Mystery Electrical Receptacle

[hxschiller]

I am new to my used Ranger 21EC, and have found an electrical receptacle on the inside of the bulwark starboard bow area. I haven't a clue what this nice, small, covered receptacle is for. Does anyone have an answer?

 

[Andrew Custis]

Hello,

This is used for plugging into a trailer so the led side marker and brake lights operate while plugged in. Not all trailers were wired for this unless it is a new EZ loader.

Hope this helps,

 

[SGIDAVE]

I am new to my used Ranger 21EC, and have found an electrical receptacle on the inside of the bulwark starboard bow area. I haven't a clue what this nice, small, covered receptacle is for. Does anyone have an answer?

Hello Hxschiller,

Welcome to the Tugnuts!

I can tell you from experience it is not too difficult to wire a harness to reach up to the 21EC's bow receptacle. When I acquired my boat from the original owner, there was no harness but I simply tapped into the trailer's existing lights and ran a 4' or so bundle of wires up to the bow. It is a standard SeaDog 4 prong fitting; Andrew Custis can set you up with one probably if you need it.

/david

 

[Wilkie]

I to wondered what this was a few years ago! I hooked it into the trailer wiring and it works very well. A couple of extra lights so others know what you are doing!!! On our trip from MA to FL I was pleasantly amazed at how curtious other drivers were to my signals to shift lanes, etc...

 

[Todd]

Will it also charge battery to keep refer going?

 

[SGIDAVE]

Will it also charge battery to keep refer going?

NO. That would be a nice feature though.

/david

 

[daviduphoff]

I am attempting to get the lights on the boat work with the trailer lights. Something was wired wrong from the beginning. I believe I still have problems. I have a brand new ez-loader trailer that was wired for the boat at the factory.

Here are my questions...

Are the side lights marker lights only? Are the rear lights turn signals only?

And here is what is happening...

I have swapped a couple wires at the bow. I now have a left turn signal at the rear with all four leds flashing. The marker light on the right comes on with the marker lights but only 2 leds come on. The right rear led does nothing but 2 of the leds barely glow. The left marker light flashes when the right turn signal is used.

Anyone know if these are tested at the factory?

 

[SGIDAVE]

I am attempting to get the lights on the boat work with the trailer lights. Something was wired wrong from the beginning. I believe I still have problems. I have a brand new ez-loader trailer that was wired for the boat at the factory.

Here are my questions...

Are the side lights marker lights only? Are the rear lights turn signals only?

And here is what is happening...

I have swapped a couple wires at the bow. I now have a left turn signal at the rear with all four leds flashing. The marker light on the right comes on with the marker lights but only 2 leds come on. The right rear led does nothing but 2 of the leds barely glow. The left marker light flashes when the right turn signal is used.

Anyone know if these are tested at the factory?

Hello David,

The LEDs on the 21EC are "clearance" on the yellow side markers. The "tail" lights show both "brakes" and "tail" lights.

The side lights DO NOT flash with the turn signals. This is based on my 2013 model.

Now, a few questions:

HOW are you testing these lights? The boat is ON the trailer...but is the trailer HITCHED to the tow vehicle? IF not, I would get it HITCHED up since ground problems are a frequent cause of goofy trailer lights. I know, I know the light plug to the tow vehicle is SUPPOSED to carry a ground wire, but...it doesn't always work. Thus, the BALL-TO-HITCH connection becomes your trailer lights ground.

Since you didn't report on the function of the trailer's lights, I assume they worked appropriately during your test? Please confirm since ASSUMPTIONS cause all sorts of misery in life...especially with trailer lights, like when you think your should be able to just back the truck up and connect the light harness...not even mess with hitching up the ball...oops...BAD ASSumption...lights act all screwy, some half on others blinking when they shouldn't, etc. because the ground is hinky... DAMHIKT...

In my situation, the original owner cut off the harness from the trailer to the tug, so I made a new one and wired it up. Simply matching the wire colors to the boat's plug the same as the trailer's plug worked. Crawling around the innards of my boat revealed what appeared to be a LOOOONG trailer light harness just like what you would use to wire a boat trailer. So, the colors should match...from plug to plug.

