Unplug before you dunk?

[airdvr1227]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

Sounds like a lot of you people are too forgetful or lazy to do a proper inspection of your rig EACH time you drive it.....

Sad really.

Not sure how you come to that conclusion based on what is being said here. I check my rig every time with the 4 ways on. I'll bet most on here do. I'm not so sure anyone in this forum is forgetful or lazy, but I think I know of at least one that's rude.

 

[bhammer]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

Not sure how you come to that conclusion based on what is being said here. I check my rig every time with the 4 ways on. I'll bet most on here do. I'm not so sure anyone in this forum is forgetful or lazy, but I think I know of at least one that's rude.

+1 ^^^^

I am lazy and forgetful, but not when it comes to safety. I also check the tongue, chains and tires. You never know what could happen when your rig sits in the parking lot with you out on the water.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

Not sure how you come to that conclusion based on what is being said here. I check my rig every time with the 4 ways on. I'll bet most on here do. I'm not so sure anyone in this forum is forgetful or lazy, but I think I know of at least one that's rude.

well it's pretty obvious how he comes to that conclusion...... many folks are saying that the reason the don't unplug is because they forget to plug back in....... Plain as day they are not inspecting before leaving and getting back on the road.... I'm not sure what is so rude about calling a spade a spade

 

[Philip_G]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

I always do, for no other reason than I think I should I guess.
I just rewired my trailer and was too cheap to go with LEDs, maybe I'll try the bulbs mentioned above.

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

well it's pretty obvious how he comes to that conclusion...... many folks are saying that the reason the don't unplug is because they forget to plug back in....... Plain as day they are not inspecting before leaving and getting back on the road.... I'm not sure what is so rude about calling a spade a spade

I count 2 replies that give forgetting as a reason. Hardly 'most of us'. I guess I resent his assumption that we're lazy and forgetful.

 

[skargo]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

Hey it's all good! It certainly can't hurt to unplug them! This thread made me buy spare bulbs, just in case. :redface:
And when these incandescent die, I'll certainly upgrade them to LED, like I did to my flatbed.

ALL of us should walk around our rigs at least a couple times, I would hope, before hitting the road.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

I count 2 replies that give forgetting as a reason. Hardly 'most of us'. I guess I resent his assumption that we're lazy and forgetful.

very seldom do I remember to unplug .

....I'm getting old and lazy .....

....I forgot to hook them back up.

I would unplug when I would remember, which was seldom.......

.... i have driven home not plugged in because i unplugged....

......I'm more likely to forget to plug it back in when taking off so I don't unplug.....

......I am lazy and forgetful.......

.......Sounds like a lot of you people are too forgetful or lazy to do a proper inspection of your rig EACH time you drive it.....

Sad really.

Now I'm sure that many people are VERY safe and that some (bhammer) were making fun conversation but is he really THAT far out of line?

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

I count 2 replies that give forgetting as a reason. Hardly 'most of us'. I guess I resent his assumption that we're lazy and forgetful.

Agreed...his 'shot across the bow' didn't sit well with me either.

I check the lights before I leave the driveway...and I check them before I leave the staging area at the launch.

We are using BOAT trailers that are designd to get wet, and as far as I know there isn't a trailer manufacturer (or boat trailer light manufacturer) that warns us to disconnect before we use the ramp. This is because if we are 'on top' of our equipment, they will function as advertised. If I have to start being careful about unplugging my wiring, then I will have to rethink the condition of my equipment...and that doesn't speak well for me!

I have a trailer with LED's, and I have a trailer with conventional bulbs...and I have never had a problem with putting them into their intended environment: the water.

Use good equipment...keep your eye on it...and leave the rest of your precious moments for productive boating!

 

[JimS123]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

Most of the arguments, regardless of topic, come down to that pesky ole' "common sense ain't so common problem" problem.

Every boat trailering guide I ever read said to disconnect. So what if the bulbs don't blow. Or, maybe only once in a gazillion launches. That other one time is the reasion to unplug. I mean wow its really a problem....takes a long 10 seconds both ways and its really hard on the arm muscles to get the job done!

Seems to me that much of the basics have been lost in recent years. There is a Right Way to do things, an OK Maybe Way and a Wrong Way. Its just so sad that some have to debate the right way....I guess it just amounts to lack of experience.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

Most of the arguments, regardless of topic, come down to that pesky ole' "common sense ain't so common problem" problem.

Every boat trailering guide I ever read said to disconnect. So what if the bulbs don't blow. Or, maybe only once in a gazillion launches. That other one time is the reasion to unplug. I mean wow its really a problem....takes a long 10 seconds both ways and its really hard on the arm muscles to get the job done!

Seems to me that much of the basics have been lost in recent years. There is a Right Way to do things, an OK Maybe Way and a Wrong Way. Its just so sad that some have to debate the right way....I guess it just amounts to lack of experience.

I'm happy to use your own arguement: the "odds" of a blown bulb is in the "gazillon". The odds of forgetting that your lights are disconnected are conservatively somewhere in the hundreds. Now which is most likely to have you running down the road with either one light out...or nary a light to be seen? Add the pressure of moving your rig off the ramp on a busy day, and you should see that your arguement is for leaving your lights connected...and legal.

You are right about the basics...have decent marine grade lights that you know are in good condition, and take the unneccesary 'things that I shouldn't forget to do' trailer unplug--plug item off of your list.

Don't equate those of us that keep our lights in good shape...and have no need to unplug...with a "lack of experience".

