Dim trailer lights.

[indieaz]

I originally installed a 7-pin harness by splicing into the wires under the gate in the back (under the plastic cover). I was unaware there was a cheap harness from etrailer that could plug right in behind the tail lights.

At any rate, I drove around with only brake lights (no tail lights) for a year. I got tired of having no tail lights and ordered/installed the harness from etrailer, and a 4 to 7-pole adapter. Problems:

-Brake lights are dimmer than before (barely visible in daytime)
-Turn signal works but blinks VERY dimly. The light opposite the one that is blinking will also strobe slightly in tandem with the signal. It almost looks like emergency flashers are one, except that the one light turns off completely, while the other one just gets dimmer/brighter in concert with the signal.

I verified all my connections are night and tight. Any ideas/suggestions?

 

[kj924]

I originally installed a 7-pin harness by splicing into the wires under the gate in the back (under the plastic cover). I was unaware there was a cheap harness from etrailer that could plug right in behind the tail lights.

At any rate, I drove around with only brake lights (no tail lights) for a year. I got tired of having no tail lights and ordered/installed the harness from etrailer, and a 4 to 7-pole adapter. Problems:

-Brake lights are dimmer than before (barely visible in daytime)
-Turn signal works but blinks VERY dimly. The light opposite the one that is blinking will also strobe slightly in tandem with the signal. It almost looks like emergency flashers are one, except that the one light turns off completely, while the other one just gets dimmer/brighter in concert with the signal.

I verified all my connections are night and tight. Any ideas/suggestions?

Sounds like you had a problem right from the get go...sounds like a short in the wiring. Retrace all that splicing you have done. Check all the bulbs too.

 

[jnaut]

Get a meter on a connection- like in a bulb socket and see what voltage you're getting at the actual point of illumination.

 

[indieaz]

Sounds like you had a problem right from the get go...sounds like a short in the wiring. Retrace all that splicing you have done. Check all the bulbs too.

I pulled out my splices and wrapped them in electrical tape. Tail lights on the jeep are bright as usual and functioning normally, leading me to believe the wiring where I spliced is still good.

I just had an idea though...i remember mounting the grounding wire from the e-trailer harness, but the 4-pin->7-pin adapter also had a ground wire I don't recall mounting anywhere. Perhaps lack of grounding is causing me grief.

Also I'll get out he multimeter and test voltage later when I get home.

 

[sleeve]

Sounds like a poor ground. Take a piece of wire, strip both ends and just use your fingers to hold one end on the trailer tounge and the other on the hitch. Use a mirror so you can see and I bet your lights will be a lot brighter.

If that is the case than permanently screw a ground wire to your trailer tounge. I used a large aligator clip to latch onto my hitch so that removal was easy.

 

[ChiefRudy]

Sounds like a poor ground. Take a piece of wire, strip both ends and just use your fingers to hold one end on the trailer tounge and the other on the hitch. Use a mirror so you can see and I bet your lights will be a lot brighter.

If that is the case than permanently screw a ground wire to your trailer tounge. I used a large aligator clip to latch onto my hitch so that removal was easy.

I agree with the poor ground issue.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Bad ground!
9 out 10 wiring problems are almost always bad grounding!

 

[kb0nly]

Yep, as the others said most likely a bad ground....

Out of curiosity which wiring kit did you get, the 42475 that goes inline with the large plug on the rear passenger side, or the other one that you have to take both tail lights off to put inline??

I bought the Hopkins 42475 and its a powered converter, capable of a lot more current than adding on to the Jeep's lighting directly with the other type. My trailer lights are nice and bright. I remember when i put the wiring on our Pontiac Montana that the Jeep replaced, first i went with one of those cheap converters that plugs into the tail lights, the vehicles lights would dim a bit and the trailer lights weren't that great. Then i bought a powered converter as the Montana has a battery hot wire to the factory place underneath that you plug in a trailer harness. That made a huge difference in lighting on the trailer.

 

[indieaz]

I *did* fail to mount the groundwire from the 7-pole adapter. I mounted it just now and tested again. The lights are much brighter now (appear to be as bright as before). So this is good. When i signal, the light opposite the signaling one still strobes slightly, but not enough for me to be worried about it.

or the other one that you have to take both tail lights off to put inline??

It's the cheaper tail light one.

 

[sleeve]

That "phantom" blinker is a sign that there is still not enough ground. I recommend adding the trailer toung ground to your hitch to help even more. Remember that the trailer frame typically acts as the ground to the trailer lights so improving the connection between tow platform and trailer will only help.

 

[kb0nly]

Yep i second the added ground. With some of the cheaper converters you might also notice a bit of a phantom blink on the opposite side when you also have the brakes on because then everything is powered at the same time. It's usually not enough to cause any problems. Try adding a ground from the trailer to the vehicle as others have posted. Also make sure you have a good ground connection on the trailer side, on my utility trailer the white ground wire was just held to the frame with a self tapping screw which came loose over time. I went and got a new stainless steel bolt and nylock nut and drilled a new hole and installed it on that, most of my problems went away after that.

 

[indieaz]

Yep i second the added ground. With some of the cheaper converters you might also notice a bit of a phantom blink on the opposite side when you also have the brakes on because then everything is powered at the same time.

That is the only time that I see the phantom, is when brakes are also applied. Without brakes (or even with parking/headlights on) it's ok. It's light enough now that it isn't a big deal, but before I mounted the 7-pole ground the phantom blnking was so bad you couldn't tell which way I was signaling

 

[kb0nly]

That is the only time that I see the phantom, is when brakes are also applied. Without brakes (or even with parking/headlights on) it's ok. It's light enough now that it isn't a big deal, but before I mounted the 7-pole ground the phantom blnking was so bad you couldn't tell which way I was signaling

LOL....

Don't feel bad about it, i see guys pulling trailers like that all the time!!!

Your probably as good as your going to get then if its with the brake lights on.