Correct Grounding Location for Halogen Docking Lights

Question:

To make sure I understand. The two ground wires from the lights are connected with a butt connector to each other. The ground on the prong is connected neg terminal. The power out from the prong is split to the lights. The inline fuse is connected to the pos terminal. There is no ground wire running from the actual lights to the switch? I have the grounding wires split and running straight to the neg terminal. The red wires split and running to the middle prong. The inline fuse running to the pos terminal and gold prong. The switch lights up but the lights wont. What about the ground black wires coming from the two lights? At this time this is what I have. Ground from the lights connected with butt connectors creating a pig tail straight to neg terminal. Pos are the same going to middle prong of switch. Inline fuse from pos BAT terminal to bottom prong of switch. Thanks in advance.

asked by: Moses

Expert Reply:

Since the switch is lighting up, but the lights aren't coming on, it sounds like you have your power wires correct, but the problem is with the ground wire on your Halogen Docking Lights # DL-16CC. The black wire from the lights is the ground wire for the lights. There are a few ways you can go about grounding your lights.

You could run a wire from each light's ground wire to the negative post on your battery, or ground it to the steel frame. You can use a ring terminal, like # DW05705-1, to connect the ground wire to the negative battery post. To ground the wire to the steel frame, you can use a ring terminal and a self tapping screw, like # FA1131822, to drill into the frame.

You could also use a quick splice connector, like # SWC502905-1, to connect the two ground wires from the lights. Then, use a butt connector on the tail of one of the lights to connect a wire that will then run to the negative battery post, or the steel frame. It is generally not recommended to connect three wires with a single butt connector, because it is difficult to make a good connection with the three wires.

The ground wire for the light switch will also run to the negative battery post, or to the steel frame. The ground for the lights and the ground for the switch do not need to be connected to each other. The switch and the lights can be ground independently.