well.

When I wired my trailer, I took the advice of others and ran a seperate ground wire to every light. It dosnt require a whole lot of extra work or time and cost a few dollars for enough wire to do it. It virtually eliminates grounding problems.


----------



## DearJon (Apr 29, 2013)

Hi Chief2,

Sorry to hear you're having this problem. I would start by getting a 12v power source (a spare battery will work) and unhooking the trailer. Run one jumper wire from the positive terminal and one from the negative terminal of the battery. Touch the negative wire to the white wire pin in the trailer's pigtail. Now touch the positive wire to the yellow wire pin in the pigtail. Left blinker light should come on, but will not blink. Now touch the positive wire to the green wire pin in the pigtail. Right blinker light should come on, but will not blink. Continue touching the positive wire to the remaining pins in the pigtail, verifying that all lights are functioning properly. If they do, the next thing I would check is your ground. Sometimes if you have a weak ground, the current will flow through other lights that aren't even turned on because it "jumps" across the bulb. Even L.E.D.s can do this. Sometimes you'll have just enough of a ground to operate one light properly, but not all of them. Electrical current looks for the path of least resistance, just like water. Find your ground and unscrew it. Clean all contact surfaces thoroughly, and then smear a little dielectric grease on the connection. Reattach the ground screw and test all lights again, this time using the pigtail connector from the vehicle. If you do not have a direct ground wire, and are grounding through the hitch/coupling itself, then that is definitely the problem. You'll want to add a dedicated ground wire if you don't already have one. Good luck.


----------



## Chief2 (May 1, 2013)

Its the weirdest thing. When my truck lights are on, all the trailer lights are on as well. If I turn on a signal light, ALL the trailer lights blink. If I hit the brakes, all the trailer lights go out!

If the truck lights are off, and I hit the brake, all the trailer lights come on. 

Its definitely a grounding problem. I ran a separate grd. wire from the truck to the trailer (behind the removable tongue section) and the lights work as they should. 

Thanks for all the tips. I'll tackle it tomorrow, weather permitting.

Oh, Dear Jon, one of my sons lives in Wilmington. Loves to fish, too. He goes out to an island off Topsail and surf fishes. We have fished Carolina Beach and the jetty at Wrightsville. Thinking about buying house down there.


----------



## DearJon (May 1, 2013)

At least you've narrowed it down. Now for the fun part....

Now's a good time to buy, as the market still hasn't recovered yet. It is slowly getting better though. My wife and I love it here in Hampstead. Last year they built a new boat ramp down Sloop Point road, 5 minutes from my house. Can't beat it!


----------



## Chief2 (May 2, 2013)

DearJon said:


> At least you've narrowed it down. Now for the fun part....
> 
> Now's a good time to buy, as the market still hasn't recovered yet. It is slowly getting better though. My wife and I love it here in Hampstead. Last year they built a new boat ramp down Sloop Point road, 5 minutes from my house. Can't beat it!



We have been looking at houses in Carolina Beach. As long as my elderly parents are alive I couldn't re-locate, but my son could live in the house until we do.


----------

