RJ
Active Member
Posts: 416
Likes: 144
Currently Offline
|
Post by RJ on Feb 2, 2015 15:25:40 GMT -8
Ok, since the skins are screwed into wood and may or may not touch a grounded frame, how do the skins conduct as a ground source for marker lights, etc.? Inquiring/rewiring minds need to know (grin).
|
|
John Palmer
Senior Member
Hi, From a vintage trailer guy located in Santa Ana, CA. It's good to see lots of activity here.
Posts: 1,624
Likes: 575
Currently Offline
|
Post by John Palmer on Feb 2, 2015 16:29:08 GMT -8
Just run a small jumper wire from the skin to the frame for a ground. Make sure it's "bare metal" to "bare metal" for a good contact. It helps to use dielectric grease on the bare areas to stop corrosion.
After all that is said.............using the skin, is a really poor way to ground an electrical accessory. It's much better to run a separate white colored ground wire that is the same gauge as the hot wire.
|
|
RJ
Active Member
Posts: 416
Likes: 144
Currently Offline
|
Post by RJ on Feb 2, 2015 17:56:41 GMT -8
Good copy JP, thanks. Kinda what I figured.
|
|
wolvenwood
Member
Posts: 45
Likes: 5
Currently Offline
|
Post by wolvenwood on Feb 3, 2015 8:57:28 GMT -8
After all that is said.............using the skin, is a really poor way to ground an electrical accessory. It's much better to run a separate white colored ground wire that is the same gauge as the hot wire. Good advice. The marker lights that I want to use have "ground straps" where the screws go. Is there a way to use wire to ground those instead of the skin grounding method?
|
|
John Palmer
Senior Member
Hi, From a vintage trailer guy located in Santa Ana, CA. It's good to see lots of activity here.
Posts: 1,624
Likes: 575
Currently Offline
|
Post by John Palmer on Feb 3, 2015 9:30:25 GMT -8
After all that is said.............using the skin, is a really poor way to ground an electrical accessory. It's much better to run a separate white colored ground wire that is the same gauge as the hot wire. Good advice. The marker lights that I want to use have "ground straps" where the screws go. Is there a way to use wire to ground those instead of the skin grounding method? You have to get creative to run the extra ground wire on the plastic based tear drop lights. Basically I drill an extra 1/4" hole in the plastic base that will be covered by the lens. Run the 14ga white ground wire through the hole, crimp on a ring type connector, and secure it through the factory hollow rivet hole that holds the bulb base, or your ground straps for your ground. Just look at the light, and follow the path of electricity.
|
|
SusieQ
Global Moderator
Posts: 4,781
Likes: 1,197
'62 Shasta Compact
Currently Offline
|
Post by SusieQ on Feb 3, 2015 14:51:44 GMT -8
My teardrop shaped marker lights were not plastic but they did not have a ground wire. I basically did what John suggested. I added a ground wire by crimping a ring on it and securing it with a screw inside the base and then ran it through the hole in the base where the other wire exits.
|
|
wolvenwood
Member
Posts: 45
Likes: 5
Currently Offline
|
Post by wolvenwood on Feb 4, 2015 6:59:55 GMT -8
Thanks. I'll do that. Is there any other reason to ground the skin other than running lights? Like avoiding hot skin?
|
|
SusieQ
Global Moderator
Posts: 4,781
Likes: 1,197
'62 Shasta Compact
Currently Offline
|
Post by SusieQ on Feb 4, 2015 7:19:33 GMT -8
I took my cover off and looked at mine. Apparently, I drilled a hole for it to exit because it wouldn't fit with the other wire. I didn't have that problem with the tail lights. The only screw inside the lens cover area is the one over the bulb that the plastic lens screws in. It could go there but the lens cover would have a slight gap.
|
|
John Palmer
Senior Member
Hi, From a vintage trailer guy located in Santa Ana, CA. It's good to see lots of activity here.
