how important is unhooking lights

[drakewoodie]

How important is it to hook the trailer light plug before launching the boat?

 

[oldjeep]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

How important is it to hook the trailer light plug before launching the boat?

I never do it and still have the original bulbs in my 2005 trailer. Never quite got the reasoning behind doing it.

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

Unhooking the trailer light plug is a throwback to the old days when trailer lights were not sealed units. Cold water would get inside the assembly, make contact with a hot bulb and explode it. Not much of a problem these days with sealed units. As a matter of fact, if you have a disk brake trailer with your reverse solenoid switch wired into your trailer plug, you must keep it plugged in if you expect to be able to back down the ramp.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

Its so important I never do it.....

 

[BoatNoobie]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

I had an 2005 EZ Loader trailer with bunks for a little 14' Lund boat. Did not come with sealed lights. I blew a bulb when i backed into the water when I didnt unplug the harness. Every since then, i always disconnected and never blew another bulb.

But now on my 2005 Yacht Club trailer, it came with sealed lights, but I dont think they were the original. I believe the previous owner installed these because I found a pack of bulbs in one of the compartments. Anyways, I didnt know they were sealed until I swapped them out for LEDs last month. The weird though is, it has a huge bulb in it. Not like the old bulbs on my old trailer, or the extra pack of bulbs I found. Looked like a normal sized bulb, sealed in a housing, within the housing.

I always disconnected those, because of my past though.

 

[sea_goin_dude]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

The idea/reason was to prevent the cold water from blowing the hot bulbs if in fact the lights were not sealed and waterproof. It won't hurt just in case. I have seen a lot of boat trailers going down the road with the light cover half full of water. If yours is leaking you can drill a small hole in the bottom of the plastic cover so the water can get out after you pull out of the water. Or seal it with some kind of caulk or rtv. This will also help prevent rusting of the lamp socket. BUT if the seal around the lamp cover works no probem leaving the plug connected.

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

I didn't unhook my lights and blew my lighting controller.

-E

 

[JimS123]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

If you leave them plugged, you might have a problem, or you might not.

If you unplug them every time, you won't have a problem.

5 years, never unplugged, bulbs out frequently. Last 27 years, always unplug, original bulbs.

I personally, don't find the 3 seconds of hard labor too offensive. But its your choice, but don't come back with coulda shoulda woulda.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

you must keep it plugged in if you expect to be able to back down the ramp.

If your surge brakes are coming on while backing DOWN a ramp then you must live in bizarro world

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

If your surge brakes are coming on while backing DOWN a ramp then you must live in bizarro world

That one caught me too..
I guess he could have electric over hydraulic but likely not

I have never lost a light.. Also would likely forget to plug it back in and get a ticket on the way home..

 

[Splat]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

If your surge brakes are coming on while backing DOWN a ramp then you must live in bizarro world

What about that push backwards while backing to the inclined ramp.

Regardless I've never unplugged my lights and never blown a bulb. O yea I've never had a problem with my electric brakes either.

Bill

 

[H20Rat]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

If your surge brakes are coming on while backing DOWN a ramp then you must live in bizarro world

Not all ramps are a nice even downhill shot... Some of the ones I have are gravel/dirt until right before you hit the top edge of a ramp. If you don't have brakes disabled you will never make it over that little hill, as the trailer is going to fight you. And since there is usually a small mudhole there, the trailer is going to win if the brakes go full on.

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

If your surge brakes are coming on while backing DOWN a ramp then you must live in bizarro world

You guys are SHARP and now you know where I live. I didn't think I'd ever be found out. Accurately stated, I should have said, "you must keep it plugged in if you expect to be able to back up to the ramp." Now it's true, once the boat is on the ramp, I could get out of the truck and unplug the trailer lights, but if I did that, my boat would pull my whole rig into the water and I'd get crushed under the truck.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

Not all ramps are a nice even downhill shot... Some of the ones I have are gravel/dirt until right before you hit the top edge of a ramp. If you don't have brakes disabled you will never make it over that little hill, as the trailer is going to fight you. And since there is usually a small mudhole there, the trailer is going to win if the brakes go full on.

We've got plenty of ugly concrete strip ramps that are more than capable of setting the brakes on my trailer if I don't have them locked out (manual not electric)

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

well now I can see all that.... I've not encountered such ramps but I can see how they'd be a problem

 

[not enuf toys]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

If your surge brakes are coming on while backing DOWN a ramp then you must live in bizarro world

Two of the ramps that I use will kick the surge brakes while backing to the ramp but ccurrently I have a manual lockout so no biggie.

To answer the original question, I have left them plugged in before and have had a problem here and there. I have never had a problem anytime that i have unplugged them.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: how important is unhooking lights

nothing is waterproof forever. Unplug, unless there is a brake conflict.

(I've never heard the "hot bulb" problem but the salt water-short problem is my concern.)

 

[Fed up]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

I dont unplug, but I do have all LEDs on my trailer.

 

[Ray Teagarden]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

Always leave mine plugged in.....Always Keep my lights out of the water.

So..... No trailer light problems.

 

[ChampionShip]

Re: how important is unhooking lights

It's easier to power load at night with trailer lights on underwater, but yeah, don't be surprised if you have an old set of lights that the seals aren't great and pop a bulb. When I rewire I'll be going to sealed LED's for the trailer all around. All in the preference when backing down the ramp whether you unplug or not. I've certainly seen DUMBER things at a launch ramp than just some guy not unplugging.