Make sure you have the vehicle grounded before you mess with any connections in the wiring harness. This means HITCHING the trailer to the tow vehicle and latching it down good.

Let us know what pans out, OK?

Good luck,

/david

 

[daviduphoff]

David-

Where did you find the harness and were there any splices?

I got both tail lights working and the right marker light working. I do have some bad LEDs but have ordered new "bulbs" from Ranger. The left marker light is wired wrong somewhere. I can find the harness at the stern where the brake lights are. It does not head forward to the left marker light. The wire for this must come from somewhere else. It should be brown and white wires. I guess I need to find where the wires to the left marker connect to the main harness. Kenny (at Ranger) thought they ran straight there from the bow but not from what I can tell on my boat.

Let me know what you know. Thanks.

-David

 

[SGIDAVE]

David-

Where did you find the harness and were there any splices?

I got both tail lights working and the right marker light working. I do have some bad LEDs but have ordered new "bulbs" from Ranger. The left marker light is wired wrong somewhere. I can find the harness at the stern where the brake lights are. It does not head forward to the left marker light. The wire for this must come from somewhere else. It should be brown and white wires. I guess I need to find where the wires to the left marker connect to the main harness. Kenny (at Ranger) thought they ran straight there from the bow but not from what I can tell on my boat.

Let me know what you know. Thanks.

-David

i could see a wiring harness above the fuel tank (aft) and on the stb side behind fridge. I think there were trailer light wires on the port side behind the stereo too.

Maybe they wired the LEDs different in your model year?

/david

 

[daviduphoff]

Problem solved.

I stopped by the factory on Tuesday on my way back to Portland from Anacortes. Kenny took me out to the factory and I looked at a 21 in the process of being assembled. I traced all the wire for the turn signals and marker lights on their boat. Tonight I pulled the socket on the bow apart again. I swapped the brown and white wire at the bow and shazam the left marker light worked. I disconnected the bow socket and put it back the way that made both turn signals and the right marker light work. I then pulled the left marker light and swapped the negative and positive leads. It then worked properly. Someone at the factory must have wired the left marker late on a Friday as the polarity was reversed. Now all I need is midnight marine supply in order to get but connectors so I can put it all back together.

 

[SGIDAVE]

Problem solved.

I stopped by the factory on Tuesday on my way back to Portland from Anacortes. Kenny took me out to the factory and I looked at a 21 in the process of being assembled. I traced all the wire for the turn signals and marker lights on their boat. Tonight I pulled the socket on the bow apart again. I swapped the brown and white wire at the bow and shazam the left marker light worked. I disconnected the bow socket and put it back the way that made both turn signals and the right marker light work. I then pulled the left marker light and swapped the negative and positive leads. It then worked properly. Someone at the factory must have wired the left marker late on a Friday as the polarity was reversed. Now all I need is midnight marine supply in order to get but connectors so I can put it all back together.

Hello David,

I'm glad to hear you've got the lights working properly. That was quite a bit of detective work to get it all right.

This is the boat that is FOR SALE, right?

/david

 

[daviduphoff]

Hello David,

I'm glad to hear you've got the lights working properly. That was quite a bit of detective work to get it all right.

This is the boat that is FOR SALE, right?

/david

Hey David-

Yep, same boat that is looking for a new home. I couldn't send it off with trailering lights that don't work now could I? It also has a new Standard Horizon GX2200 radio. Great radio for a 21. It has an AIS receiver built in. It takes up no more space than a regular radio and adds AIS. I can't say enough good things about the new radio. The only thing I wish it had was a directory of MMSI numbers by boat name built in.

-David

 

[CAPTCRUNCH]

Where's my mystery receptacle? My 2013 has the lamps, but I can't find a way to connect them to the trailer. Are they wired on the boat or just for show? Any help will be appreciated. About to hit the road for the first time.

 

[Red Raven]

The R27 connection to the trailer lights is in the anchor locker on my 2014.