My Kayak Trailer Lights Suck!!!

Drift fisher · Post by **Drift fisher** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:06 pm

I have had this happen on 3 occasions now. Same thing with all 3 light sets. This tells me user error.

By the way, one of the kits i bought was an already assembled kit...

Please tell me what i am doing wrong!!!

1.) We set the lights up perfectly according to diagram, have the ground made on the connection end; there are no grounds for the tail light ends.
2.) The running lights work fine.
3.) When we step on the brakes, the lights turn off.
4.) When we signal left, both lights are blinking.
5.) When we signal right, nothing happens.
6.) It seems that both trailer lights work as if they are the left tail light.

What am i doing wrong!?!?!?!?

Thanks,

Drift.

Mythman · Post by **Mythman** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:12 pm

Check the outlet from your vehicle (they make testers the light up and tell you if it is working correctly). You find that is your problem.

barditch · Post by **barditch** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:22 pm

I just put lights on my bed extender. I went down to the Ford house and got a copy of the electric wiring schematic and sat down and drew a copy. Sonova gun! Everything worked the first time! Beats laying on the ground under the trlr hitch w/a tester! By the way, alot of trailer lights rely on the trailer hitch to act as a ground...bad plan in moist, bumpy places!! Just a thought!

Post by **Neumie** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:23 pm

It's a grounding problem with the trailer. Either it's with the tail lights or up at tongue. Even if the tailights are self grounded I would still run a ground wire to the metal.

dcbz · Post by **dcbz** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:45 pm

Have you had a trailer on that truck before? Is the truck a Japanese truck?
This may help:
http://www.etrailer.com/faq_wiring.aspx

BullyARed · Post by **BullyARed** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:48 pm

Drift fisher wrote:I have had this happen on 3 occasions now. Same thing with all 3 light sets. This tells me user error.

By the way, one of the kits i bought was an already assembled kit...

Please tell me what i am doing wrong!!!

1.) We set the lights up perfectly according to diagram, have the ground made on the connection end; there are no grounds for the tail light ends.
2.) The running lights work fine.
3.) When we step on the brakes, the lights turn off.
4.) When we signal left, both lights are blinking.
5.) When we signal right, nothing happens.
6.) It seems that both trailer lights work as if they are the left tail light.

What am i doing wrong!?!?!?!?

Thanks,

Drift.

What am i doing wrong!?!?!?!? there is nothing wrong. It seems the light kits that you have bought were made in China and are for use in China only. That's the reason why it blinks differently.

srfalke · Post by **srfalke** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:02 pm

If you are using a vehicle less than 10 years old, you need a converter type of thing. Go to the auto parts store and ask them or call the dealer. It is not like it was for the old 1976 ford p/u. I would put money that is what you need.

SURFalke

dcbz · Post by **dcbz** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:19 pm

You may need a converter if you drive a foreign truck as well. They are inexpensive and easy to find online or at a trailer or auto parts stores.

spiny norman · Post by **spiny norman** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:20 pm

Neumie wrote:It's a grounding problem with the trailer. Either it's with the tail lights or up at tongue. Even if the tailights are self grounded I would still run a ground wire to the metal.

Josh is right. He solved the same issue I had with my trailer lights. I added a direct ground from each tail light to the trailer frame, ..10 more minutes of wiring work and problem solved.

Dont know why you gotta ground em three ways to sunday but you do.

What the H*## do I know from electricity!

Drift fisher · Post by **Drift fisher** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:24 pm

I have a toyota tundra, but it didn't work on my friends' jeep either.

We tried grounding both lights to the frame, same result...

Slingshot · Post by **Slingshot** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:28 pm

I had that issue with a Honda Element in the past. Anything that uses an amber turn signal will do that, I believe. It's the way that they wire them, in the end, they use less than half of the wire. Saves money for them, causes headaches for you.

Post by **Neumie** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:32 pm

Then check where the ground wire is screwed up by the coupler. Then clean all corroded wires in contact with the frame. If that's not it than you chaffed a wire pulling through the frame and will need to fix it. You either have a hot wire that is in contact with metal frame of the trailer or too weak of a connection with ground wires. Anyway though it's a grounding issue.

topwaterkllr · Post by **topwaterkllr** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:52 pm

Had the same problem with my trailer this weekend, got me a tester from wally world and after a while found the problem to be on my Jeep. After some butt scratching re-wired a faulty ground wire and the darn thing worked

.

Hookem · Post by **Hookem** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:09 am

sounds like a ground problem, im currently working mine out right now, so far ive checked everything...but still, they dim alot

Mythman · Post by **Mythman** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 5:50 am

How to make a million $$$$$$:

Figure out a way to ensure that trailer lights and chain saws work every time you use them!!!!

aggie_pirate · Post by **aggie_pirate** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 7:31 am

LOL...

Pluggin Along · Post by **Pluggin Along** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:13 am

we have an 10 year old aluminum trailer that has corroded (not rusted). It would not take a ground. We ended up running a second grounding wire the length of the trailer and back to the truck. We were installing led lights.

4X4FOREVER · Post by **4X4FOREVER** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:15 am

On the trailer side flat four plug, GROUND the white wire to the trailer frame.
Also if its a tilt trailer you should run a jumper GROUND wire from the tongue frame to the tilt frame.
9 times outta 10 its a grounding problem with trailer lights.

bigfost · Post by **bigfost** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:19 am

I've run boat trailers for decades, and like some others said, about 99% of the electrical problems are because of poor ground. Again, like the other suggested, run a dedicated ground to each light, and the majority of your problems will go away.

Secondly, get your lights up out of the water (not usually an issue with a yak trailer) and you'll prevent a lot of maintainance issues down the road.

Good luck. I hate trailer lights. To expand on what Mythman said, if someone wants to make 10 million dollars, figure out a wireless way to power trailer lights.

Tyak · Post by **Tyak** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:23 am

HERE YOU GO...WIRELESS!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.easyontaillights.com/applica ... ailer.aspx

bigfost · Post by **bigfost** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:27 am

Tyak wrote:HERE YOU GO...WIRELESS!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.easyontaillights.com/applica ... ailer.aspx

Well, the concept is awesome, but I'm too cheap to pay $290 for them.

I guess if I get another power boat, I'll just have to keep cussing the lights.

Jonesy · Post by **Jonesy** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:50 am

Definately a grounding issue. Had the same problem with my trailer. The self goundling lights were just not sufficient enough. I had to run a wire from each tail light up to the front ofth trailer and then connect the ground wires from each tail light to the white wire on the flat trailer four plug (bypassing using the trailer as a ground). Worked like a champ for me.

SlipKnot · Post by **SlipKnot** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:20 pm

I agree with grounding each light and you may want to check to see if you need a converter.....I know I had to use one on both my T100 and Tacoma......good luck...let us know what works.....slip

TexasKayakFisherman.com

My Kayak Trailer Lights Suck!!!

My Kayak Trailer Lights Suck!!!

Re: My Kayak Trailer Lights Suck!!!

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