Towing Lights

[Capt’nKarl]

2018 R-23. Some of the trailer tow lights on the boat don’t work when hooked up to the trailer electrical connection. Some do. How do you get the LED lights off to check the connection or to replace them? They seem to be sealed all around.
Karl

 

[PanaSeaAh]

Just went through this. Before you start removing lights, suggest you take a known DC supply (battery, charger, or direct from vehicle) and connect to the plug in the boat without going through the trailer harness. The lights in the boat are LED and unlikely to be the problem. If the lights work one at a time, (Ground and individual hot wires connected one at a time) then you have a problem with the feed in the voltage or in the ground. There are often multiple plugs or splices in the trailer to make the connection for both the trailer lights and the boat lights. It is easy to have one or more not conducting due to poor plug connections, weak or corroded splices, etc. If this does not disclose a problem in the supply voltage or a ground connection, then you may have a light problem. The clear plug over the head of the mounting screws in the light has to be pried out, and then the lamp can be removed from the boat. Be sure that the voltage and ground are good before going to this extent. I have had this three times, and it was always the plugs in the harness outside the boat on the trailer. It is easy to make two jumpers about 8 feet long out of light wire and alligator clips and use these to test the circuits one at a time. Remember white is ground.

 

[Capt’nKarl]

Some of the boat trailer lights work fine, others don’t, so I don’t think it’s a ground issue. I have a new wiring harness which connects directly from the boat wiring harness in the chain locker to the tow vehicle. If it was a ground issue none of the lights would work but that’s not the case. I’d like to find out how you open the boat trailer LEDs. I can see where the screws are located but can’t pry off the outer shell to gain access. Any help is appreciated.

 

[knotflying]

If screws are not exposed I believe there are covers over the screws. However, Ranger may have changed parts so I may be wrong.

 

[ALICE J]

I have chosen not to connect the boat lights, but instead have mounted large LED stop and turn lights to my swim platform. They are bolted on each side of the platform then connected to my towing trailer light harness. These lights are at eye level to following drivers. My reasoning is I want to be seen when I am braking or turning; switchings lanes whether on an interstate or crowded city traffic. Yes, it takes a little extra time to mount and dismount these lights, but I do feel safer in that I can be seen and avoid being rear-ended because of the four BIG red tail lights.

 

[PanaSeaAh]

I understand your reasoning; however I offer the following: When my boat trailering lights acted up, they did not quit, just one or two would not work. If you do not have an adequate ground, sometimes a light will use another light to try and find a ground, with unpredictable results. From what you described, you still have two plugs in the connection to the boat (I have three). Each one is a potential problem and going direct to the boat with a 12 volt source and jumper wire will rule out the extended harness and the male to female connection, which is usually the problem in my case. 4-in-line and 5-in-line trailer plugs are not exactly precision parts. They more-or-less mostly maybe fit together properly.

 

[Ralf H]

Hi,

The lights can be checked by popping off the small half-circular covers from the ends of each light (they are either white or black, depending on the age of the boat). They can be removed with a small screwdriver. You will then see the screws that hold the lights in place. Hope this helps.

Ralf