Another trailer light problem

[fijidaniel]

Ok, So I lost all of my trailer lights on my 2000 Dorsey trailer. I looked under neath the tongue and the white groundhad broke off. So, I replaced the connector and reground the white wire. I alos replaced the Right Trailer fuse in my truck, cause that had blown. When I hooked it up, i wasn't getting all the lights, so I pulled the Left trailer fuse from the truck and it was blown.

Now, I keep blowing the left trailer light fuse in the truck (3 of them.) The only light I have is right brake and right turn. No running lights anywhere and nothing on the left side. I checked the ground at the back of each side of the trailer and they look ok and the front ground was just replaced. What am i missing? Or what should I do next?

[malibanker]

I've had a very similar problem. It's a bad ground. I spent hours assuming it was other problems when it wasn't.

To figure out which light is causing the bad ground, try unplugging one at a time and testing if the fuse pops. If the fuse doesn't pop then you know the last light you unplugged has the bad ground.

My solution: Ran a fresh ground wire to the trailer from the running light that I knew was causing the problem. The chrome casing and the bolt holding the running light to trailer appearently weren't enough (even though the same exact setup worked before and on the right side).

[fijidaniel]

So does each light have its own ground?

I counted the main ground on the tongue and then one behind each rear light. Would the side markers have a ground? I would think these three would be all there are.

Thanks for the response. I was reading other posts and thinking i might have to start trying a bunch of stuff to remedy!

[HoustonEscape]

So does each light have its own ground?

I counted the main ground on the tongue and then one behind each rear light. Would the side markers have a ground? I would think these three would be all there are.

Thanks for the response. I was reading other posts and thinking i might have to start trying a bunch of stuff to remedy!

I also have a 2000 Dorsey Trailer and last weekend noticed I didn't have a brake light on the right side...all others (turn, parking, etc.) work fine. Would this also be a ground issue, or is it the light housing itself that needs replaced? Thanks!

[malibanker]

So does each light have its own ground?

I counted the main ground on the tongue and then one behind each rear light. Would the side markers have a ground? I would think these three would be all there are.

Thanks for the response. I was reading other posts and thinking i might have to start trying a bunch of stuff to remedy!

I'm no expert on electrical wiring - but I now do know that the chrome molding does not always act effectively as a ground.

[rodman]

Trailer manufactures just use the ball for the grounds to the truck. That works as long as it is grounded to the ball. Did you ever see dim lights that get brighter when they hit a bump.

The best way to eliminate trailer ground problems is to hard wire your ground wires. All lights need to be grounded and a simple screw into the trailer works for a short time. After years of corrosion, water and rust you will lose your grounds and they all fail.

The white wire coming out of the plug on your tow vehicle is the ground wire. Take the plug end of your trailer and hook a wire up to it and run it to the ground on your lights, you will never have any ground problems again.

Edited July 28, 2010 by rodman

[REW]

if you are blowing fuses try reading the hot plug wires to ground with the unit unplueg from the truck. They should be open if you are receiving any thing other than that you have a shorted light. Corrosion will do that over time. I would start on the left side of the trailer as that is the side of the truck you are having problems with. Also look for damage on the lights that would cause it to short to ground.

REW