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Trailer Running Lights
Posted: June 13th, 2011, 11:04 am
by Russell3
My running lights are once again out on my trailer. I had them all replaced with LED's a couple months ago that were suppose to be water proof. Brake and blinkers work fine. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am really getting tired of this.

Re: Trailer Running Lights
Posted: June 14th, 2011, 6:30 am
by tin can
My first thought, if they're all out, is they aren't grounding. Are the running lights bolted on or put on with screws? Most LED running lights are in a plastic housing and have their own ground wire. Make sure the surface is clean where the ground attaches, and make sure the connection is solid. The second thought is running lights are usually piggybacked onto the brown wire in the wiring harness with the blue piggyback splices. They are not waterproof. They aren't even water resistant, and corrode easily. I usually replace the piggyback connectors with heat shrink butt splices and put dialectic grease inside the butt splice. I do the same thing with the tail lights.
Hope this helps.
Re: Trailer Running Lights
Posted: June 14th, 2011, 7:52 am
by Tidedancer
Your running lights are the brown wire that goes down both sides of the trailer. the Yellow and green wires are the brake and turn signal. So if you have turn and brake the problem is in the brown wire.
Tin Can is correct in using waterproof heat shrink connectors in salt water. Corrosion is a very large problem with coastal trailers.
As for LED lights. There are a lot of cheap LED lights on the market. All the box stores, Bass Pro, West Marine sell the junk. Go and find some Peterson Piranha LED lights and pony-up with a higher price. You will not be sorry. I was in the trailer parts business for 30 years so I think I speak with some authority in this subject.
Here is a link to Peterson.
http://www.pmlights.com/products.cfm?cI ... 2&pId=2302
Re: Trailer Running Lights
Posted: June 14th, 2011, 9:14 am
by Russell3
Thanks guys!