Since the wires are also exposed to the elements, they can become damaged by the weather or rodents. It doesn’t take much rust to cause a bad connection and an issue with your ground.Īlso, check the condition of the ground wire itself. If any connections show any corrosion, unscrew that connection and clean them with sandpaper or a wire brush. See if any signs of dirt or corrosion may not cause a good metal-to-metal connection. Check the screws that mount the ground wire to the trailer frame. Dirty ground screw connectionīefore getting the circuit tester and testing for ground, do a visual inspection of all the ground wire connections. And that trailer frame is exposed to the elements and corrosion, and the bad connection is more common than the ground wire. This is very helpful when wiring lights, as all you need to do is run one wire to the power source and just a short wire from the ground to the closest part of the metal frame.Īlthough this is an advantage, there is a disadvantage to this. That makes the entire frame the negative terminal of the battery. The neat thing about the ground on a trailer is that it is mounted to the trailer frame. Now that we know we have power coming from the truck, we can investigate the ground on the trailer itself. If you show at least 12 volts, let’s continue testing the trailer. To test the connector, get your multimeter and probe the black leads on the ground, and the red leads on the power source of the connector. This is done easily by checking the connector with a multimeter to see that you are getting at least 12 volts. 7 pin connectorīefore you start checking ground throughout the trailer frame, I suggest testing the power source at your trailer or truck for voltage. Likely, you have a 4 pin or 7 pin trailer plug as a connector. Since we are talking about a boat trailer, utility trailer, or travel trailer, you get your power source from a tow vehicle and a connector. When you see a brown wire, this is the power (positive) side of your tail or running lights. At the same time, green wires are typically used in general-purpose outlets and other types where grounding is necessary. White wires are used when the neutral conductor is a grounded conductor. When it comes to ground wire colors, two options are most common: white wire and green wire. Your 12 volt battery is usually red for positive and black for negative (or ground terminal).įor the wiring of your trailer, the colors do change. Table of Contentsįirst, let’s make sure that we are checking and testing the ground wire. And since the ground wire is exposed to the trailer frame, it is more common for it to corrode and cause a break in that current flow. When current flows between these two points, it powers up the LED or incandescent bulbs of the light fixture.Īny disruption or break in that voltage will cause the lights not to work. The positive terminal is connected to the power source, while the negative terminal connects to the ground, usually your trailer frame. All those types of trailers use a 12-volt battery system and use a positive and negative (or ground) power source to run lights and turn signals.ġ2 volt lights draw power from a battery through two connections known as positive and negative terminals. Whether you have a boat trailer, utility trailer, or travel trailer, the concept of checking for the ground is the same. This article will give step-by-step instructions on effectively checking your trailer’s ground wire, connector, and lights. A properly grounded trailer light is essential for daytime and nighttime visibility and provides an extra layer of protection to other drivers on the road. Checking the ground on your trailer wiring is a critical part of ensuring the safety of your vehicle and the security and functionality of your trailer lights.
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