CE SMITH TRAILER GUIDE POSTS WITH LEDS ?

[Just1more]

trying to install the led lights and this can’t be brain surgery but I can’t get the post lights on! I have cut the brown trailer wire and connect the ends with the black pots light and nothing. The lights on the trailer are all on. But the post light do not come on..... any one have an idea? Can’t possibly be 2 bad lights. I have to be doing something stupid. Will not be leaving the connector on that you see in the picture. I have heat shrinking connectors for when I figure out what I am doing wrong.

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

It's definitely not brain surgery Assuming you haven't damaged your wire when you put the post on (or otherwise), then yes, you connect the black wire to the brown wire. The other is ground and needs to be attached to the trailer frame (which is grounded via the trailer connector to the car).

I assume you've already looked up videos, but in case you haven't, it's shown well here:

 

[Just1more]

Yep. I have watched that video and a few others. Stupid question since you mention ground....trailer is plugged into my truck but trailer is not on the hitch. There is no reason it needs to be on the ball of the truck for the ground right??

 

[Dixie Highway]

Not unless the trailer harness ground doesn’t have a good connection. If the trailer lights themselves are coming on then the ground is good between truck and trailer.

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

lol This sounds REALLY familiar. So the ground pin in the connector of the trailer is connected via a white wire typically to a spot on your frame (typically under the tongue). If this wire is damaged (don't ask me how I know), then the grounding won't happen UNLESS your hitched to the ball since the metal on metal will ground the trailer. So if lights work when hitched but don't work when not hitched, that's almost guaranteed to be your problem.

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

As @TW Merema mentioned, since your other lights are fine... sounds to me like your ground connection of the guide post lights isn't grounded properly. Make sure it's actually touching metal of the frame somewhere, typically via a screw. No paint in between the contacts.

 

[Just1more]

Looks like I just got them to come on but can barely telll they are on.

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

This really sounds like a bad ground. Somewhere between the lights and frame...

 

[haknslash]

I had those on my AR192 and they're nice and bright. Should easily be able to tell when they're on.

 

[Just1more]

I must need a better ground spot. I have a painted trailer though......

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

If you use a metal screw that goes through the paint and into the frame with a good connection to the screw, you should have a proper ground. The paint shouldn't matter in that case.

 

[haknslash]

I must need a better ground spot. I have a painted trailer though......

I had a galvanized trailer. You may need to scrap a little paint off.

 

[haknslash]

To make sure there's nothing wrong with your lights you could just hook them directly to the battery to test. A weak ground would cause them to be dim though.

 

[swatski]

I must need a better ground spot. I have a painted trailer though......

Those should have come with some small screws - drill a new 1/8 hole in the unused inner "ears" in the back of the trailer and that will give you good connection. Coat it up with liquid tape of something. Done.
Those are not super bright but work very well at night - should be amber up front and red rear - split.

I don't have a pic with the lights on...

 

[Just1more]

Not sure if you can tell they are on....