Trailer ground question?

[PierBridge]

Do properly wired lights on a trailer ground through the coupler or through the connector white wire. Is the hitch nothing more than an accidental default if the ground wire becomes corroded or breaks.<br /><br />Thanks in advance.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Trailer ground question?

yep, you got it.<br /><br />Although some folks just let the hitch be the ground - if you ever notice a trailer whose lights blink intermittently, it's probably one of them.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Trailer ground question?

I run a separate ground wire from each light to the main wiring bundle and don't use the trailer frame at all for the ground. Corrosion happens.

 

[PierBridge]

Re: Trailer ground question?

So I would have to run a seperate ground from each light or I would still be using the trailer frame for ground.<br /><br />Sorry I am still a little confused on this.<br /><br />Thanks

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Trailer ground question?

Ground each light to the trailer where the light is mounted.<br /><br />Run a seperate ground point to the white wire near the trailers coupler. The trailer will act as the wire. No need in seperate wires from each light running the length of the trailer.<br /><br />Bob

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Trailer ground question?

You can do it either way, but preferred method is a ground wire with sealed contacts running to all the lights, and then into the ground wire of the truck's harness. That way you can completely skip the trailer as a ground.<br /><br />However...it is extremely common in trailer wiring to go ahead and use the trailer frame as the ground, and just run a short "stub" of a wire from the trailer frame to the ground wire on the truck harness. This works fine for a while...then corrosion starts to set in with the multpile ground connections to the frame at each trailer light, and you eventually have lighting problems caused by bad grounds. This is usually when the smart people rewire their entire trailer and eliminate the frame ground. Done properly it lasts a lot longer.

 

[fondafj]

Re: Trailer ground question?

And ... if you do rewire, use marine rated wire which is tinned and corrosion resistant, not the trailer "prewire" kits that are bare Cu and fail prematurely due to corrosion.

 

[PierBridge]

Re: Trailer ground question?

Great now I am understanding things better.<br /><br />I have an Aluminum trailer that I replaced the lights and wiring on The lights are grounded to the Aluminum trailer no rust or corrosion that I can see the trailer has been outside the last couple years.<br /><br />It must be losing the ground somewhere.<br /><br />Thanks for your help.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Trailer ground question?

At every connection point you need to use a piece of emery cloth or plumbers cloth and make sure you have a good contact. Corrosion will form under metal plates and even in the screw holes.<br /><br />Be sure you check the bulbs too. Corrosion forms around the bulb bases.<br /><br />Make sure the bulbs work. We have all chased down a ground problem to find out that the bulb was bad.<br /><br />Bob

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Trailer ground question?

Aluminum generally makes things worse. The corrosion is harder to see, but has a greater impact. And galvanic corrosion is more common with aluminum due to dissimilar metals. It's a little more work, but I'd recommend running a ground wire around that thing to all the lights and eliminate the frame ground.

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Trailer ground question?

this may help:<br /><br /> http://www.championtrailers.com/4 pole wiring dia.pdf