How do you run a ground wire from trailer lights

[neil271978]

I know that the lights are supposed to be grounded through mounting bolts on the trailer lights, but everyone says to run a separate ground wire up to the ground point on the coupler. Do you have to attach this ground to both the wires coming from the trailer light or to the mounting bolts on the trailer lights?

 

[Pony]

Re: How do you run a ground wire from trailer lights

The ground from the mounting bolts should be sufficient..............provided you make it a good one. Grind off any paint or rust surrounding the hole the light it mounting through, then I like to put some vaseline on the bolt and mounting surface and mount them.

You can run a ground wire from the light to any part of the trailer............................but really the only time I can see that being necessary is if you are mountng the lights away from the trailer on a giude post or something.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: How do you run a ground wire from trailer lights

imho i prefer running a ground wire to the bolt on every light, i just run a wire down each side of the trailer, and loop it at every fixture, and tie it in the the ground wire on the harness. it has stopped my light problems, except for blowing bulbs, and leds can solve that.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How do you run a ground wire from trailer lights

Why make this so complicated?

Just make sure all the grounds at every light are clean and you are going to be fine.

Just think of that big steel thing that your boat sits on as one big ground bar. You ground your lights to the grounds bar!

Simple!

imho i prefer running a ground wire to the bolt on every light, i just run a wire down each side of the trailer, and loop it at every fixture, and tie it in the the ground wire on the harness. it has stopped my light problems, except for blowing bulbs, and leds can solve that.

 

[rottenray6402]

Re: How do you run a ground wire from trailer lights

The exception to that is the tilt trailers often won't ground through the pivot point so it is necessary to run a jumper ground from one section of the trailer to the tongue.d

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How do you run a ground wire from trailer lights

Trailer bulbs will not pop if you disconnect the plug before backing into the water.

 

[Pony]

Re: How do you run a ground wire from trailer lights

Trailer bulbs will not pop if you disconnect the plug before backing into the water.

It shocks me to see how many people don't unplug their lights when they launch. Especially when its early in the morning and the lights have been on for the entire trip. Even If my lights did get close to the water, which they dont, I still always unplug them in case there is any bare wire.

 

[ST]

Re: How do you run a ground wire from trailer lights

Neil,
the basic idea for this so called "ground" is to provide a return path for the electricity (electrons) to come back to the tow vehicle to complete the circuit. This return path could be through the trailer's frame and on through the ball to the tow vehicle's chassis. This is the simplest way-and the cheapest, that's why most trailers I know come this way, but also prone to having a lot of problems, due to the poor conductivity at the junction points at the bolts/screws at the trailer's frame and at the trailer's ball.

Thus, running dedicated ground return path is a superior way to completing the return circuit. I know I am repeating those already discussed by other posters above, but I just try to explain it to Neil in a simplyfied way-I hope.

Pony,
I remove my lights too prior to dunkin in the water; I used wing nuts; so it only takes a minute to remove and install them back. For extra precautions; I also remove the 7-way electrical connector to my tow vehicle. It's part of my routine at the set up area before launching...! So, my cheap light and bulbs set up hasn't giving me any trouble for years...

 

[jake069]

Re: How do you run a ground wire from trailer lights

It shocks me to see how many people don't unplug their lights when they launch

loaded up in the dark a n hr ago tonight along with a handful of others, I was the only one with dossconnected lights

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How do you run a ground wire from trailer lights

All my lights are the sealed type. No need to unplug on those.

It shocks me to see how many people don't unplug their lights when they launch

loaded up in the dark a n hr ago tonight along with a handful of others, I was the only one with dossconnected lights