Trailer Lights

[Dan Nevill]

Guys, I have break lights, turn lights but when I turn on the running lights the auto fuse blows. I have cheked everything, replaced lights ect. so thinking the wire is old, they are 1998 vintage. Got a Nitro 640LX tracker trailer, std flat 5 wire plug. Does anyone have a electrical schematic showing wire colors and were they rout to that I can use to rewire the trailer? I'm a mechanical guy not electrical.



Help much needed.



Thanks



Dan

 

[fatrap]

Some hints. Go to Auto Zone and buy a auto 12 volt tester. This helps in finding if you have juice. Check to see where the plug has been wired to your harness on the tow vehicle a sloppy job there will cause much grief. Many times they used snap through the wire connectors. With your tester find out what wire carries the current for affected lights. Do this on the tow vehicle side. Remember to ground the tester. When you find that Pull all running lights/brake lights lens caps and look for shorted wires, rusted connectors and bad connections. Look where the wires run through predrilled holes in the trailer. Insulation can wear off where the wires contact the edge of the hole and cause a direct short. Any place clips are used to fasten the harness to the trailer frame may be suspect. Two wires pinched together are notorous for causing a short therefore fuse to blow. My bet is the overall wiring is good but you have something pinched to the frame or other wires in a bundle/harness. Something exposed where it can be stepped on pulled or had the trailer set on it. Pull all bulbs and see if it still shorts out. On very rare occassions a bad bulb seated across the plug in can cause a short. Check bulbs for broken filaments. Replace all running light bulbs. It may be a short in the brake lights most have two filaments one for running lights one for brakes/4 way. My nito had sealed bulbs. A plastic capsule encased the bulb for watertight and when I replaced them I had to cut the wires. This may have already been done and done wrong. Replace those bulbs.

Thats my checklist DAn. I'm sure someone else can come up with somemore items to check. Last resort take it to U Haul their fricking experts or a place that does camper hitches.

Good luck

Fatrap

 

[Hyco Bass]

This might save you a bit of time, but it also might be something else like described above in your case.



Had the same issue, with the same trailer, same boat, same year. It was intermittent and would blow the fuse.



After 3 years of swapping lights, testing and going through a bunch of fuses I found that the connection ("Tee") where the front side marker light hooks into the harness was rusted, loose and chaffed inside the frame.



You have to unscrew those side marker lights and carefully pull the wire out until you get to the harness. Bad news is those little screws that hold the light on tend to rust to the trailer.



Soldered the connection in, heat shrank the original tee area to cover it and no more blown fuses.

 

[Dan Smith2]

I'm not an expert with auto electronics either but I did manage to install a set of L.E.D submersible trailer lights and it was pretty simple. Harbor Freight has a complete kit with the wiring harness ,schematic and everything you need for $39.99. The quality was good and they are about 50% cheaper than anywhere else I checked.

 

[cq]

http://www.tacklereviewer.com/freebies/trailer-wiring-diagram



cq
http://www.tacklereviewer.com/freebies/trailer-wiring-diagram

 

[Cliff Van Beek]

lots of good info, but not what you asked for, brown is tail/marker lights, yellow is left turn/brake, green is right turn/brake, white is your ground

 

[Ron Himmelreich]

If you have the time and $, this is a great opportunity to rewire the whole trailer and switch to LEDs. You will have so few problems compared to standard bulbs, plus you will know all about the wiring of your trailer.



Hints:

1. Before you pull the old wires out of the frame, tie the new ones to them and pull the new ones INTO the frame while you're pulling th old ones out.



2. I use JB QUIK rather than shrink wrap. I find it lasts longer -as in forever- and is a better water proofing substance.



RH

 

[Dan Nevill]

All, Thanks abunch for all the help. I think I need to just rewire the whole system due to age and get it over with.



One more question, what guage wire do I need to use?



Thanks for all the help.



Dan

 

[Cliff Van Beek]

i would use 14 gauge.........but note the comments above, just as easy to go buy a complete kit, lights, harness and all, by the way, the blue wire ties into the break lock out wire, on your vehicle it is wired into your back up lights

 

[Jim in VA]

FYI - you can get a set of LED tail lamps from Harbor Freight for under $40 (square tail lamps only with wiring). The list price is $39.99. Using coupon code 99094294, you can bring it down to $31.99. Shipping of $6.95 brings it to $38 and change. Link below. I bought a set myself.




http://www.harborfreight.com/one-pair-submersible-trailer-led-lights-94137.html