Installation of Trailer Lights with Red, Black, and White Wires to Traditional Trailer Wire Colors

Updated 05/21/2020 | Published 04/24/2019

Products Featured in This Question

16 Gauge, 4 Conductor Bonded Parallel Wire - Per Foot

(235)

$2.80

Deka Heat Shrink Butt Connector - 16-14 Gauge - Nylon Insulation - Blue - Qty 5

(1069)

$7.32

Thinline LED Trailer Tail Light - Stop, Tail, Turn - Submersible - 11 Diodes - Red Lens

(1369)

$19.15

Question:

Have a harness that has green yellow and brown. But the tail lights are red black and white. What goes were

asked by: Brian

Expert Reply:

Red, black, and white wires are common on many tail light assemblies. When this is the case, you will have red as stop and turn, black as running light, and white as ground. So you will connect yellow to red on one side of the trailer and green to red on the other side. Then on each side you will connect white to your frame or mounting hardware, and brown to black for your running lights. I've attached a video of similar lights # STL69RB to assist.

If you need additional wire, use # 16-4B-1. If you need connectors I recommend # DW05744-5.

expert reply by: Jason S

click to enlarge

Connie

5/16/2020

I bought new lights for my trailer. The new light only have 2 black wires on them. How to I connect these to the trailer wiring?

Chris R.

5/19/2020

Unfortunately there's not a way for me to know which wire on that new light carries which function. Did the new lights come with any kind of instruction? Is there any labeling on the housing itself, where the wires connect? If you know what model they are I might be able to look this up.

Connie

5/19/2020

I didn’t know these light were like this or I would not have bought them, stupid to not have different wires. Thanks. @ChrisR

Chris R.

5/21/2020

@Connie Thanks for the info. One of those wires will be for ground and the other for power. Since both are the same color it's very possible that it's wired in a way that it doesn't matter which is used for which - I would simply try hooking it up and see if the light works. If it doesn't, switch the wires around.