Troubleshooting LED Trailer Light Installation

Question:

I just installed the optronics LED TLL-16RK trailer lights on my boat trailer. All of the wires are connected and matched to the corret colors, but the lights will not function. I have plugged it into 2 different trucks just to make sure it is the trailer wiring and not the truck it was plugged into. Is there a step I missed, or some common troubleshooting that could possibly solve this problem, or did I get a bad product? Thanks

asked by: Andrew B

Expert Reply:

The first thing I would do is check that the white ground wire is attached solidly to a clean metal surface on the trailer frame. A bad ground will prevent a light from working, if the ground of the trailer does not prove to be adequate you could run it up to the ground circuit of the trailer connector.

The next thing you will want to do is make sure that the # STL16RB is wired correctly by function and not just by wire color. Normally the colors of a 4-way will be the standard colors wired correctly, but since you never know who messed with the wiring and there is always the chance that the colors were never correct you are better off wiring by function.

I would recommend you use a circuit tester like a # PTW2993 to test the functions of the 4-way on your tow vehicle and then trace the corresponding circuits back on your boat trailer to make sure that boat trailer connector is wired the same.

I attached an FAQ on trailer wiring that you might find helpful also.

expert reply by: Jameson C