Okay, when you’re going to re-wire the entire trailer, from front to back, all new lights, wiring, etc.
Thanks
Do you use marine wire, or just standard trailer wire? Use the best marine wire you can afford.
Do you think led is really that much better versus incandescent? Yes, it will last longer as long as the lights are sealed.
What are you thoughts on trying to seal the lights from moisture? Use silicone on joints that seal the lights.
Would marine heat shrink at every connection be overkill? Absolutely not overkill, I would heat shrink every connection, and in addition I would add liquid tape over every heat shrunk connection.
What are your top tips for doing this job correctly the first time? Measure twice cut once, try to minimize connections to absolute minimum. GND every light.
Yes on LED. I believe there are benefits to bringing the ground for each light to a common ground at the front of the trailer and sealing connections and lights as much as you can.
10-4, thank you much.
Ground every light is definitely something I didn’t consider. As far as running a ground wire from the connector that is. I would typically just ground to the Frame at the light. Sounds like a good idea and wouldn’t cost much extra to do. Thanks
https://forum.skiffhq.com/t/led-wireless-trailer-lights/1027
Hopefully i pasted the link correctly. But if not search LED wireless trailer lights. A great idea on there about using extension cord wires, but more to the point of using a single long wire for each taillight and a ground wire then not having to splice at all. Just a thought.
That’s interesting, but what about mid-trailer marker lights? The small amber colored lights that mark the side of the trailer to hopefully keep someone from running over your skiff.
No such thing as overkill when it comes to trailer lights. Use the best marine wire you can get, including a dedicated ground wire all the way back to the plug. Make all connections waterproof as much as possible, and make all connections above the waterline as much as possible. LED lights are worth the extra coin.
I concur on all points and will add a couple.
• I don’t care for trailer lights that get dunked. I also like uprights or guide on poles on my trailer so I can see it when backing up with no boat on it. Who cares what guide on poles look like if they help you see the trailer? There is a Texas company called SlickSticks that sells guide on poles with LEDs that are awesome. I bought a set recently and modified my aluminum guide on poles by cutting the 2" aluminum pipe and welding 1.5" aluminum square tubing to that the guide ons mount on like a clamshell.
• Ground your lights and harness to the tongue so there are no grounds getting dunked too. Dry launch trailers are the exception but I know a few ramps and tide levels I’ve seen where dry launching is impossible and you have to back the trailer in the water to get the skiff off and load it so this applies to dry launch trailers as well.