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Wiring and LightingAll pontoon trailers must have approved DOT (Department of Transportation) lights. The laws are very specific and every pontoon trailer manufacturer must conform. But just because your lights will work and meet government standards on the day you take delivery of your new pontoon trailer, there is no guarantee they will work in a few weeks. On the internet check out “the trouble with trailer lights” by boatus.com.
Like everything else there is a good way to do wiring and lighting and a poor, cheap way. Quality pontoon trailer manufacturers run wire through the trailer frames in a custom built wiring “harness” that is designed for the trailer it’s used on. Other manufacturers run “loose” wires through the frame and connect side marker lights and tail lights with individual wires. Loose connections are one of the most common problems in trailer wiring. In a wiring harness you don’t have loose wires and most connections are plug in. It’s not difficult to see what kind of wiring your trailer has. Look for individual wires or connectors. If you don’t see any loose wires on your pontoon trailer you probably have wiring in a harness. |
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It’s easier for the
manufacturer to cut and
splice side marker lights
than run them through the
frame. But now you have two
loose wires exposed. Walk
around your trailer. How
many exposed wires can you
see? Each loose wire hanging
out is the potential for
trouble.
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| LED LIGHTS - LED lighting has been available to trailer manufacturers for several years. Everyone recognizes the many benefits of LED lights. It’s a scandal that all new pontoon trailers don’t have modern LED lights. The price is down to about $30 more per trailer, over the old fashioned incandescent light. The manufacturers who don’t use them are the same ones that skimp on tires and other things. If you don’t know about LED lights, search the internet. There are hundreds of pages filled with positive information. Just as interesting is the hundreds of companies selling replacement LED lights for old incandescent ones. | |||
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TAIL LIGHTS |
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Exposed tail lights with a
stamped steel license plate bracket bolted to a bracket. |
Economy light, semi protected, but the side light is vulnerable. | ||
| These “old style” universal trailer tail lights have been around for 40+ years. Some modern pontoon trailer manufacturers still use them. They are not usually waterproof although they are sometimes labeled “sealed”. When you back them in the water with the tail light wiring connected to your tow vehicle, the incandescent bulbs may pop. Or sometimes even when you disconnect your wiring from the tow vehicle and the bulbs are hot, they’ll pop. The good thing about them is when the bulbs burst or you break them, and you will, you can buy them almost anywhere. An auto parts store, Farm & Fleet, Lowes, Walmart, etc. | |||
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Some manufacturers use a
more modern style of
rectangular tail light. These
usually have the side marker
light as part of the one
piece design and if mounted
properly they’re better
protected. This style is
advertised as sealed but it
often is not waterproof and
you may pop the incandescent
bulb in the lake. While we’re looking at tail lights we might pay some attention to license plate brackets. No one usually thinks about them, including the trailer manufacturer, but when you lose your license plate because the flimsy steel piece rusted off or the plastic bracket deteriorates you’ll change your mind. Some trailer manufacturers have incorporated strong built-in license plate holders into the steel tail light bracket. |
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