Another tow wiring conundrum
I’ve had a couple posts in the last week, as I solve one electrical mystery, another pops up. Now, when testing my towed vehicle lights, I found a myriad of things that didn’t make sense (e.g. left s...
Forum Discussion
DrewE wrote:
My guess would be a bad ground somewhere. Usually strange light operation such as this is due to bad grounds, and consequently the current finding sneak paths through other lights or filaments to ground.
^^THIS^^
Use a tester light on the bulb that doesn't light properly. Put the alligator clamp on a GOOD ground spot and use the probe to touch a GROUND spot (usually metal mount or outside of bulb) and see if it lights up properly then. The test light will likely blink, too.
I've used about an inch or so of stranded wire, removed all the insulation and wrapped around the removed light mounting screw (used for ground). Leave a little wire exposed from under the head and then put it back in the hole.
It should "repair" your light's grounding point for another year or three ;)
I now use only LED lights when working on trailer lights and run a separate ground wire to all lights. Once I work on the lights, I'll never have to work on them again- even if the trailer sits a year or longer ;)
Hope this helps!
