LED light conversion on 2009 Shorlander PWC trailer

[RXTowner]

I have a 2009 Shorelander PWC trailer that came with OEM incandescent taillights and amber marker lights. Shorelander says the older wiring harness plug is not compatible with retrofitting LED submersible marine taillights and marker lights onto the 2009 trailer. The LED are more brighter and being submersible ,I wouldn't have to unplug every time I back it into the water on the boat ramp. Has anyone tried doing a successful change over?

[K447]

What do the existing wire harness plugs look like at the lights?

Is the old wire harness in good condition or is it aging and fragile, corroded, frayed?

[RXTowner]

K447, there are 4 wires, white, brown,yellow,and green. the connection harness (plugs into vehicle harness is flat with three male connectors and one female connector. At the taillights it looks like the brown and green plug into the light and the white is the ground which is attached to the rear of the trailer which houses the tailight. The seadoo is always stored inside (except when being used for the day),so the wiring looks to be in very good condition and I use a corrosion inhibitor spray (and Fluid Film) when its stored for winter so corrosion should be minimal. It has only been used on freshwater lakes so no salt corrosion issues.

[K447]

- 2009 Shorelander PWC trailer that came with OEM incandescent taillights and amber marker lights.

Shorelander says the older wiring harness plug is not compatible with retrofitting LED submersible marine taillights and marker lights onto the 2009 trailer. -

What type of connector do the old style lamps have?

Stubby 'bullet' shaped wire end plugs that insert into the tail lamp contact?

[steve45]

You have a 13 year old trailer with the original harness? I'm impressed! I usually keep a spare harness or two laying around. In fact, I had to fix a broken wire on a factory-wired trailer this morning.

I hate it when they use a torch to burn a hole through the frame, then run the harness through it and pull it tight. No grommet, no strain relief, nothing but a sharp edge.

[Team Bilford]

I have made the upgrade to LED on about 50 trailers. I have never had any connection issues unless there is already a continuity problem. If your trailer has some proprietary connector, just cut it off. Buy some hardwired fixtures of your liking and splice them onto your harness. You can use one of the numerous splice connectors or solder.

[RXTowner]

I will have a more detailed look this morning as its open from the bottom but not sure what detail I will be able to see. I was looking at the Shorlander PWC12S current model and it appears to be using the same rear taillights and amber markers as my 2009 model but with the frame now covering the top part of the light (likely being used as a step platform). I would think it will likely be the stubby "bullet shaped connectors but will confirm .

[RXTowner]

steve45..... I have a very bad case of OCD. But it is nice to have stuff well maintained .

[RXTowner]

I have made the upgrade to LED on about 50 trailers. I have never had any connection issues unless there is already a continuity problem. If your trailer has some proprietary connector, just cut it off. Buy some hardwired fixtures of your liking and splice them onto your harness. You can use one of the numerous splice connectors or solder.

ok, I just wanted to make sure the retrofit could be done on the existing trailer without causing a problem. It will be my winter project .

[K447]

- make sure the retrofit could be done on the existing trailer without causing a problem.

It will be my winter project.

Trailer electrical wiring is really quite basic. And often rather modest in quality. Not just the materials but also the overall design and the lamp connectors.

If you end up replacing the factory wire harness in the trailer (which is typically not that big a project) look for the new wire harness to have a white (ground) wire running to each and every lamp location. This ensures that every trailer lamp location has a proper and reliable 'ground' connection.

Avoid harnesses that have stubby white wires that screw to the trailer frame in multiple locations.

A 'better' wire harness will have only one white wire lead connecting to the trailer frame, usually a few feet behind the flat-four plug at the front of the trailer.

[RXTowner]

Trailer electrical wiring is really quite basic. And often rather modest in quality. Not just the materials but also the overall design and the lamp connectors.

If you end up replacing the factory wire harness in the trailer (which is typically not that big a project) look for the new wire harness to have a white (ground) wire running to each and every lamp location. This ensures that every trailer lamp location has a proper and reliable ‘ground’ connection.

Avoid harnesses that have stubby white wires that screw to the trailer frame in multiple locations.

A ‘better’ wire harness will have only one white wire lead connecting to the trailer frame, usually a few feet behind the flat-four plug at the front of the trailer.

Thanks K447, the existing wiring has threaded mounts where each 4 lights are located. I was just looking at etrailer.com. and they look to have a decent line of LED lights. I prefer the Grotes brand but not sure if they will have it in the size I require.

A better harness would have the one white ground then the white wire would then ground to the 4 lights and not to the trailer?

[K447]

- the existing wiring has threaded mounts where each 4 lights are located-

A better harness would have the one white ground then the white wire would then ground to the 4 lights and not to the trailer?

This diagram shows the preferred white wire configuration. White wire extends directly from the front flat-four connector at the trailer tongue to every lamp location on the trailer. The lights will all work properly even if the trailer frame was made of wood or plastic. 'Ground' connection to the trailer at each lamp location is not used and not needed.

In fact the 'should connect to trailer frame' note for the white wire in the above diagram does not actually matter. With the white wire linking from the tow vehicle to all trailer lamps the metal trailer frame no longer really matters, electrically speaking. No harm in linking white to the trailer frame metal, but also does not matter, in terms of having working trailer lamps.

[RXTowner]

This diagram shows the preferred white wire configuration. White wire extends directly from the front flat-four connector at the trailer tongue to every lamp location on the trailer. The lights will all work properly even if the trailer frame was made of wood or plastic. ‘Ground’ connection to the trailer at each lamp location is not used and not needed.

In fact the ‘should connect to trailer frame’ note for the white wire in the above diagram does not actually matter. With the white wire linking from the tow vehicle to all trailer lamps the metal trailer frame no longer really matters, electrically speaking. No harm in linking white to the trailer frame metal, but also does not matter, in terms of having working trailer lamps.

Thanks K447, you have been very helpful. I will do an inquiry with etrailers and see if I can do the wiring harness and the four lights in LED.

[RXTowner]

Thanks K447, you have been very helpful. I will do an inquiry with etrailers and see if I can do the wiring harness and the four lights in LED.

The shorelandr OEM taillights measure 6"x 3.5". so etrailer.com has an Optronics LED submersible (passenger and drivers side)that is the exact same dimensions. The OEM amber marker lights measure at 2.75" x 1.5". so they have a LED submersible 3" x 2". Peterson Piranha . They also offer wiring kits for these. I will call them tomorrow.

[Team Bilford]

Trailer electrical wiring is really quite basic. And often rather modest in quality. Not just the materials but also the overall design and the lamp connectors.

If you end up replacing the factory wire harness in the trailer (which is typically not that big a project) look for the new wire harness to have a white (ground) wire running to each and every lamp location. This ensures that every trailer lamp location has a proper and reliable 'ground' connection.

Avoid harnesses that have stubby white wires that screw to the trailer frame in multiple locations.

A 'better' wire harness will have only one white wire lead connecting to the trailer frame, usually a few feet behind the flat-four plug at the front of the trailer.

A new harness will not have multiple ground wires to run to each lamp unless you are buying an OEM harness. The harness manufacturer has no idea how many fixtures a particular trailer will have. It will come with one white wire for ground. You can splice additional wires if you want to ground to wire rather than to frame.