This drove me mad for the last 2 days. Bad Ground

lugoismad · Mar 30, 2015

Spent 2 evenings chasing a bad ground in my trailer.

Turns out, it was the hinge for steep ramps. Ground wasn't making it through.

I don't really plan on using it, because most of the lakes around here have nice shallow ramps.

Installed a jumper and my lights are bright as can be now.

huntinfool · Mar 31, 2015

Yep, very common problem. If you don't use the tilt feature, you can weld it, but get a good coat of paint on it as it will rust.

jethro · Mar 31, 2015

I don't have a boat trailer that tilts, but my snowmobile trailer does. If you have issues and you have a tilt hinge, you should definitely check that first. I jumper mine even when the trailer is brand new.

Johnny · Mar 31, 2015

Ironically - just last night - I found the exact same problem on my tilt trailer.
the P/O just put on new lights that worked great for awhile, then started having problems.
Attempting to remove ALL of his wires to start over, I noticed the trailer was a tilt model .......
of which I didn't pay any attention to before because I never used it.
Then, looking at the white ground wire, it was at the tongue only. Thus allowing a disconnect at the tilt union.
ran the white wire all the back to the lights - works perfectly, even when the tilt pin is removed
and the trailer tilted back a foot......

GREAT POST !!!

lugoismad · Mar 31, 2015

Barefoot_Johnny said:
Ironically - just last night - I found the exact same problem on my tilt trailer.
the P/O just put on new lights that worked great for awhile, then started having problems.
Attempting to remove ALL of his wires to start over, I noticed the trailer was a tilt model .......
of which I didn't pay any attention to before because I never used it.
Then, looking at the white ground wire, it was at the tongue only. Thus allowing a disconnect at the tilt union.
ran the white wire all the back to the lights - works perfectly, even when the tilt pin is removed
and the trailer tilted back a foot......

GREAT POST !!!

I sat there for about 2 hours trying to figure this out last night.

Van was putting out 13 volts at the plug.

Van to ground screw on trailer was near 0 ohms of resistance.

Used some jumper cables and attached them to the van hitch, and jumper cable to power wires at the lights was 13 volts.

I put a new ground wire on the tongue. Still nothing.

power wire at light to the frame was 0.01 volts.

Wife was keeping me company and finally said "so is there any reason the ground isn't going through the whole trailer?"

Johnny · Mar 31, 2015

Wife finally said "so, is there any reason the ground isn't going through the whole trailer?"

Thanks honey, let's go to dinner now LOL

my first line of thought was that SMURF BLUE color prevented the flow of current :LMFAO:

lugoismad · Mar 31, 2015

Barefoot_Johnny said:
Wife finally said "so, is there any reason the ground isn't going through the whole trailer?"

Click to expand...

Thanks honey, let's go to dinner now LOL

my first line of thought was that SMURF BLUE color prevented the flow of current :LMFAO:

YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH!!!

This boat picks all the hot smurfettes up.

mowarren · Jul 10, 2015

This boat picks all the hot smurfettes up.

ok but is'nt there just 1 smurfette?

This drove me mad for the last 2 days. Bad Ground

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