Create Profile or Login

Forum Menu

Home > Forum Home > General Forums > The Boat Shed

Tail lights issue on the trailer

  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Tail lights issue on the trailer Forum Search Events FAQ FAQRegister RegisterLogin Login

 Post Reply Post Reply
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Tail lights issue on the trailer
    Posted: 28 Feb 2024 at 2:14pm
The Tamure Kid View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 25 Aug 2015
Location: Auckland
Status: Offline
Points: 5047
Folks, I'm tearing my hair out and would appreciate some expert help:

My trailer lights are working EXCEPT the tail light on the left hand side, and the little light on the left mudguard. The left hand indicator is going, as is the brake light on that side. 
It's an LED set. After we noticed the issue a couple of weekends ago, we fiddled around with the plug in part where it goes into the truck, and just as we were about to give up, the tail light/side light suddenly started going again.
Now, as I made a last-minute check before heading off to get my trailer warrant - they're out. Grrr.

Given they went briefly before being parked back in the garage, I'm thinking it's not a bulb issue. I figure it's either something to do with loose wiring at some point or the slot where that particular part of the wired plug goes into the back of the truck.

Any ideas for diagnosing and hopefully fixing would be appreciated.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote DIY Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Feb 2024 at 2:25pm
DIY View Drop Down
Gold
Gold


Joined: 20 Apr 2012
Status: Offline
Points: 691
Because the other side tail light is going, then the socket on the car must be ok.
If they are pre-wired sealed units then find where the two join up and check the terminations. If you are sure you have voltage going to the cluster, then it may well be faulty. It might just be a coincidence that it worked again.
Basically start from the plug and work your way out to the lights checking for voltage or swapping the tail light wires from one side to the other to prove what is faulty.
Hope that makes sense.

Edit- just read that the light on the mudguard is not going as well. This comes on with the tail light so picking it’s a connection/joint issue.
Oh what a smasher - two eggs and a rasher!
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Grasshoppa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Feb 2024 at 4:11pm
Grasshoppa View Drop Down
Gold
Gold
Avatar

Joined: 17 Sep 2007
Location: Wellington
Status: Offline
Points: 560
Presume there's no issues with other trailers ruling out the plug on truck?
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote yknot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Feb 2024 at 4:23pm
yknot View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 28 Jan 2012
Location: Auckland
Status: Offline
Points: 1931
Have you undone cover and checked wires into block connector in plug to check they are all connected and not corroded?
Those that say it can't be done are being overtaken by those doing it.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Feb 2024 at 5:22pm
The Tamure Kid View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 25 Aug 2015
Location: Auckland
Status: Offline
Points: 5047
Originally posted by yknot yknot wrote:

Have you undone cover and checked wires into block connector in plug to check they are all connected and not corroded?

Yes, I did. But nothing looked untoward. I actually undid all the little screws and made sure the wires were firmly in place before tightening up again. 
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Feb 2024 at 5:24pm
The Tamure Kid View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 25 Aug 2015
Location: Auckland
Status: Offline
Points: 5047
Originally posted by Grasshoppa Grasshoppa wrote:

Presume there's no issues with other trailers ruling out the plug on truck?

Good thought. I don't have another trailer, but can drive to a mate's on the weekend and do that check. 

I've also sprayed some Inox on both parts of the connection, and scraped around with a very small screwdriver - which an electrician mate suggested in case there's a bit of crap on something. I think he said Inox is a conductor, as opposed to CRC. Not sure why.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Feb 2024 at 5:33pm
The Tamure Kid View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 25 Aug 2015
Location: Auckland
Status: Offline
Points: 5047
Originally posted by DIY DIY wrote:

Because the other side tail light is going, then the socket on the car must be ok.
If they are pre-wired sealed units then find where the two join up and check the terminations. If you are sure you have voltage going to the cluster, then it may well be faulty. It might just be a coincidence that it worked again.
Basically start from the plug and work your way out to the lights checking for voltage or swapping the tail light wires from one side to the other to prove what is faulty.
Hope that makes sense.

Edit- just read that the light on the mudguard is not going as well. This comes on with the tail light so picking it’s a connection/joint issue.

Thanks very much for that input, I've started to unravel the electrical tape somebody - presumably the installer of this set of lights (the second ones) - wrapped around the outside of the wiring, so I can find the joint area.
The Voyager trailer seems to have a design issue (to my eyes) in that the security chain comes out of the same place as the wiring cord, and if you get into a tight backing angle (sideways or over a dip where a beach ramp meets sand) the chain can basically jam the cord against the steel front edge of the trailer bar the split trailer lights cord comes out of. 
I think the electrical tape was put around the cord by installer to try to give it some protection.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Kevin.S Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Feb 2024 at 8:16am
Kevin.S View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 10 Aug 2011
Location: Waiuku
Status: Offline
Points: 6924
Interesting you mention it's a Voyager trailer.  I had to replace the lights on my Voyager trailer as there were problems.  Turned out the LED lights were actually fine, but they were not very well wired up.  Definitely sounds like you also have a wiring problem. I replaced them with a set that had wires from the lights to the plug without joins.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote DIY Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Feb 2024 at 8:43am
DIY View Drop Down
Gold
Gold


