One LED trailer light just went out...?

Ki Ki

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 12, 2010
Messages
292
Just bought this boat. Trailer light, I believe LED quit. I checked all connections and they seem good and ground white wire attached for that light.

Question is... What's easiest first fix? Do these have bulbs for all those mini led lights inside or just one main bulb? Do I replace that one bulb or replace the entire trailer light fixture?

If the fixture do I cut the green and other colored wires and just connect the new one with electrical tape?

Thanks
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,657
Re: One LED trailer light just went out...?

must replace entire light assembly
 

Ki Ki

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 12, 2010
Messages
292
Re: One LED trailer light just went out...?

must replace entire light assembly

Do I cut the old assembly off and attach the other with electrical tape or connectors by splicing them?
 

lokonn

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 8, 2012
Messages
443
Re: One LED trailer light just went out...?

Save yourself some future trouble and buy some heatshrink butt connectors or at least some marine heat shrink tubing, or both. Use them and your lighting problems will be fewer and less frustrating.
 

Ki Ki

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Jul 12, 2010
Messages
292
Re: One LED trailer light just went out...?

Save yourself some future trouble and buy some heatshrink butt connectors or at least some marine heat shrink tubing, or both. Use them and your lighting problems will be fewer and less frustrating.
connect those pieces when I cut the old light off? Do I use the same ground white wire or will the new trailer light assembly have one? Not sure how to do it.
 

smokeonthewater

Fleet Admiral
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Dec 3, 2009
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9,838
Re: One LED trailer light just went out...?

do yourself a favor... take that ground loose and re connect to clean metal with a dab of grease before you cut anything.....
 

Ki Ki

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Jul 12, 2010
Messages
292
Re: One LED trailer light just went out...?

do yourself a favor... take that ground loose and re connect to clean metal with a dab of grease before you cut anything.....

Think it may just be the ground has a bad connection?
 

04fxdwgi

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Jun 10, 2011
Messages
754
Re: One LED trailer light just went out...?

Lots of those LED trailer lights, depending on style, have a plug in connection on the back of the light, since they are sealed.. May have come unplugged or the connection is crapped up. Replacing may as simple as unplugging the old and plugging in the new one.

May be a bad connection at the ground, if both the tail and turn/brake function is out. May just need to clean up the plug, if you have that style. Sounds like you need to do a little more checking / testing before a determination can be made.
 

spdracr39

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Aug 30, 2010
Messages
1,238
Re: One LED trailer light just went out...?

Take it off and connect it to the other side. Make sure to ground it. If it still don't work its bad.
 

Ki Ki

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 12, 2010
Messages
292
Re: One LED trailer light just went out...?

Take it off and connect it to the other side. Make sure to ground it. If it still don't work its bad.

Well, it's going to the trailer shop. I bought a new light, replaced it and no juice to it. Nothing powered.
 

Fleetwin

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Nov 23, 2011
Messages
1,141
Re: One LED trailer light just went out...?

Trailers are very easy to diagnose. You can see most, if not all, the wires from one end to the other.

Start at the vehicle with a 12 volt test light (cheap) and work your way back.

Grounds are by far the biggest problems with trailer lighting.
 

Ki Ki

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 12, 2010
Messages
292
Re: One LED trailer light just went out...?

Trailers are very easy to diagnose. You can see most, if not all, the wires from one end to the other.

Start at the vehicle with a 12 volt test light (cheap) and work your way back.

Grounds are by far the biggest problems with trailer lighting.

Thanks buddy, I think I'm going to try to work on it again. The new light I picked up doesn't have a ground wire. Apparently the trailer light bolts are it???
 

NYBo

Admiral
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
7,107
Re: One LED trailer light just went out...?

Thanks buddy, I think I'm going to try to work on it again. The new light I picked up doesn't have a ground wire. Apparently the trailer light bolts are it???
That's fairly common.
 

Ki Ki

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 12, 2010
Messages
292
Re: One LED trailer light just went out...?

I did it! Turned out to be the connector assembly. Reconnected that with a new one and it worked! Yayay!
 

NYBo

Admiral
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
7,107
Re: One LED trailer light just went out...?

So the old light is okay? I guess you have a spare now.
 
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