Trailer Light Question...

[TORQUE THIS]

I have a boat trailer, and instead of plug / unplug, I'd like to flip a switch.



Is it possible to wire a switch in the cab that can turn the trailer lights on and off.

 

[Cummins Pilot]

You can. Just make an interupt for the ground would be the easiest.

 

[Fishin Guide]

Actually, interupting the ground probably won't work. Usually, electricity will try to find a path to ground through the ball/ hitch to the frame.



Everone has thier own way of dealing with that problem, here is mine. I never, ever unplug my lights. In 10+ years, I have yet to lose a bulb to thermal shock. Of course you know this right away, because the light stops working.



I have switched all my trailer lights to sealed units that are used on the back of over the road trailers. You know the kind, the oval jobs. And no, I do not run LEDs. I do not care for the quality or look of the lighting. Besides, the lights and grommets run $10 at my local trailer place. And I can get them at Wally World among others. If you do burn one out, it's an easy change. 10 minutes max with no tools. My last light went due to a piece of road debris launching the light out the rear.



There's my rant. Good luck on your decision.



BTW, just if you think that I must rarely dunk my trailer, try almost every weekend at least twice a day (in and out) and some of the rivers I am on are glacial runoff.



Dave

 

[Cummins Pilot]

Fishin Guide is right about the ground depending on how its wired. If the light is using the frame as the ground it won't work.



But if your running a wire to each light for the ground it makes it easier to kill on wire than the other 3.



I'm just thinking back to how a buddy did his. He put a switch in for that very reason and controled the ground.

 

[FJfonda]

Looking at the wire diagram for the 03's (I don't have an 04 manual) it looks like all the trailer wiring (OEM Trailer package) is driven by relays already in the Integrated Power Module. The relay trigger is controlled by the Front Module Control ... . adding a switch between pin 10 and the fuse would do exactly what you want.



Interrupting the ground won't work... . as stated before. . there will be a return through the hitch.



I converted to LED's o the tail light but my running lamps are still filament type and am pretty happy so far. We dunk in salt water often and I am just as concerned over shorting the wiring through the running light lamp connectors as I am blowing bulbs. I always unplug... .



If I can fugure out how to updat the Reader Rigs... I will post the wiring diagram.

 

[FJfonda]

I can't seem to figure out how to get the diagram from a PDF file to an image so I can post it.