Does this new one need to be Grounded?

[AIR-Quarius]

I am switching the clearence lights today (out in the heat of wonderful Oklahoma-Land of the hailstone) and when I compared this new one to the old it looks like the old one has an attachment that goes to the screw anchor as you can see. This new one (as shown) does not have anything just a black wire. Did I get the wrong one and/or am I going to have to rig a ground to the new one for it to work.?...right now I DO see a metal plate below the lights ---is that the ground to the screw you think? Is there hope for me?

[Andrew Selking]

I think if you look at your new one where the screw go's in on the left is the ground for the light. Most new lights use one of the screws to ground the light.
Hope this helps.

[clancy_boy]

Funny, the pawn shop bill is more than your cable bill.

The silver metal tabs under each screw hole on the new light will ground the light to the frame - thus closing the circuit.

Your old light just had one ground strap on the left (in your picture) screw hole.

If there were two wires going to the light bulb socket then it would need to have a two withe circuit to the fixture from the trailer - that does not look like the setup you have.

Use plenty of sealant.

[AIR-Quarius]

Ha ha thats my list of things to take care of. 15 clears the cable bill and 36 gets my flying eagles out of pawn. Dino is the bar owner across the street that bailed us out for a halogen projector light bulb replacement for 40 and one cat named cheddar is missing and the pound is right across the street...I sure hope these lights work...there is just one wire coming out of the roofs' side and one wire coming from the light. Ha! That was funny Micheal...

[Roadrunner]

Good question. I'm in the process of replacing our clearance lights with LED lights. What is the proper method of sealing when remounting. Wire nuts? Vulkem around the screws, wire, and fixture? How much? Then parbond around the top? Thanks!

Bob
TAC PA-5

[AIR-Quarius]

I am going to be using a tube of LEXEL silicon --it's crystal clear and makes a nice seal thats invisible ....(unlike my lists)..

[AIR-Quarius]

Also tonight when the heat turns itself down, I will back the truck up and plug in for towing...somebody mentioned that the truck must be touching the trailer in order for the lights to work.such as the ball touching the hitch.....should the battery in the rear of the airstream be hooked up too? But it was mentioned that the truck is part of the grounding process too or does is matter?

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by redhawkerII

Also tonight when the heat turns itself down, I will back the truck up and plug in for towing...somebody mentioned that the truck must be touching the trailer in order for the lights to work.such as the ball touching the hitch.....should the battery in the rear of the airstream be hooked up too? But it was mentioned that the truck is part of the grounding process too or does is matter?

No, the truck need not be connected (or driven into the side for that matter ) for ground. You will, however have to get 12volt power to the lights either by hooking up to the truck or making a connection via the umbilical cord's 7-pin connector. Here is one of the threads on the subject, http://www.airforums.com/forums/f447...-on-35681.html.

Check out posts 11 & 13 from the spring 2009 Arkansas RV Show and you can see a couple of trailers from Airstream of Arkansas with the lights on. They are actually flashing, done by plugging a turn signal flasher into the trailers' umbilical cords. No tow vehicles anywhere in sight.

[wmarsha]

okay, everything electrical has to be "grounded." what that means on a vehicle is that the Battery return path consists of the metallic structure of the vehicle. one wire is the "goesenda" the "goesoutta" is either a wire connecting to the metallic structure or the metallic structure of the lighting fixture/bulb rubbing against the metallic structure of the vehicle. a sheet metal screw will make a good "ground" for awhile, but it will let you down sooner or later. if you can keep it dry, it will last for awhile longer. If the trailer battery is connected into the towing lights, then the tow vehicle does not need to "touch" the trailer. I doubt if your trailer battery is connected to the towing lights, so, the tow vehicle probably does need to be connected structurally to the trailer. Actually, the 7 pin connector/wire should have a "ground" wire in it, effectively connecting the trailer to the tow vehicle.

officially, there is no connection to earth ground on a vehicle. so all that is called "grounding" on a vehicle is the battery return path. just make as good a connection to the metal shell of the trailer with the sheet metal screws. check each light as you go before snapping on the cover-saves work if you need to make better connections. good luck.

all in favor of three wire DC circuitry raise your hand.
ol' bill

[AIR-Quarius]

Well...we backed the truck up to it --to the point it was making good cantact with the hitch without hooking together...lo and behold the tail lights of the truck would not come on...so I asked Angel to turn on each blinker and count to ten while I stood at the back and I will be a son of a gun that the two tail lights were blinking back and forth--from one side to the other like a train crossing sign ha! So we are thus now returning our attention to the 'process of elimination' and will use another appropriate truck with the seven pin hook up to see if it is not our truck doing all the crazy light show tricks. Stay tuned---I will not give up hope for 'as God is my witness---I will never have these same types of problems....AGAIN! Ha (thanks Scarlet)...the good news is that the new light fixture was working.

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by redhawkerII

...

the two tail lights were blinking back and forth--from one side to the other like a train crossing sign ha!

...

Obviously not right, but I kind of like it!

Once you've arrived it would be a real conversation piece around the campfire.

[lewster]

Originally Posted by redhawkerii

i am going to be using a tube of lexel silicon --it's crystal clear and makes a nice seal thats invisible ....(unlike my lists)..

i would search these forums for silicone threads before using any silicone based sealants on aluminum..........do so at your peril!!!!!

[r carl]

Originally Posted by redhawkerII

I am going to be using a tube of LEXEL silicon --it's crystal clear and makes a nice seal thats invisible ....(unlike my lists)..

Its clear till dust sticks to it.

[AIR-Quarius]

we are in Oklahoma...what can I say?

[AIR-Quarius]

I went to my 'auto' friend and he looked under my dash of the truck and said the problem is there, with lots of wires that have been 'rigged' in there, he said he would straighten it out.