Marker light installation

[93Sovereign]

Hi,
I have a marker light that is in need of replacement. It still works, however, the casing is very brittle and I believe may be a source of water entry. I gently prayed the light off the exterior skin and am somewhat perplexed about how to wire the new light I purchased. The new light has one wire. There are two wires that I can see in the existing light. I didn’t completely detach the fixture from my trailer as I didn’t want to get too deep into the job in the event this is beyond my abilities. I’ve attached a few photos. Curious if this is a somewhat simple wiring job or perhaps not. Any feedback is appreciated.

Thank you,
Tom

[Boxite]

One of the (old fixture) wire was a “ground”..and one was a “hot” or “power” wire. The “ground” wire should be connected to one side of your new fixtures’ lamp-base…and the “hot” wire to the connector attached/leading to the filament of the lamp.;

A volt meter or VOM should help you accomplish this….but if this confuses you…. get someone who knows/understands electricity to assist you.

[93Sovereign]

Thank you for the reply and suggestion. I do have some experience with a volt meter and would be able to determine which wire is hot and ground. I’ve done some additional reading here on forums and believe my new marker light a single wire/self grounding fixture. Where the ground wire is no longer necessary. However, some on here suggest redundant grounding is a good thing and this can be accomplished by installing a crimp eye on the ground wire and run one mounting screw through the eye. Also makes use of the ground wire rather than pushing it back through the exterior skin to never be found again. Does this make sense?

Regards,
Tom

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by 93Sovereign

Thank you for the reply and suggestion. I do have some experience with a volt meter and would be able to determine which wire is hot and ground. I’ve done some additional reading here on forums and believe my new marker light a single wire/self grounding fixture. Where the ground wire is no longer necessary. However, some on here suggest redundant grounding is a good thing and this can be accomplished by installing a crimp eye on the ground wire and run one mounting screw through the eye. Also makes use of the ground wire rather than pushing it back through the exterior skin to never be found again. Does this make sense?

Regards,
Tom

Yep.

[93Sovereign]

Hi again,
I removed one marker light and after some effort was able to get some wire to release from inside the wall. It appears to me that sealant was used on the wires and wire sleeve. What is my biggest problem is that the wire sleeve is not budging. I’m not able to remove the sleeve and be able to see what’s behind it. Would there likely be a crimp connector for each of the hot and grounds?

My plan is to install a crimp connector for the hot wire to connect the new single wire/self grounding marker light and use the existing ground wire for a redundant ground (rather than push it into the wall). But with the wire sleeve in place with the two existing wires ruining through I would no be able to push a crimp connector back into the wall.

I just don’t know if my assumption is correct in that I should be pulling more wire that may be behind the wire sleeve and might I find crimp connectors for the original marker light? Or perhaps I’m missing something and making this more difficult that it should be. I’ve wondered whether my new crimp would reside in the new fixture housing.

Thanks in advance for any insights. Photo attached.

[mousouchop]

I don’t have the back/inside of my marker lights exposed in my ‘75, but I do have the back of the license plate light wiring exposed in my rear bath. There are two large (relative to the wire size) crimp connectors inside which would prevent you from pulling the wire out at a certain point.

My plan when I replace my marker lights is likely to solder and shrink wrap the connections. I bought cast metal marker lights with replacable bulbs (will use LEDs), so I should never have to redo this connection, thus the “permanence” of the solder work doesn’t bother me. And the shrink wrap should be able to push back in. If not, it should be water tight enough to just live under the light/gasket…

I know soldering wires in trailers is discouraged, but you know what? Every splice in the stock wiring is soldered, and seems just fine. For these small, low load connections, I will do the same. For all other wiring inside (nearly done running all new 12V and 120V circuits, leaving only some hard-to-fish original 12V in place, including running lights), I am using crimp connectors and/or WAGO wire nuts.

[Boxite]

93Sovereign …that is not a “sleeve”….that is a “grommet”…intended to prevent the sharp edges of the aluminum panel from cutting thru the wire insulation due to vibration…and people pulling on them.

So Stop pulling on it.

If you need more wire length…then add wire to the existing.

Hope this helps.

[93Sovereign]

Mousouchop: thank you for your reply and for insights into what’s behind your license plate light. I might suspect the same inside my walls that there are crimp connectors and the wire sleeve is preventing me from pulling the connector through the sleeve. It appears I will need to find a place for the new connections inside or behind the new light fixture. Which, I believe is, doable.

Boxite: thank you for your reply. I know little about electrical work, but I apparently have some ambition. I picked up wire sleeve term from my local electrical supplier. It’s grommet moving forward. Maybe wire sleeve is a Canadian thing. Thanks for you comments along with away. I will attempt to replace my marker lights this weekend and hopefully with success.

[mousouchop]

Just circling back. I used a heat gun to warm the area around my marker lights. This allowed me to both push back in the rubber grommets to a properly seated state; but also to pull out some slack wire, now freed a bit within the butyl, etc. I ultimately got them all to ~1” exposed wire, each.

[93Sovereign]

Hi mousouchop: Well done with the heat gun. That never crossed my mind. Event though I used the heat guy on the crimp connections. I did complete my job - successfully it appears as the lights work. At the end of the day I was able to access and work with enough wire to install the new markers.
Cheers,
Tom

[Daytonacoupe]

Originally Posted by mousouchop

Just circling back. I used a heat gun to warm the area around my marker lights. This allowed me to both push back in the rubber grommets to a properly seated state; but also to pull out some slack wire, now freed a bit within the butyl, etc. I ultimately got them all to ~1” exposed wire, each.

Attachment 434464

In your photo you appear to have plenty of wire to work with. No need to pull more. I am presently renewing the wire and all connections on my 1986...from the inside as the skins are off. Where the marker light wires enter the shell you will find massive globs of vulkem caulking over the wires on the inside to deter water leaks, then the butt connectors that are mentioned. That would be the source of your resistance when you were pulling, and the heat gun would have been softening the caulking. That seal may now be broken.

Good initiative on adding a ground wire to the one wire marker lights. I searched everywhere for 12V incandescent marker lights with the two wires but no go. I bought a bunch of 1 wire units and have added the extra ground to the light for the redundancy that you mention.

Cheers

[93Sovereign]

Thanks for the message. Yes, as wondered and then learned here, there is vulkem inside the walls. I was able to work with enough wire and all the lights are operating.

Originally Posted by Daytonacoupe

In your photo you appear to have plenty of wire to work with. No need to pull more. I am presently renewing the wire and all connections on my 1986...from the inside as the skins are off. Where the marker light wires enter the shell you will find massive globs of vulkem caulking over the wires on the inside to deter water leaks, then the butt connectors that are mentioned. That would be the source of your resistance when you were pulling, and the heat gun would have been softening the caulking. That seal may now be broken.

Good initiative on adding a ground wire to the one wire marker lights. I searched everywhere for 12V incandescent marker lights with the two wires but no go. I bought a bunch of 1 wire units and have added the extra ground to the light for the redundancy that you mention.

Cheers