The Trouble with Trailers (lights)

Wandering Sagebrush

We have an EZ Loader trailer, new in 2005, that is now going through the second set of LED trailer lights. Is anyone else having this kind of trouble with the LEDs? You can't imagine how much fun it is to drive through Seattle at night with no turn signals... The taillights still work, but no turn signals.

Steve

Lil Rascal · Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 11:08 pm Post subject:

I had to replace mine after a year. I called EZ loader and was sent a new set of lights free.

Scott on Lil Rascal

Dora~Jean · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:29 am Post subject:

I have all LED lights on my Pacific trailer, no problems so far after nearly 4 years. I use the boat about 12-15 times per year, all salt water. I expect to maybe have problems with some of the wiring splices that weren't soldered.

Day-Dreamer · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 7:11 am Post subject:

I had to put a set of led lights on my new MagicTilt this year after eight or ten launchings because the bulbs corroded into their sockets and destroyed the sockets when removed. I used the twist connectors supplied in the package when installing the new leds. It is beginning to look like that was a bad idea.

I am now planning to solder all the wire connections and cover them with liquid tape. Should the ground wires be soldered to to the light bracket or just attached under the nut for the light studs?

colobear · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:26 am Post subject:

Thus far I have replaced both LED taillights and three LED side lights on my 2006 EZ-Loader...at no cost. The Woodinville, WA EZ-Loader dealer replaced them free of charge without any grumbles and told me they had been having trouble with their current supplier and expected to change to a new brand. The tailights had leaks around the press fittings where the mounting studs are pressed into the plastic case. I coated that area on the new lights with sealant and have had no trouble since.

I found corrosion in every snap electrical fitting after just a few times in the water and greased the new ones thoroughly to slow it down some. You may have difficulty soldering the ground wire to the light bracket as there is so much metal there it will act as a heat sink. A ring electrical fitting and the mounting stud should give a good ground.

Day-Dreamer · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:35 am Post subject:

thanks. I'll give that a try.

lloyds · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:14 am Post subject:

I bought a new 16 cruiser in sept. of 2005. The boat is a 2005. The purchase agreement I had included a 2006 honda and 2006 EZ loader trailer. I had the same problem with the lights, and in seattle at night. So I called the dealer and they said either they or the factory would send replacement LED lights. I waited a couple weeks and nothing happened. So I went out and took the lights off. Surprise!!! The manufactures' tag says it was manufactured in 2004. The lights are standard bulbs. I had to replace all the bulbs. And the lenses are not sealed, they are totally open on the bottom. They get submerged every time in the water. Don't know what I am going to do now. Guess just carry a supply of replacement bulbs.

SENSEI · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:22 am Post subject:

one of the best things I did to my trailer was to run a ground wire to each light and on up to the plug so that they all ground through the plug instead of through the trailer

Sea Wolf · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:35 pm Post subject:

Dang, the eternal stop/ tail-light deliemma!

Sometimes it seems nothing works! (at least for very long).

Here are some things to think about that can help your system work, although just as sure as I, or anyone, makes a specific recommendation, someone else will find that the named approach didn't work for them!

Grounds- One of the biggest problems with trailer lights is poor grounding. It's just as important to the circuit as the hot wire. Most trailers are wired so that the frame is grounded, and all lights depend on a good ground to the frame to work. Problem is that the ground wire from the light to the frame as well as the main ground wire up front where the harness is first grounded can corrode and break up the circuit.

First thing here is to

1) solder wires as good as possible, using
liquid electrical tape to cover the joint, or

2) use quality solderless connenectors with shrink plastic sealant tubing included or placed over them, or

3) some combination of the above that you prefer to keep the water/salt away from the metal wires and fittings.

I actually "double ground" everything: all grounds are made to the frame as normal, PLUS I ground every light back to the front harness with wires. In this way, the filament can find ground back through the frame OR the ground wire. Yes, it's a lot of extra trouble to run a second return circuit, but weak, intermittent grounds through the trailer frame (especially a bolted, not welded one, are not a problem.

Weak grounds can result in the light filaments grounding back through the lamp base and then through another filament and the subsequent wiring to find ground, which then lights up the other filament and produces a nonsense light pattern that seems to defie analysis.

If the double grounds seem redundant, that's good, because redundancy is one way to fight circuit loss, which is a easy victum to any interruption when no alternate paths are available in a series circuit.

