How do I wire in lights on trailer?

[Bilopete]

I currently have a light board for my trailer but for convenience sake I would love to convert this to lights fitted to the trailer.

I'm looking for a pair of 100% watrproof submersible trailer lights and have the wiring left over from the light board.

The problem is I need some advice on whether to split the wires to the separate lights or run 1 wire to one light and then run the wire from the 1st to the 2nd light?

Splitting the wire is my 1st option but how best should I do this?

Cheers

Bilopete

[finga]

Mate, If your going to have them water proof run a 5 or 7 core to each light with no splits and have the 2 sides join up the front.
Some lights have the wire long enough to reach the front so that's the easiest place to have the join too.
Have a search on trailer lights as there have been some good threads done in the past.

[FISHAWN]

Am about to do the same but was going to run 1 cable to one light, and have the second light connect within the 1st . Why is it beneficial to do the join up the front?

[lippa]

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=146954

look here i had tons of useful advice when doing it!

[Angla]

Definitely 2 separate wires run to the front. Use new wiring if you are able to. Join wherever required with crimps and a little plain heat shrink over these will protect them from each other then put the whole join in the glue impregnated heat shrink, normally found at any electrical wholesaler. silicon seal all the parts of the light that may allow for water to get in. Join together in the plug and Bob's your uncle, you are done. Some nice cable ties will hold all the slack bits off the ground and run in the chassis where possible for that out of sight look.

I recently did BrisRyan's little trailer and it came up a treat.

Cheers
Chris

[Blackened]

=Why is it beneficial to do the join up the front?

G'day

One less join to get dunked in the salt water!

Dave

[Angla]

If you want to put a junction box in the lights then this could be a tidy way.

I have 5 sets of wire going into the box, 2 for the tail lamp sets and 2 for the clearance lights and then one to the plug. The whole thing is high and dry with tapped bolts into the post and Duralac liberally used on these as well as a good dose of silicon on the back of the box. Then the lid is slightly siliconed and the big hole in the bottom is roughly siliconed so that any moisture that may get in, can get out. A little bit of silicon on the screw heads then finishes the whole job. All the cables are soldered and heat shrinked.

Cheers
Chris

[trueblue]

see what happens when an electrician has too much free time?..............

I'll have to do mine like that as well Chris, next time my lights die its going to be an entire replacement.

cheers

Mick

[Bilopete]

Ok so they best option is to:

1. Have separate wiring to each lamp.
2. Solder wires to lamp and waterproof with ?Sicaflex? or similar material
3. Join both wires on the drawbar using either a junction box or waterproof splice
4. Run a single cable form the junction box or splice to the plug.

Will any heat sink do?

Does anyone have a couple of photos they can show me?

Cheers

Bilopete

[OPTI]

you can buy hella marine trailer led lights ,water proof and have 10 m wiring harnesses so you can join them at the front ,get them and then do what chris has done and you wont go wrong::)

[Angla]

see what happens when an electrician has too much free time?..............

I'll have to do mine like that as well Chris, next time my lights die its going to be an entire replacement.

cheers

Mick

Thanks for that Mick.

Cheers
Chris

[tin can marlin]

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=146954

look here i had tons of useful advice when doing it!
I would be doing what lippa has said some good stuff here

[bundylundy]

On my redco trailer they have run 2 x 5 core wires from the plug with 1 x 5 core going to each light. No joins to worry about. Both wires fit into the plug without any problems.

Jeff.

[FISHAWN]

Thanks for the advice, Is the earth to be run back to the plug or just onto the trailor ?

[Blackened]

Thanks for the advice, Is the earth to be run back to the plug or just onto the trailor ?

G'day

Take it back to the plug.

Dave

[Noelm]

can't go past the light board setup I reckon, sure it might be about an extra minute at the ramp, but the lights never go anywhere near the water, the next set of fully water proof (and expensive) LED lights that I see dead will not be the last I would say, I now have those submersible lights, and they work fine, for about 6 months, then they are corroded beyond use, and require pulling to bits, going back to a light board next time for sure.

[White Pointer]

G'day,

If you are going to all that trouble fit fully sealed LED lamps with the wiring harness incorporated in the light body and sealed. Run RHS and LHS wires (plus side lamps if you need them all the way to the trailer plug before you join them. After you have joined them heat shrink over the plug.

It works.

Regards,

White Pointer