Wiring Sidelights on a Boat Trailer?

[Mark Vanderhoof]

hey guys, ive been working on a trailer and im not sure how to wire the sidelights in. i think i should use the brown wire. i have 2 LED sidelights that have a black wire and a red wire coming out of them. do i wire those two wires inline with the brown wire? or do i just make a 3-way with the red wire and the two brown wire ends and then ground the black wire to the frame? not sure how to do this. thanks, mark

 

[Huntindave McCann]

Mark'

Do not wire these "inline" as you described in your first description.

The brown wire is normally used for the "running" lights. This is the wire you want to connect to. I can't say for sure ( the light itself may be labeled) but like you, I would say the red wire from your light should be connected to the brown wire in your wiring harness. The black would then be connected to "ground".

Yes, you can connect the black wire to the trailer frame but a better method is to run it all the way back to the trailer plug where it would be connected to the white wire. Actually this should be done with every light on the trailer. That way you are using a wire to complete the circuit rather than running the juice thru the trailer frame. The thing you gain by doing this is more dependability of your lighting system.

 

[Tom Scholberg]

Dave, Good answer on the dedicated ground wire . That will eliminate the majority of trailer light problems. Also shield the wires to protect from damage either w/ 1/2" PVC (one of my favorites) or a loom of some sort.