Another trick in this area, is to cross-link the tail light filaments from right, left and center fixtures as well as bring two hot wires back from the front harness tail light source to the rear of the trailer. Lose one wire, and the lights still work.

Ok, so I'm paranoid about open circuits, but my lights generally do stay on.

When we raced small sailboats, we made a "light bar" that fit across the stern/transom of the boat and contained the lights as well as held the mast when trailering. A similar light bar on a C-Dory would allow the removal of the light system before launching to entirely eliminate the submersion issue.

LED's will undoubtably be the way to go, sooner or later. The first class truck-style components originally cost about $65 each, but less expensive alternatives in the $30 range are appearing. I don't know whether their quality is up to par, though.

Another way to eliminate common problems is to build a junction box up on the front of the trailer tongue to organize and make more solid the junctions between the incoming light harness from the tow vehicle and the outgoing lines to the trailer marker lights and stop/tail lights.

The stop/turn signal lights usually only have one junction to make, but the tail light incoming wire can be split into several wires for the marker lights and various tail lights, and that connection can be a funny one without some forethought. So can a ground junction in the "double ground" system.

I like to crimp circle connectors on each wire to be connected, bolt them together with a machine screw and nut, and then coat the entire connection with liquid electrical tape, and then tape wrap it. Enclosed in a sealed metal box, this connection seems bulletproof.

Using heavy, well insulated wires for the run back to the lights is also a plus.

I used 10 gague, 3-conductor heavy duty black rubber covered extension cord wire on my last re-wire. You have to figure out a way to keep from trapping water in the space between the wires and the cover, but the cover eliminates wire chafe and the resultant shorts. The cheap, flat 4-conductor wire usually supplied with new trailers is a ready made problem for chafe in the world of sharp-cornered trailer tubing.

In another vein, WestBar, I believe, makes the sealed clear plastic bubble units that have three bulbs inside that really avoids the corroded bulb base/socket issues. These replaceable units fit in the special made red lens and base fittings made for them. I use only these or LED's.

No end to this subject! Nor no absolute bulletproof system!

But, just like the mousetrap, everyones trying to get a better one invented!

Joe.

Otter-BelleHavenMarina · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 1:02 pm Post subject:

I got tired of replacing bulbs and wiring. I made a light bar using PVC pipe that I attach to the stern of the boat and take off before launching. Problem solved. Takes about 10 minutes to put it on, run the wire, and secure it along the side of the trailer with velcro.

Dan McNally · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:49 pm Post subject: trailer lights

I had problems with the leds on my trailer also. They are expensive and leak letting water in to the lenses. This was a 2005 trailer and the manufactuerer replaced the item free of charge stating they had had a few bad ones and would be using a new type in the future. If you have led type lights and you see any moisture inside of the lenses replace them as they will become a problem sooner then later. Dan

thataway · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:50 pm Post subject:

We also have used light bars on trailers--even on a 32 footer we had previously. I will be making one for the TomCat--whose trailer lights are still working fine. But with the outboards set back over 36" from the transom, it seems prudent to get lights at the very back of the load--and put a set of LED turn signasl/lights on a light bar which attatches to the outboars lower legs.

flapbreaker · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:25 am Post subject:

I've had my king marine trailer for a year now and have not had problems from the LED's yet. Well, ok not with the LED's themselves but I did have one light not work once and it turned out to be the ground to the trailer needed tightening.

Wandering Sagebrush · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:58 pm Post subject: Thank you!

Thanks to all for their feedback. I called John at EZ Loader (in Spokane), and they were more than happy to have the light manufacturer send us a new set of lights on warranty.

Congrats to EZ Loader for great customer service.

Steve

Jack in Alaska · Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 3:13 am Post subject:

Do you think that EZ Loader will send me new lights for my 23 year old trailer.........ha, just kidding.
I bought a new Road Runner trailer this past summer. What a good time to put my light bar away and use the new lights on the RR. Wrong...one dunk into the salt and they were inop.
Out comes the light bar again. I have used my light bar for 5 years with out any problems. It really makes your trailering life alot less stressful. Mine is a 1" piece of aluminum square tubing. I drilled holes in it so it slips onto the rear cleats of the boat and a bungee to hold it tight.
Life is good. Now if the winter would pass by quickly it would be better.