hit brakes,,ligts go out???

lprizman

lprizman

Chief Petty Officer
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Jul 9, 2009
Messages
440
I just hooked up a new lights system to my trailer,,everything works fine except when I hit the brakes,,light go out,,lift off the brakes lights go back on. I have a Hummer H3, if that matters.
all connections are secure and ground is solid???
any advice???:confused:
thanks
 
Bifflefan

Bifflefan

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Re: hit brakes,,ligts go out???

lprizman said:
I just hooked up a new lights system to my trailer,,everything works fine except when I hit the brakes,,light go out,,lift off the brakes lights go back on. I have a Hummer H3, if that matters.
all connections are secure and ground is solid???
any advice???:confused:
thanks
Click to expand...

You still have a bad ground...
 
lprizman

lprizman

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
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Messages
440
Re: hit brakes,,ligts go out???

I connected the ground wire(white one) to the trailer as instructed. I loosened one of the tongue bolts and squeezed it in there,,anythhing else I should do??

thanks for the help
 
Bifflefan

Bifflefan

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Re: hit brakes,,ligts go out???

lprizman said:
I connected the ground wire(white one) to the trailer as instructed. I loosened one of the tongue bolts and squeezed it in there,,anythhing else I should do??

thanks for the help
Click to expand...

You need to scrape the paint off where you make the ground attachment, and where the light grounds attach.
 
kenmyfam

kenmyfam

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14,385
Re: hit brakes,,ligts go out???

Top 3 Causes of Trailer Light Issues.

1, Bad Ground
2, Bad Ground
3, Bad Ground
 
1

18Starcraft

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Sep 20, 2009
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Re: hit brakes,,ligts go out???

I had same problem ended up tapping a hole into trailer and bolting ground into trailer. No problems since.
 
K

Knightgang

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Messages
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Re: hit brakes,,ligts go out???

Remember, the white wire at the trailer tounge is not the only ground connection. You also have a ground connection at each light. On many light kits, this ground is make by the bolt or nut that mounts the light to the trailer. Other kits will have a white wire that has to be attached like the one at the tounge... This is called grounding through the frame, very common on trailers.

Or, you can branch the wire wire at the tounge and run a white wire down each side of the trailer and attach it to the ground leads at the lights. Both methods work...
 
bruceb58

bruceb58

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Re: hit brakes,,ligts go out???

Knightgang said:
Or, you can branch the wire wire at the tounge and run a white wire down each side of the trailer and attach it to the ground leads at the lights. Both methods work...
Click to expand...
Don't do that. Just make the lights ground connection a good one.

Since all the lights go out, its the ground connection between the vehicle and the trailer that is bad. As a test, connect a jumper cable between the frame of the vehicle and a bare metal point of the trailer
 
H

hvachillbilly

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Jul 4, 2009
Messages
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Re: hit brakes,,ligts go out???

also check the ground from truck to plug might not be the trailer at all
 
Bondo

Bondo

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Re: hit brakes,,ligts go out???

lprizman said:
I connected the ground wire(white one) to the trailer as instructed. I loosened one of the tongue bolts and squeezed it in there,,anythhing else I should do??

thanks for the help
Click to expand...

Ayuh,.. That grounds the trailer frame,...
But,..
You still need to carry the Ground back to the towunit....
 
lprizman

lprizman

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Messages
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Re: hit brakes,,ligts go out???

Well,,,boys and girls I am proud to admit I am a moron.

And it all started with a good idea,,,I have "goal posts" on my trailer,,,yup PVC pipes,,came with it,,,so,,I no more replacing lights bulbs and mount the lights up high on the post with,,yup no ground.

thanks again for the help!!!!
adding grounding wires now

lance
 
K

Knightgang

Lieutenant
Joined
Oct 6, 2003
Messages
1,428
Re: hit brakes,,ligts go out???

kenmyfam said:
Top 3 Causes of Trailer Light Issues.

1, Bad Ground
2, Bad Ground
3, Bad Ground
Click to expand...

lprizman said:
Well,,,boys and girls I am proud to admit I am a moron.

And it all started with a good idea,,,I have "goal posts" on my trailer,,,yup PVC pipes,,came with it,,,so,,I no more replacing lights bulbs and mount the lights up high on the post with,,yup no ground.

thanks again for the help!!!!
adding grounding wires now

lance
Click to expand...

Glad you figured it out. Sometimes, even though you are SURE you did it all correctly, but it still does not work, it helps to have a few other heads look at it (figuratively) and help fix the issue...

That is what iboats is all about...Congrats...
 
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