Saltwater Proof Trailer Light Install

[Bigjohn1]

Looking for those with trailer wiring experience. I have replaced my lights too many times (both incandescent and LED) after saltwater eventually trashed them. I am installing PVC guides on my trailer and will mount a new set of LED?s atop these guides where they never touch the water. I will install a new wiring harness as well but want to give some serious thought to where the ground point for the lights will be. With past light sets I have used (again both standard lights and LED?s) the ground point was directly under the light mounting area (EZ Loader trailer) screwed directly into the metal trailer frame. Specifically on grounding:

1. Should I be looking to ground the lights up at the trailer tongue where they won?t get exposed to saltwater?
2. Are there any light sets out there which I can mount atop my PVC guides which don?t require a separate ground wire? I currently have a set of el cheapo West Marine removable lights and those don?t have separate ground wires but they are not waterproof.

I?m tired of messing with trailer lights every year and want this set to last longer?.any ideas? I plan to use Ancor hot melt glue butt connectors and heat shrink tubing so this is the last set I install.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Saltwater Proof Trailer Light Install

i solved my light problem a long time ago. run 3 wires down each side. tail, brake/turn, and ground. tie the grounds to the white wire on the harness, and be done with it. here's how i mounted my cheap lights, and bulbs have been the only problem since.

 

[BrianS.]

Re: Saltwater Proof Trailer Light Install

That's what I did.

1. Should I be looking to ground the lights up at the trailer tongue where they won?t get exposed to saltwater?

 

[Bigjohn1]

Re: Saltwater Proof Trailer Light Install

Thanks guys

 

[gazelle]

Re: Saltwater Proof Trailer Light Install

I was tired of getting my lights wet and eventually breaking on my small fishing boat trailer. Reading outdoor life or field and stream I saw a great inexpensive way to get the PVC guides on. I then expanded a little on the idea to add lights.


The boating magazines all sell the PVC guides fairly expensive. What the magazine suggested and worked great was to go to the home improvement store and get a ladder rest. It is the U shaped aluminum bar you can attach to your ladder to keep it more stable against the house.

Cut the U in half and use the U bolts that come with it to attach each half to the trailer. I then bought 2 in pvc and put a bolt through the base of the pvc and through the ladder rest. I then bought a PVC 90 degree elbow that went from 2 in to 3 in and glued it to the top of each guide. Next I bought the cheap round trailer lights from walmart and fit them in the 90 degree elbow. They fight so tight that you do not need to glue them in which is nice incase you want to remove them in the future. I have had them on for 3 years and have not blown a bulb yet, best part is that I made the entire setup up on the cheap, do not have to replace bulbs anymore, and can actually see my trailer when backing. Before the add on I could not see the trailer because of the tailgate when backing whith the boat off. Also with the lights when I tap the breaks going down the ramp I can see where the trailer is in the dark. To make the entire thing took probably 30 minutes. Price gusstaments are

Ladder rest $10
1 8 ft pvc $3
2 90 degree elbows $6 total
Cheap round lights $5 each

So for $29 I built pvc guides with lights, beats the heck out of paying $120 for the same thing out of a catalogue.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Saltwater Proof Trailer Light Install

mine are old trampoline legs cut in half, and pvc over them.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: Saltwater Proof Trailer Light Install

Sorry Tashasdaddy. Way late on this thread, but I was wondering what gauge wire you used as your extra ground wire, what post you connected it to in the lights (if it matters) and what type of connectors you used to splice the wire to the light (eyelet of some sort?) and all of the newly added grounds to the white ground in the wiring harness. Did you use any of the clip/scotch connectors that came with the kit? I've heard they're not the greatest. Thanks.

P.S.
I live in Tallahassee and bleed garnet and gold, so don't hold that against me Go Noles!

 

[kfa4303]

Re: Saltwater Proof Trailer Light Install

Got it. I picked up some 16-22 gauge wire (same as trailer) from Lowes (about $3 for 25 ft.) and some waterproof butt connectors and eyelets. I already some 1 1/4 PVC, so I cut it into two 4 ft. lengths, got some T-caps to top each one and mounted my lights on the t-caps, which is nice b/c all connections are within the cavity of the T-cap out of the weather, but stil easily accesable. Gonna hook it all up now.......

 

[Splat]

Re: Saltwater Proof Trailer Light Install

Just a note. There is only a need for a ground. Not a need for a ground on the trailer frame. The best way would be to run your ground wire all the way up to the tongue of the trailer and connect it directly to the trailer plug. Only the completion of the electrical circuit is important. Connecting the ground wire to the trailer tongue only creates another point of failure.

Having electric brakes may require some additional wiring for the ground

Bill

 

[kfa4303]

Re: Saltwater Proof Trailer Light Install

Thanks Splat. I just hooked it all up with ground wires going from each light to the white lead in the female end of the plug, but no light :/ What could I be missing? There are only 3 wires on each side and they're all color coded so even and idiot like me can do it. What am I missing?

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Saltwater Proof Trailer Light Install

1st thing would be to make sure that you have juice coming from the vehicle. Use one of those test plugs that have leds showing the circuits are working.

If not check fuses in tow vehicle, may have separate fuses for trailer wiring, Chevy's do.

If that's a go, then remove the lens' and check for power at that end with a multimeter. If that's good, you have bad bulbs/sockets. If not then you will have to check your connections.

I would start at the female plug. Stick a straight pin, (ask your wife for one) thru the insulation into a wire. One in the white, another in a wire of your choice. Using the meter, check for current. Keep checking until satisfied there is or isn't power.

You should be able to work it out if you find a problem.

You can use clear nail polish (again ask your wife) to seal the pin holes after you remove the pin.

Have fun!!