trailer lights not working right

Lakeview

Cadet
Joined
Aug 25, 2003
Messages
10
I have an old jonboat with an old trailer. I made my own pvc guide on post and attached my trailer lights near the top of the pvc post. The<br />pvc pipes are 4" dia. and pretty thick, so they have no problems supporting the lights. The problem is the lights just don't work properly. The lights only come on when I turn on the head lights, but then only when I take my foot off the brake and turn on when I let off of the brake. The turn signals work. I have gone over the wiring a dozen times and everything looks right. What am doing wrong?<br /><br />Thanks!
 

jtexas

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Oct 13, 2003
Messages
8,646
Re: trailer lights not working right

most trailer lights get their ground from being mounted to the trailer frame - I'm surprised you get any light at all. Do your lights have two wires (yellow/brown and green/brown) or three? If the answer is 2, then run a wire from the light mounting hardware to the trailer frame, or even better, all the way to the white wire from your trailer harness connector. Do that on both sides.
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
Re: trailer lights not working right

Yup - with no ground lights act weird. The bolts you used to attach the lights to the PVC pipe needs to have a wire connected to it and then to either the chassis or white wire in the harness like JT says.
 

ricksrster

Commander
Joined
Jun 19, 2005
Messages
2,022
Re: trailer lights not working right

Since it is an older trailer, I would run the ground directly to the white wire at the front of the trailer.
 
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