Adding an earth wire

[JSP]

I've got a problem with my lights on the trailer. If I have the side lights on and apply the brake all the lights go off on the lighting board. Searching the net it seems it's due to the earth on the car/socket not being up to the job.
I've read a few times about adding an earth wire from the lights and bolted to the frame of the trailer. No need to say that this isn't really an option on my boat trailer due to having to remove the lights before launching. And I don't want to be unbolting stuff at ever launch.

Any one any ideas on running an earth to the car instead? Would an earth wire from the lights to the towbar frame work? Attached by some sort of small clamp a bit like the earth clamp on a welder.

Cheers

[JABS]

If I may add my tuppenceworth to this...

Rewire the lot. If everything is wired propely, it all works. Any other solution is a bodge and only moves the issue along the line somewhere.

We are towing thousands of pounds worth of baot behind a car worth lots, all you need is crossed oindicators or faulty brake lights and you are in a very vulnerable situation.

Or buy a new one, for what they cost!

[9D280]

Yeah, the old "earth it to the body" trick works on a car brecause the battery is attatched to the car body. the fault is usually in the earth - body connection on the light fitting. Problem with a trailer is that the "body" connection to the battery is through a greased hitch.....

On your trailer board, the earth is via the earth pin on the socket. I;d suggest (in this order)
1) use a flat screwdriver to GENTLY prize open the split on the pins on both plug & socket.- not too far, just enough to get a good tight fit.
2) dismantle the trailer lights, check all connections are sound / not corroded. also check the pathetic bent bits of metal that hold the bulb haven't lost their spring, bend back as required.
3) dismantle the trailer plug, check all connections are sound / not corroded. If i n doubt, chop half an inch off the end of the cbale & rewire.
4) if that lot hasn't fixed it, repeat (3) with the socket on the car.


Thing with boat boards is that they generally are in the ~2m long category, so the "cheap'n'heerful ones don't normally fit, or have a huge 3m of cable on the end.

[Downhilldai]

Agree with everything 9D280 says. The problem is usually in the bulbholder, but the 7-core cable is also prone to corrosion on the plug terminals.

The Roguester would recommend tinned wire for the 7-core

[GaryC]

I had problems with mine too. The resistance in the bulb is relatively low hence any additional resistqance causes problems.

The screw driver prising the pins out is a good recommendation, careful they don't break though.

A good electrical meter can help measuring the earth resistance from Battery to socket and then battery to light board. etc.

Cleaning all contacts makes a lot of difference. I bought a very small wire brush that goes into a cordless drill. (like a dentists)
Cleaning the plug and socket pins (ensuring you dont short the car socket side pins) got mine working perfectly. Any corrosion file it off.

Gary

[ashbypower]

Hi JSP it would be well worth Checking the Socket earth on the tow vehicle, some installers will earth underneath rather that inside, this resistance can also cause problems.......
Tip: I always fill the the back of the Socket & the PLUG with Silicone Sealant, helps take the Stress and Keeps the inside DRY.
As others have said seems a good time to revamp the wiring.

Good luck with it.

[Rogue Wave]

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

The Roguester would recommend tinned wire for the 7-core

If I could make the board last longer than a coupleof trips I would but Asbydeladouche's solution is what I do. I'm just renewing my tow connectors and building a new light board. ATM

I'm confident this one will last at least 3 trips

[Nasher]

I must be really lucky.

My cheap 3yr old towsure lightboard has only let me down once when a taillight bulb blew.
When I first brought it I extended the cable by splicing in an extra 4M of cable and refitting the plug on the end.
The soldered joins were covered in heatshrink then the whole thing covered in a larger Heatshrink.

Despite the care I take of the boat, engine, and trailer I’ve never really taken any notice of the light board.
Probably because I have a spare in the garage that somebody gave me soon after buying it.

The only care and attention it’s had was a squirt of WD40 inside the bulb holders about two years ago because they had a little tiny bit of green inside that I noticed when the bulb blew.
I gave up removing it from the trailer when the boat is at the yard about 2 years ago, so it’s outside in all weathers and all I do is dangle the plug over the winch where the cover protects it from the rain. It’s been up and down between Pompey and Dartmouth several times in horrendous rain at a steady 60mph, gets used all year round for journeys of @15miles at a time, and so far has always worked first time when I’ve plugged it in.

The electrics on the car were however professionally fitted when the car was 3 months old and all the connections are inside protected by rubber grommets and connected into the Mitsubishi loom properly, not with crimps or those silly Blue things.

Nasher.

[Downhilldai]

Sounds to me like Nasher's doing the clever thing and taking the lighting board off, when launching.

Similarly, I've never had to replace a lighting board, due to terminal failure
but that's probably 'cos the boats live indoors all year round.

[jyasaki]

What kind of cable are you using on the trailer?

Here in the states, "standard" is a 4 conductor cable: Left turn, Right turn, running lights, and ground. Upgrade from that is a 5-wire system that adds a reverse signal (usually for locking out disk brakes.) Connector is a flat-4 or flat-5 (three or four sockets for the signals, and a single pin for the ground; reversed for the mating connector. In a bind, you can connect a 5-wire trailer to a 4-wire tow vehicle, but you lose the brake lock-out.)

