Lights wont come on HELP!!!

[TMWillis13]

I'm new to HiLo and to this forum but I need help. I hooked up the lights this morning before we were to leave to go camping. The lights all came on but there was one light on the right side front of the trailer (top) that was broken. Now remember up to this time all the lights were on. While at work my husband went and bought a light to replace this light. When he took out the screw to replace the light it was busted and it all came apart On the backside there is a white and green wires. The wires were so short he did not try and hook them up because you cant get ahold of them. So the wires were bare not taped. Then he hooked the truck up to the harness and no lights. Does this light have to be reconnected to something for the rest of the lights to work. Please help if you can because at this point my Memorial Day RVing trip is ruined!

 

[Treeclimber]

Even in GA you can run in the daytime without marker lights! In many cases the marker lights are a continuous line, meaning they all need to be hooked up from one to the next. Your disconnected wire may be the lead wire feeding the rest. You need to some how extend those short wires and connect to the new fixture.
At least the ground (white wire) has to be grounded.
Tree

 

[TMWillis13]

Thanks Treeclimber the crazy thing is the brake lights and turn signals will work but all running lights are dead I hooked the old light back up and it didn't help I don't know I guess I'll have to pay a fortune for someone to fix it ugh!

 

[JackandJanet]

Thanks Treeclimber the crazy thing is the brake lights and turn signals will work but all running lights are dead I hooked the old light back up and it didn't help I don't know I guess I'll have to pay a fortune for someone to fix it ugh!

TM, the brake and turn signal lights are on two different circuits, one for each side, with a separate ground. But, the non-braking filaments in the tail lights and all the small running lights share a common circuit, so if that circuit is broken, none of them will work.

It shouldn't cost TOO much for a competent electrician to repair your running lights. But, if you are not going to be towing at night, you really don't need them.

I suspect if you take the front cap off the trailer (have to unscrew a multitude of screws) you would be able to get to the needed wiring and could splice in some sections that would lengthen them. Alternatively, you might remove (without disconnecting any wires) another running light so you could see how it is wired in to the existing trailer wires.

- Jack

 

[sam-HILO]

more information

What year is your HiLo? It is a good idea to remove all exterior light covers and clean them of dirt. Check for corosion and use dialectric grease. Caulk the exterior. Leave a small area uncaulked for water to escape.

 

[Formula357]

Many of the later model tow vehicles have a fuse for trailer running lights and another for trailer stop and turn lights. The bare wires from the broken light may have touched together and shorted out, blowing a fuse. The bare wires need to be protected. If you can't access them to tape them, you may be able to screw a wire nut onto the exposed hot wire or both wires if you don't know which is hot. And check your tow vehicle to see if it may have a blown fuse.
Larry

 

[TMWillis13]

Jack I was able to pull out the wires to the light after digging out some caulking that worked. Thanks for the tip about connecting to the washer in case I didn't know which side was the positive from everything I've read the white wire is the ground green is positive also followed the original hookup sides. Next we are going to hook up to the boat to see if it's the tow vehicle.

 

[TMWillis13]

It is a 2007 50th Anniversary Edition. Thanks so much for all your suggestions you have been extremely helpful otherwise not a clue.
Teresa

 

[TMWillis13]

Oh sweet Jesus we found the issue could be the truck! It WAS the truck! Thank you all so much I have learned so much about my trailer and I am going to clean all the lights may even change them all myself make sure to caulk everything leave a tiny hole to let moisture escape. But one more thing the lenses- do you buy the number on the lense or do you buy the number on the side that mounts to the flush side of the trailer? I can't find that number next to the trailer anywhere. The one on the trailer is bargman #99 the outside of the lense reads SAE-A-P2-76 (next to trailer) but the lense reads
SAE-A-P2-06 (yellow cover) which one do I use!

 

[JackandJanet]

Duh! I should have thought of the truck's running lights fuse. But, I would have thought it would have killed the lights on your truck too, and since that was not mentioned.... I'm glad Larry thought of it.

Oh well, the important thing is that you found the problem! Good on you!

I believe the Bargman number is the one to use if you're looking for an exact replacement. The easiest way would be to take one off the trailer with you when you go looking for a replacement - that way you could match them up. And yes, the White is Ground, the Green is Positive.

- Jack

 

[TMWillis13]

Well let me share info on that - when the truck ours is a 2014 chevrolet silverado it had a tow trailer fuse strictly dedicated to the tow lights and one for trailer brakes too

 

[JackandJanet]

Interesting - I'm pretty sure my trailer running lights share the same fuse as the truck running lights. Same for the brake and turn signals. (2014 F150).

- Jack

 

[TMWillis13]

Not on this one. In the diagram it specifically calls it the trailer not the vehicle