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 Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums
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 Rewired the trailer		  New Topic  Topic Locked
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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts
Initially Posted - 03/22/2012 :  19:42:12  Show Profile
I still had trouble with grounds after I changed to LED trailer lights and have been planning to rewire the trailer for a couple of years. I hook up the trailer four times a year and invariably take off a few nuts and sand the rust under the ring connectors before I hit the road. I finally got around to it yesterday and today. My plan had been to run dedicated ground wire to all of the lights and put everything in plastic conduit inside the frame. I couldn't work the conduit past the brake line and a couple of bolts without removing cross members and abandoned that aspect, but the condition of the wire I removed suggested that it would have been of marginal benefit at best. So anyway, heat shrink splices coated with Liquid Electrical Tape, sealed lights, ground wire instead of frame grounding, and uninterrupted wire runs for all five light assemblies should give me a trouble free future. I'll see next month.

Dave B. aboard Pearl
1982 TR/SK/Trad. #3399
Lake Erie/Florida Panhandle
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JimGo
Admiral

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USA
962 Posts
Response Posted - 03/23/2012 :  06:53:19  Show Profile
Congrats on a productive day!
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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts
Response Posted - 03/23/2012 :  07:14:35  Show Profile
Gotta use those 80º March days in Ohio. Historically it snows more often than it hits 80º.
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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts
Response Posted - 03/23/2012 :  09:48:00  Show Profile
Sounds like good planning and execution.
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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts
Response Posted - 03/23/2012 :  13:12:07  Show Profile
FWIW, on our old trailer the lights would flicker until the rust on the ball and coupler rubbed off.

The new trailer has a dedicated ground wire - good improvement, so far . . .
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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts
Response Posted - 03/23/2012 :  14:35:03  Show Profile
Mine had a ground wire from the frame to the plug, so my usual problem was between the light assembly and the frame. It usually delayed departure for a half hour and added a slightly testy attitude.
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JimGo
Admiral

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USA
962 Posts
Response Posted - 03/23/2012 :  18:49:59  Show Profile
"...added <u>a</u> slightly testy attitude..." or "added <u>to my typically</u> testy attitude..."?
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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5376 Posts
Response Posted - 03/24/2012 :  19:59:55  Show Profile
Trailer wire is pretty crappy as the insulation is subject to chafe, so what happens is the wire tends to ground out making matters worse. I prefer to us 14-3 stranded cable with a sheath covering the wire. This provides you with two lines running from the bumper connector thru the pigtail out to two three-way connectors.
Three way connector #1 carries left turn/brake, left tail-light and ground to the left fixture. You can extend this wire to connect to an optional amber side running light. Three way connector #2 carries right turn/brake, right tail-light and ground to the right fixture.
You can use nylon mesh taped over at pinch points to reduce chafe. Good places for this is where the wire reaches the end of a frame member or comes through an opening. Use nylon cable ties to keep the cables in place.

Its good to run and extra cable in case the existing one fails.
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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts
Response Posted - 03/24/2012 :  20:58:03  Show Profile
I used 16 ga X 4 bonded trailer wire with a hard plastic finish over the insulation, not much current for LED units. The wire I removed was the typical 18 ga trailer stuff with originally soft insulation and no protective coat: while there was no evidence of chaff (my planned conduit approach), the insulation was heavily oxidized and friable. I also renewed the grommets at all pass-throughs.
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.