Joined: 20 Apr 2012
Status: Offline
Points: 691
Just a general tip - if I have to join or splice in a wire I use heat shrink thru crimps. They are filled with glue so once heated and ‘shrunk’ they are completely sealed. I have found them better than soldering and a lot easier.
They are available from electrical wholesalers and probably Jaycar etc.
Oh what a smasher - two eggs and a rasher!
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Sufishent Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Feb 2024 at 2:55pm
Sufishent View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Location: Browns Bay
Status: Offline
Points: 1490
Take a little flat screwdriver and open up the gap on the pins in the plug - they tend to close up after a bit of time and you start to see these sorts of intermittent faults. 
You can never have enough fishing tackle
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote krow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Feb 2024 at 8:20pm
krow View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 02 Aug 2007
Location: Whangarei
Status: Offline
Points: 6667
As above your issue is probably the joint where the two sides of tail lights meet. This will likely be just inside the channel near the toe hitch. Normally the joint is made outside the channel and then the cable and Joint is pushed back out of site. You pulling/moving the plug (and thus the wire) may have created just enough of a connection in the corroded joint to make them work. Or like you said a broken wire, BUT this would have to be past the joint between both sides as one side works. 
Highly unlikely in the trailer or truck plug as one side works. 
Unlikely to be the LED as both side light and rear light would have to be the same intermittent fault. 
Follow the wires back from the plug and expose the joint. 
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Mar 2024 at 10:38am
The Tamure Kid View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 25 Aug 2015
Location: Auckland
Status: Offline
Points: 5047
Thanks for all the input, team. As someone with no clue about this kind of stuff, I appreciate it.
So investigations as suggested by the team - following the cable from the plug to the connectors - revealed the brown wire on one side is fully severed. Not sure how the tail lights came on briefly, but maybe the final complete separation only happened when I unwrapped the electrical tape the installer used. I presume crushing by the chain in the Voyager design caused the breakage - I can't think of any other way it'd be severed. 

So hopefully splicing the brown wire back together should fix the issue. I understand a join mechanism and heat shrink sleeve is the preferred way to do the join for best waterproofing. Fingers crossed, I'll be ready for my warrant next week!
I will wrap the whole thing with lots of electrical tape, and I've crammed some strips of hard foam under the security chain to lift it and try to stop it crushing/pinching the light cables in future. Voyager having a hole in the side of the main trailer beam for the electrical cable to come out of - rather than being in contact with the chain - would be a much more sensible design.


Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote lawabidingpoacher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Mar 2024 at 3:20pm
lawabidingpoacher View Drop Down
Gold
Gold


Joined: 03 Apr 2021
Status: Offline
Points: 575
Drill another hole and bring wire outside of drawbar away from chain
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote krow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Mar 2024 at 8:12pm
krow View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 02 Aug 2007
Location: Whangarei
Status: Offline
Points: 6667
Glad you located the problem.Clap
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (2) Likes(2)   Quote BotStomper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Mar 2024 at 10:18am
BotStomper View Drop Down
Silver
Silver


Joined: 14 Nov 2022
Status: Offline
Points: 161
Cut 15cm off the end of your garden hose, split it and slip it over the cable to "armour" it. Stops it getting kinked as well. Secure with electrical tape. Don't just wrap it with miles of electrical tape, it'll be a mongrel to work on in the future.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
Forum Jump
Forum Permissions View Drop Down


This page was generated in 0.332 seconds.

Most Thanked Forum Posts

4 Mc Tools berley mincer
2 Mc Tools berley mincer
2 Hey Smudge...come over to wher...
2 Mc Tools berley mincer
2 Mc Tools berley mincer
2 Mc Tools berley mincer
2 Mc Tools berley mincer
2 SNA1 Recc fishing cops the bla...
2 Out with the "Twelves&quo...
1 here is one for you Tonto

Fishing Reports Visit Reports

Saltwater Fishing Reports
Outer Hauraki Gulf Fishing Report 06/08/26

Mixed fortunes The coming week of weather looks like a tale of two halves for... Read More >

06 Aug 2026
Freshwater Fishing Reports
Canterbury Fishing Report - 06/08/26

Canals hit and miss It’s cold, damn cold! Truly feels like winter has finally arrived... Read More >

06 Aug 2026
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Bay of Islands Fishing Report - 06/08/26

Snapper and kingfish firing First, my apologies for missing reports during July – it’s been... Read More >

06 Aug 2026
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Bream Bay Fishing Report - 06/08/26

Winter snapper bite slow Nothing much has changed since the last report a fortnight ago.... Read More >

06 Aug 2026
Freshwater Fishing Reports
Canterbury Fishing Report - 23/07/26

Lake fishing strong July is close to an end, our duck season is closing this... Read More >

24 Jul 2026
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Northland Fishing Report - 23/07/26

Inshore snapper fishing heating up It’s officially past the halfway point of winter, and the... Read More >

23 Jul 2026
Fishing bite times Fishing bite times

Major Bites

Minor Bites

Major Bites

Minor Bites

All information © 2026 The Fishing Website