Frustrated! What is wrong and how to fix?

[Dave K.]

All running lights work. The right side brake light doesn't and the right side directional flickers but you can barely see it.

I installed a new sealed capsule and it didn't help. Brought it back as the salesman told me he thought it would be a bad ground anyway.

I have a brown and green wire going to the right side.

Where do I start and How do I find the problem?

Do I need any special tools or equipment? Anything?

Ty, Dave

 

[LyleW]

Brown or Tan should go to tail light, green goes to brake/right turn light. Dim light flashing sounds like tan wire hooked to turn signal.
And if your vehicle has separate brake and turn signals your screwed! need an adapter or add separate brake lites to trailer.

 

[riptide09]

Standard wires are as follows:
Left Stop & Turn: Yellow
Left Tail, License and side marker: Brown
Right Stop and Turn: Green
Right Tail, side marker: Brown
Ground: White
Brake: Blue

Make sure the wires (Brown and Green) are not reversed at the connection to the tail light. Check the ground. There should be a white wire coming from the tail light and that is ground. There also might be a nick in the actual wire in the harness. If you have a swing away tongue on the trailer inspect all the wiring there. Lots of time the wires get jammed in the tongue and can get partially cut or worn away.

 

[Dave K.]

I'm pretty sure it's the green wire. I read in an earlier post that if it were a bad ground, the running lights wouldn't work. I have disconnects just before the first running light. When I disconnect the brown, all lights go out. When I disconnect the green, nothing really happens and I noticed the disconnect is a bit sloppy. I'm going to replace that disconnect and also test light my flat four coming from the truck.

The frustration comes from spending the past 3 Saturdays trying to figure this out.

Thx for the help, wires haven't been kind to me.

 

[Mel Taylor]

I'm pretty sure it's the green wire. I read in an earlier post that if it were a bad ground, the running lights wouldn't work. I have disconnects just before the first running light. When I disconnect the brown, all lights go out. When I disconnect the green, nothing really happens and I noticed the disconnect is a bit sloppy. I'm going to replace that disconnect and also test light my flat four coming from the truck.

A bad ground on either truck or trailer can cause the trailer lights to do all kinds of crazy things. When I rewired my trailer I ran a separate white ground wire all the way back to the plug from the tail lights rather than grounding the lights to the trailer frame. How are you grounding truck and trailer together? If you are depending on the metal to metal contact between hitch ball on the truck and the socket that the ball fits into on the trailer, that almost never works consistently.

Depending on the age and condition of the trailer wiring, perhaps it's time for a complete stem to stern rewiring.

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/gener...-for-a-rebuild

 

[Fastatv]

A bad ground on either truck or trailer can cause the trailer lights to do all kinds of crazy things. When I rewired my trailer I ran a separate white ground wire all the way back to the plug from the tail lights rather than grounding the lights to the trailer frame. How are you grounding truck and trailer together? If you are depending on the metal to metal contact between hitch ball on the truck and the socket that the ball fits into on the trailer, that almost never works consistently.

Depending on the age and condition of the trailer wiring, perhaps it's time for a complete stem to stern rewiring.

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/gener...-for-a-rebuild

^^^^^^^^^^^^Exactly what he said. Drill a hole, tap it or use a self tapping screw, and ground the white wire ( trailer wiring harness ) to the trailer.

 

[riptide09]

Each of my side marker lights, each tail light and light bat on bottom rear center has their own ground. Check the ground on the light giving you problems. The other thing you might want to do if possible is try and measure the resistance of the green wire and see what it reads. If you have more than a few ohms of resistance that could be trouble.

 

[Dave K.]

Thank you everyone, I appreciate the help.
The harness has a ground wire going to a drilled and tapped screw right after the tongue with another ground wire coming from the right capsule light to the mounting bolt. It's a '95 and best I can tell it's in very good condition. I changed out the the green wire connector just before the first running light and no change there.

I'm going to test the flat four coming from the truck and make sure all connections work. That could be the problem.

I will also take pictures today. That will surly help you guys. I'm not a bad wrench turner but not that good understanding electricity.

TY, Dave

 

[Dave K.]

No Title

In the 2nd picture the ground wire connects to inside that bolt which also holds the capsule in place.

Have to test the flat four coming from the truck.

This is my 3rd boat in 10 years and it's really in great shape. The original owner showed me everything on the trailer and everything works. I'm not sure if it worked when I towed it back 2 months ago.

Any ideas or suggestions would really help.

Ty, Dave

 

[bruceb58]

As a test, connect a battery jumper cable between the frame of your tow vehicle and your trailer frame and see what happens. If it then works, you need to investigate the ground more.

 

[Maclin]

Dave,

Have you towed other trailers and the lights worked ok on them?

Is the 4-wire on the truck factory or add-on? It could have a problem with how it is connected especially if the tow vehicle has the separate stop and turn lights or is computer controlled. Thee are adapters to wire in between the vehicle lighting and the 4-wire if the vehicle's configuration is a problem..

 

[Dave K.]

PROBLEM SOLVED! It was the flat four coming from the truck.
The green wire connection is spread open too much. Getting and installing a new one!

A simple testing light, 3 bucks from Harbor Freight told me what was wrong.

Amazing I spent 3 Saturdays looking for the problem.

TY Again..... Dave