License plate light

[Woodbutcher]

I am hooking up a license plate light and there is only one black wire. I tapped into the running light wire but the light does not go on. It could be the bulb or the wrong wire hook up. Help me!!!!!!!

[emiller]

Usually they are grounded when you attach to a metal bodied vehicle. You might have to run a ground wire to one of the screws.

[madjack]

Usually they are grounded when you attach to a metal bodied vehicle. You might have to run a ground wire to one of the screws.

...YUP........................................................

[starleen2]

^^ What they said ^^

[Woodbutcher]

Thanks guys. That's what I'll do. I want it to work before I close up the underside of the hatch.

[bobhenry]

All DC powered items need a path in and a path back to the ground side of the battery. There are many many items that require that a ground be added to complete the path as they are usually designed to ground thru the frame. You will find a single HOT wire on many types of clearance lights, so just add a ground wire with an eyelet on the end and place it around the mounting screw hole and attach.

[Woodbutcher]

Thanks guys, that was it. Just added a wire and connected it to the ground I already had in the hatch. Took 2 minutes.

This is why I love this board. In a few moments someone is there with the answer!

[angib]

And if you can, run the ground wire inside the light and fix it to the light's base plate there - ground wires connected externally to exposed mounting screws always seem to fail eventually, due to corrosion.