Utility Trailer Ground Wire Question
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More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Green Acres, Ca.
Utility Trailer Ground Wire Question
I just bought a new Carson utility trailer. Its a single axle with no brakes and has a 4 way flat plug. I noticed the other day while 'dolling' up the wire harness that the white ground wire coming from the trailer plug was looped up and not attached to anything. The lights work just fine, so, I'm assuming that the trailer is being grounded from the hitch ball. Would it be any type of problem if I just attached this white ground wire to the trailer frame? I would think that it would be a much more positive ground than using the hitch ball. Any comments? Thanks, Rick.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 17,988
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From: La La Land
I just got done re-wiring a Carson single-axle.
The white wire was attached to the frame under one of the three bolts for the tongue jack with a large crimp lug.
I moved it to a better place for me (I also added trailer brakes and a break-away switch and battery, and changed to a seven-pin connector), but anywhere on the frame is OK. Just make sure the connection is to bright, bare steel, and then assembled and covered with Penetrox or NoAlOx to maintain a good connection.
A bunch of split-loom from Harbor Freight comes in handy for tidying-up the wiring loom. Scotch 33+ is also useful.
Sounds like you got the "typical" Carson workmanship.
Pop
The white wire was attached to the frame under one of the three bolts for the tongue jack with a large crimp lug.
I moved it to a better place for me (I also added trailer brakes and a break-away switch and battery, and changed to a seven-pin connector), but anywhere on the frame is OK. Just make sure the connection is to bright, bare steel, and then assembled and covered with Penetrox or NoAlOx to maintain a good connection.
A bunch of split-loom from Harbor Freight comes in handy for tidying-up the wiring loom. Scotch 33+ is also useful.
Sounds like you got the "typical" Carson workmanship.
Pop
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Joined: Sep 2011
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I just bought a new Carson utility trailer. Its a single axle with no brakes and has a 4 way flat plug. I noticed the other day while 'dolling' up the wire harness that the white ground wire coming from the trailer plug was looped up and not attached to anything. The lights work just fine, so, I'm assuming that the trailer is being grounded from the hitch ball. Would it be any type of problem if I just attached this white ground wire to the trailer frame? I would think that it would be a much more positive ground than using the hitch ball. Any comments? Thanks, Rick.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,338
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From: Grants Pass, Oregon
No such thing as "Too much ground", its either enough, or not enough...........Part of me would be real tempted to lengthen that ground wire, run it along a side frame member and terminate it in the vicinity of the taillights.........A few feet of 14G wire, and either a couple crimp connectors or better still soldered terminals/shrink tube and you should be good to go.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Blue Hill Township
No such thing as "Too much ground", its either enough, or not enough...........Part of me would be real tempted to lengthen that ground wire, run it along a side frame member and terminate it in the vicinity of the taillights.........A few feet of 14G wire, and either a couple crimp connectors or better still soldered terminals/shrink tube and you should be good to go.
Keep the ground at the tongue of the trailer. As long as your connections are good you will have less issues than you would trying to run the ground back to the lights.
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I would suggest trying to not overthink this to "build a better mouse trap". A single good / solid ground is all that's needed. As others have stated, a dab of grease, any grease (except insulating silicone), on the connection point of the frame will keep the ground point from corroding and good quality star type lockwashers above and beneath the ring terminal will make an excellent connection.
Remember, every ground point is a potential problem and the more there are, the more potential of a bad ground you have. The steel / aluminum trailer frames make excellent grounding planes and are the way to go, unless you run all individual grounds from lights back to a common connection (which no one does). The single connection at the tongue is a good place for the ground, as it keeps your ground wire as short a possible.
Remember, every ground point is a potential problem and the more there are, the more potential of a bad ground you have. The steel / aluminum trailer frames make excellent grounding planes and are the way to go, unless you run all individual grounds from lights back to a common connection (which no one does). The single connection at the tongue is a good place for the ground, as it keeps your ground wire as short a possible.
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More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Green Acres, Ca.
I ended up drilling and tapping a 1/4-20 hole right next to the jack and running a stainless steel bolt in it. I ground down the inside of the hole to remove the paint and attached the ground wire lug with a s/s lockwasher on the top and bottom of the ground wire lug and bolted it up.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Blue Hill Township
I ended up drilling and tapping a 1/4-20 hole right next to the jack and running a stainless steel bolt in it. I ground down the inside of the hole to remove the paint and attached the ground wire lug with a s/s lockwasher on the top and bottom of the ground wire lug and bolted it up.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,100
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From: Georgia
I ended up drilling and tapping a 1/4-20 hole right next to the jack and running a stainless steel bolt in it. I ground down the inside of the hole to remove the paint and attached the ground wire lug with a s/s lockwasher on the top and bottom of the ground wire lug and bolted it up.
Contrary to popular belief, you will get galvanic corrosion of the carbon steel, even when using stainless fasteners.
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