Northern Tool Trailer Tail Light Grounding

[Glenn Butcher]

I've assembled my Northern Tool 40x48, other than a little trouble getting one of the hubs on the axle it went together okay. The lights, however, are giving me fits. The manual seems to be written for tail lights that require some attention inside prior to mounting; mine came with pre-installed tails, and what I assume is ground through the bracket. I do believe that I'm not getting any ground at either tail light through the bolts, probably because of the powder coated frame members. My running lights seem to work when I turn on the car's park/headlamps, but my left running light blinks when I turn on either turn signal. I have not seen a single glow in any of the bulbs in the tail lights.

I checked the module output from the car, all's well. I also ran an alligator-clipped wire from one of the self-threaded screws holding in the running light back to the tail light, no joy.

Has anyone had to run separate ground wires to their tail lamps? If so, where did you attach them to the lamps?

[Dale M.]

Generally most steel chassis trailers depend on grounding lamps through chassis(lamp mount screws) ... Does not always work.... One solution may be to clean all the powder coating off where screws and such contact frame to ensure good ground, also where ground bond is for wiring loom ... IF frame is a bolt together, every joint is possible place where you can loose ground continuity...... Another solution is to run a ground wire from the actual plug to each lamp socket (common practice when lamps are mounted on wood or fiberglass)... Easy way to attach ground at tail or clearance lamp assembles would be to identify what screw(s) has ground strap (inside holder) and just put a ring terminal on end of ground wire and put terminal under the appropriate screw ( may have to enlarge holes in lamp holder for "extra" wire)......

Dale

[rowerwet]

I ran my own ground wires from the grounding stud on the light back to the plug.
then I put on new LED lights that have two wires to connect.
if ground wires don't fix it, you may have a wire connected wrong.
electricity isn't that bad, just think of it as plumbing and imagine how the water flows through the pipes. (20 year airplane mechanic and avionics installer, that's how I do it)

[Glenn Butcher]

Dale,

It hadn't occurred to me that not all of the bolts out of the tail lights would carry the ground; my luck is the one I picked to alligator-clip to the known ground wasn't it.

Dale, rowerwet,

I'm going to buy some white stranded with which to run ground this morning.

I'm a software guy, helped to automate a power plant recently. Interesting thing in that project, the large-ac power guys would just stare at a badly behaving dc control circuit, and inevitably would assert, "it's a ground problem." Sometimes it was, sometimes it wasn't...

[Dale M.]

I dealt lt with grounding all my life, was in telecommunications industry 38 years, its mostly DC power and yes grounding is equally important as the the power side....

You should see in the auto hobby when people build kit cars and mount lamps on fiberglass bodies.... Most lamp sockets/fixtures in automotive world EXPECT to be mounted on metal bodies ie: 'the ground path'... New LED lamps are about the only lamp holders the have dedicated ground wire, and most people don't quite know what to do with them...

Dale

[TPMcGinty]

I cut the fenders off of my Northern Tools Trailer and the new ones are mounted to the wooden wall of my Tear. Since it no longer had a good path to ground I ran a wire from the stud on the light fixture to the frame of the trailer in order to provide the ground. I haven't had any problems with mine in 5 years.

[bobhenry]

My HF trailer had a gremlin in the left tail light too.

I ran a dedicated ground wire and trapped it under a mini worm clamp around the barrel of the bulb socket. It has worked flawlessly ever since.

If you want a trouble free lighting system I strongly suggest you make all loads with a dedicated ground and take the path clear back to the towing vehicle.

[Gladtobehere]

My HF trailer had a gremlin in the left tail light too.

I ran a dedicated ground wire and trapped it under a mini worm clamp around the barrel of the bulb socket. It has worked flawlessly ever since.

If you want a trouble free lighting system I strongly suggest you make all loads with a dedicated ground and take the path clear back to the towing vehicle.

I agree 100%. For trailer lights I use lengths of outdoor extension cord. A nice vinyl jacketed group of 3 conductors. That gives you 1 wire for your ground , 1 for running lights and 1 for the turn signal. Just get your extension cords on sale and some colored tape to keep your wiring colr codes straight. I find cords much less expensive than spools of automotive wire. Also easier to mount and already in a weather proof jacket.

[Glenn Butcher]

Got around to running ground wires yesterday. Did the trick, thanks all.

[rowerwet]

copper wire terminal, steel screw, aluminum airplane, the most common way every circut in a plane is grounded. we start by cleaning the gound connections when troubleshooting non working items. those three metals do some great corroding with just a hint of water...

[Dale M.]

copper wire terminal, steel screw, aluminum airplane, the most common way every circut in a plane is grounded. we start by cleaning the gound connections when troubleshooting non working items. those three metals do some great corroding with just a hint of water...

Dielectric grease.... Keeps moisture and oxygen out of connection.... Corrosion is a non issue....

Dale

[rowerwet]

copper wire terminal, steel screw, aluminum airplane, the most common way every circut in a plane is grounded. we start by cleaning the gound connections when troubleshooting non working items. those three metals do some great corroding with just a hint of water...

Dielectric grease.... Keeps moisture and oxygen out of connection.... Corrosion is a non issue....

Dale

the problem is the manufacturer didn't put any on when the plane was built, the oldest we have was built in '63, even the ones made last year don't have it on every ground, and it only takes one...

[Dale M.]

No argument here from me.... Was just attempting to state for any one who is doing any wiring or repairs, that using dielectric grease now may prevent an problem in future....

Dale