Posts: 1,624
Likes: 575
Currently Offline
|
Post by John Palmer on Feb 4, 2015 12:29:13 GMT -8
I took my cover off and looked at mine. Apparently, I drilled a hole for it to exit because it wouldn't fit with the other wire. I didn't have that problem with the tail lights. The only screw inside the lens cover area is the one over the bulb that the plastic lens screws in. It could go there but the lens cover would have a slight gap. Looks good!
|
|
SusieQ
Global Moderator
Posts: 4,781
Likes: 1,197
'62 Shasta Compact
Currently Offline
|
Post by SusieQ on Feb 4, 2015 12:43:59 GMT -8
Thanks, John. That means a lot to me coming from you. I had to add a wire to my teardrop trailer marker lights, too and they were plastic on wood. I was able to use a mounting screw on the light for them.
|
|
SusieQ
Global Moderator
Posts: 4,781
Likes: 1,197
'62 Shasta Compact
Currently Offline
|
Post by SusieQ on Feb 4, 2015 12:52:58 GMT -8
Thanks. I'll do that. Is there any other reason to ground the skin other than running lights? Like avoiding hot skin? I didn't want to be the one to answer this question but your skin should not be in contact with anything "hot." Your inside wiring should be grounded properly through your power supply box, your box grounded to the frame, so I say no to your question. Somebody will correct me if I'm wrong.
|
|
wolvenwood
Member
Posts: 45
Likes: 5
Currently Offline
|
Post by wolvenwood on Feb 5, 2015 7:46:53 GMT -8
Thanks, SuzieQ. I understand the reticence on answering the question. I will be having a pro inspect my work, which will be grounded just as you said above. Let's drop this one here.
|
|
SusieQ
Global Moderator
Posts: 4,781
Likes: 1,197
'62 Shasta Compact
Currently Offline
|
Post by SusieQ on Feb 5, 2015 7:59:34 GMT -8
They were good questions, Wolvenwood. Good thread that can help someone else down the road.
|
|
nccamper
Administrator
Posts: 7,744
Likes: 2,871
1962 Forester- 1956 Shasta
Currently Offline
|
Post by nccamper on Mar 22, 2015 16:49:21 GMT -8
Just run a small jumper wire from the skin to the frame for a ground. Make sure it's "bare metal" to "bare metal" for a good contact. It helps to use dielectric grease on the bare areas to stop corrosion. I was hooking up our camper today for a trip and the lights aren't working after sitting all winter. The truck plug connection is working fine, the wiring harness is connecting to the electric breaks which work fine. But no lights. My guess is the ground was lost. Tomorrow I plan to follow the advice above. Anything else I should try? Eventually I will take this camper apart and rewire everything to include separate grounds for each light. What I am after is a quick fix for a weekend at the coast.
|
|
John Palmer
Senior Member
Hi, From a vintage trailer guy located in Santa Ana, CA. It's good to see lots of activity here.
Posts: 1,624
Likes: 575
Currently Offline
|
Post by John Palmer on Mar 22, 2015 18:49:40 GMT -8
Just run a small jumper wire from the skin to the frame for a ground. Make sure it's "bare metal" to "bare metal" for a good contact. It helps to use dielectric grease on the bare areas to stop corrosion. I was hooking up our camper today for a trip and the lights aren't working after sitting all winter. The truck plug connection is working fine, the wiring harness is connecting to the electric breaks which work fine. But no lights. My guess is the ground was lost. Tomorrow I plan to follow the advice above. Anything else I should try? Eventually I will take this camper apart and rewire everything to include separate grounds for each light. What I am after is a quick fix for a weekend at the coast. First you have to diagnose your problem before you can figure out a patch fix. Make up a 20 foot long 14G ground wire with alligator clips at each end. Pull the cover off your seven way plug junction box. Connect your temporary ground wire to the junction box "white, ground" terminal. Turn on the truck lights and walk around the trailer touching the ground wire to the base of any lights not working. If they light up, when the ground touches them you have found your problem. Another symptom of a bad/poor ground are bulbs that burn dimly even though they may not be turned on. This symptom is caused by the electricity trying it's best to find a ground any way possible.
Solutions are usually simple for a novice to repair, but diagnosis is why electricians charge the big bucks.
|
|