On both those systems, the ground wire runs from the trailer's connector and is almost immediately terminated to the trailer frame. All lights are connected to their respective signal wires (either turn or running), and tied back to the frame. End result is a lot of connections to a piece of hot dip galvanised steel, which makes for a sketchy connection from the start; add in a bit of corrosion and problems become inevitable.

On my trailer, I've added a separate run of ground wire to each light fixture, such that each has a dedicated signal and ground wire (that doesn't sound right - what I mean is there is a ground wire down each side of the trailer that is daisy-chained to each fixture.) The ground wire is still tied to the frame, but it doesn't really do anything. I've had very few flaky ground problems (having the LED light fixtures flood is another story...)

jky

[Poly]

Originally Posted by jyasaki

What kind of cable are you using on the trailer?

Here in the states, "standard" is a 4 conductor cable: Left turn, Right turn, running lights, and ground. Upgrade from that is a 5-wire system that adds a reverse signal (usually for locking out disk brakes.) Connector is a flat-4 or flat-5 (three or four sockets for the signals, and a single pin for the ground; reversed for the mating connector. In a bind, you can connect a 5-wire trailer to a 4-wire tow vehicle, but you lose the brake lock-out.)

On both those systems, the ground wire runs from the trailer's connector and is almost immediately terminated to the trailer frame. All lights are connected to their respective signal wires (either turn or running), and tied back to the frame. End result is a lot of connections to a piece of hot dip galvanised steel, which makes for a sketchy connection from the start; add in a bit of corrosion and problems become inevitable.

On my trailer, I've added a separate run of ground wire to each light fixture, such that each has a dedicated signal and ground wire (that doesn't sound right - what I mean is there is a ground wire down each side of the trailer that is daisy-chained to each fixture.) The ground wire is still tied to the frame, but it doesn't really do anything. I've had very few flaky ground problems (having the LED light fixtures flood is another story...)

jky

JKY - the norm here is a 7-wire cable:

Left indicator
right indicator
side lights (left & right separate)
brake lights
fog light
Earth

The lights are normally on a removable board - with a completely removable wiring loom (usually permanantly attached to the board) - so the trailer itself is not normally connected to earth.

Reversing lights aren't normally included on boat trailers.

[Rogue Wave]

Originally Posted by Nasher

I must be really lucky.

My cheap 3yr old towsure lightboard has only let me down once when a taillight bulb blew.
When I first brought it I extended the cable by splicing in an extra 4M of cable and refitting the plug on the end.
The soldered joins were covered in heatshrink then the whole thing covered in a larger Heatshrink.

Despite the care I take of the boat, engine, and trailer I’ve never really taken any notice of the light board.
Probably because I have a spare in the garage that somebody gave me soon after buying it.

The only care and attention it’s had was a squirt of WD40 inside the bulb holders about two years ago because they had a little tiny bit of green inside that I noticed when the bulb blew.
I gave up removing it from the trailer when the boat is at the yard about 2 years ago, so it’s outside in all weathers and all I do is dangle the plug over the winch where the cover protects it from the rain. It’s been up and down between Pompey and Dartmouth several times in horrendous rain at a steady 60mph, gets used all year round for journeys of @15miles at a time, and so far has always worked first time when I’ve plugged it in.

The electrics on the car were however professionally fitted when the car was 3 months old and all the connections are inside protected by rubber grommets and connected into the Mitsubishi loom properly, not with crimps or those silly Blue things.

Nasher.

OOOhhh Get you Mr smarty pants!! seriously though I agree there is no substitute for proper wiring!


Those silly blue things are called scothlock connectors an they should be banned cos I hate them. I had a wiring fault on a Quinquarri supplied Humber I was driving once and that was down to scotchlocks they were only connecting the Kill Cord switch

I go through a lot of lightboatds cos I keep running over tehm or stuff like that!

[ashbypower]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

I keep running over tehm or stuff like that!

Well Stu Silicone Rubber aint going to 'elp you there buddy.

Yours
Asbydelazuce

[chewy]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

OOOhhh Get you Mr smarty pants!! seriously though I agree there is no substitute for proper wiring!

You mean like wiring the plug to the tail board rather than the piece of cable you'd just cut off?

[Rogue Wave]

it might have been on the wrong bit of cable but it was a fine job none the less. what ever you do don't tell that DM tosser.

BTW I needed a copy of your CV

[willk]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

BTW I needed a copy of your CV

But not anymore?

[Rogue Wave]

correctamundo he sent it anyway he's goy a o level in needlework



I just made up 3 lighting boards so that should get me thtough the month

[Bittentobuggery]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

I just made up 3 lighting boards so that should get me thtough the month

Are they all wired up to the same plug ? ? ?

[Hightower]

agree with everything said. Have a look at your wiring inside the light units and at the plug end. If you still have a problem borrow a known working light board and check out the car electrics.

I had no troubles with my light board untill two trips ago. The first trip I the draw bar from the trailer dropped down, right on the the connector plug and smashed it in half. The last trip I had a dodgy sidelight bulb. A kick of the boot had it working again

Perhaps it's time I serviced my board

[chewy]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

correctamundo he sent it anyway he's goy a o level in needlework



I just made up 3 lighting boards so that should get me thtough the month

Like your wiring mate it is fine needle work!

Them lighing boards will last you forever if you keep leaving them at home