Need help with boat lights!

[Creek Kid]

This weekend's trip went sour when my lights quit working. It is not a fuse but a bad connection somewhere. Not a huge deal but I can't find a common ground to use my tester. Can anyone tell me where I can find a grounding spot on a boat? Do I have to hook my truck up to get a ground? I'm lost.

[Guest]

Don't check to ground. If it's a short to ground,the meter(or your tester) will not pick it up. Check for continuity or resistance instead on the post's in the socket the bulbs go in. With the switch in the on(closed position) you should have a reading.With the switch in the off(open positon) you will get no readings.Make sure the post's are clean. If these two test's pass, then Ohm out the switch or check for continuity. Place the leads of the tester or meter on both post's of the switch, switch it on(closed)you should get a reading. Switch it off(closed)you will get no readings. If the switch doesn't pass this test. Replace the switch. Good Luck

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[cwmn]

If it's the trailer lights you do need to hook the trailer to the truck to get a ground. You're lights will be grounded to the truck through the trailer. Check where the lights are bolted to the trailer if it's rusty clean the contact or there maybe a ground wire from the light to the trailer wich maybe rusty at the contact.
If the lights are old and beat up just replace them, only about $20.
You also should check the trailer harness on the truck with a test light or better a meter to make sure you have power at the harness.
Good luck.

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Have a good one!
CWMN

[Hubcat]

I had the same problem till I grounded the truck to the harness and grounded the boat using the white wire on the harness. Now both are grounded and I have no problems

[Valv]

CreekKid, ok, lights on a boat start from the switch. It has 3 connector, middle is + from battery the other 2 have + depending on position (Navigation or Anchor). Ground is taken from a common wire in the boat or possibly a ground block connector (usually black wires all together).
I agree with continuity test.

Wires are colored (usually green or gray) for both bow and transom light, and black as common ground wire.

It is diffcult finding a boken wire since they are very far apart (lenght of boat) and location which is under side and/or covered.

Hope this helps.

Val

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God gave us the ocean, and the devil gave us the outboard

[Creek Kid]

Alright, after 2 nights of searching I'm still scratching my head. Good continuity on the gray wires from the switch to the light, the switch tests OK but the black wire off both bow and stern are grounding to the hull and I'm getting continuity over the entire hull! This can't be right, is it? I have 3 red and 3 black main leads coming off the battery. Two of the three black main leads are grounding to the hull as well. The black lead to the motor is not. Someone told me there should be no ground to the hull at all, only closed circuits to the battery or switch. Can someone tell me if the hull should be grounded throughout or not?

[Creek Kid]

I'm getting closer. The wire that appears to be grounding the hull is coming off the fuel guage. Possibly the fuel tank. I'm thinking this may be correct. I read something about having fuel sources grounded to prevent static shock/arcing and explosions. This grounding wire should not be used as a common ground for all connentions though should it?