Happy boating!

 

[diesel5599]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

You can buy an adaptor thats 4-5 pin for ten bucks, Thats what i did, and i never unplug, led's and no leaks, before tho, i have driven home not plugged in because i unplugged on old trailer

Personally I hate unplugging, but as I mentioned previously I don't have a choice at the moment. My setup is almost 9000lbs, it simply will not back up unless I energize the 5th wire regardless of the grade of hill or backing speed. There are plenty of 4wire trailer to 5 wire truck adapters but it does not go the other way. I would have to connect an additional wire to my backup lights and a relay to fix the problem.

For my last boat I had LEDs and never unplugged. I did go through 3 sets of LEDs within 2yrs, to fix that problem I took the final set apart and sealed them myself with aquarium glue. Never had a problem after that.

Also I'm a big fan of guide pole lights. They never get dunked and if your trailer light blows you at least have something that lights up on the way home when stopping and turning. Never had a guide pole light blow and I ran the wires from the guide poles all the way up to the tongue and used a separate dedicated ground. So no matter what, I'd have some kind of lighting on the way home.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

The safety list ain't that long. Checking to see the lights work is the last one on the agenda before you put the towcar into "drive", so I maintain it is absolutely impossible to forget to plug it in because if you did forget you would find that NONE of the lights work.

Keeping your lights in good shape is a given. But no matter how good your maintenance schedule, crap does happen. Oh, I'm sure you have spare bulbs on hand in the towcar, and the tools handy to change them. Right? That's part of keeping it in good shape too.

Like I said, its a short list. Let's not overlook the basics. Too many irresposible boaters out there already.

 

[archangelnot]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

I always unplug.

Seems to me that you run the risk of blowing a fuse on your car should it short out while you have your trailer plugged in and wet...

(of course, this is something my dad taught me back in the 70's when I was a kid and I helped my dad get the boat ready to launch, so I don't know how true it might be today....)

 

[diesel5599]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

I always unplug.

Seems to me that you run the risk of blowing a fuse on your car should it short out while you have your trailer plugged in and wet...

(of course, this is something my dad taught me back in the 70's when I was a kid and I helped my dad get the boat ready to launch, so I don't know how true it might be today....)

I have had my trailer lights blow my truck's fuses before. Fortunately my current Expedition has circuit breakers for the trailer wiring which when you think about it makes way more sense than fuses anyway. But I even had my boat blow those once, not when it was dunked, but when the ground corroded.

 

[truckermatt]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

just wanted to apoligoze for making a statement early about forgetfulness and laziness.

I just get so irretated when i see trailer (of any kind) being pulled on the roads without 100% working lights. I take pride in what i haul.

Thanks

 

[timdan94]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

Personally I hate unplugging, but as I mentioned previously I don't have a choice at the moment. My setup is almost 9000lbs, it simply will not back up unless I energize the 5th wire regardless of the grade of hill or backing speed. There are plenty of 4wire trailer to 5 wire truck adapters but it does not go the other way. I would have to connect an additional wire to my backup lights and a relay to fix the problem.

For my last boat I had LEDs and never unplugged. I did go through 3 sets of LEDs within 2yrs, to fix that problem I took the final set apart and sealed them myself with aquarium glue. Never had a problem after that.

Also I'm a big fan of guide pole lights. They never get dunked and if your trailer light blows you at least have something that lights up on the way home when stopping and turning. Never had a guide pole light blow and I ran the wires from the guide poles all the way up to the tongue and used a separate dedicated ground. So no matter what, I'd have some kind of lighting on the way home.

I think this is what you need. My new trailer has a 5 flat on it buy my car only has 4 flat so I bought this. I picked mine up at advance auto for $6. All you do is connect the other wire to your back up lights.

http://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Hopkins/47515.html

 

[TheLucille]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

Literally ZERO reason to unplug LEDs. Even if the seal is busted on the lights, the bulbs will not fail from coming into contact with water while they're on. Many are epoxy-potted anyway.

 

[emmonsjr]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

I 100% agree!! It also looks way cool when recovering at night

 

[Old & In the way]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

Better yet, don't put you lights in the water ?

I had an 19' Wellcraft open-bow trihull, and my lights were attached to a 6 foot length of 2x4 with the license tag. I hung the 2x4 from the ski hooks on the stern and another to the trailer with bungie straps. Then ran the electical wire throught the center of the bow and out the bow to the tow vehicle. Not very pretty - but it worked well. and stored the lights and electrical wire in the tow vehicle while I was out on the water.

 

[cuda71]

Re: Unplug before you dunk?

I always unplug.

Seems to me that you run the risk of blowing a fuse on your car should it short out while you have your trailer plugged in and wet...

(of course, this is something my dad taught me back in the 70's when I was a kid and I helped my dad get the boat ready to launch, so I don't know how true it might be today....)

Well I don't mean for this to sound cocky or anything but electrical principles and theory have not changed since the 70's so that is still a valid point and why I always unplug before launching/recovering.

Literally ZERO reason to unplug LEDs. Even if the seal is busted on the lights, the bulbs will not fail from coming into contact with water while they're on. Many are epoxy-potted anyway.

And even with the bulbs being sealed the wiring on boat trailers is usually not "sealed" and is exposed to the water, and you could potentially have a problem and cause a fuse to blow on the tow vehicle. It's always a good idea to unplug before your trailer goes into the water, and check your trailer including lighting and its load before getting back onto the road.