Quote:
Originally Posted by KSH
Can you guys post some pictures. I need lights back there and haven't decided what to do yet. I was hoping to just pull power from the running lights on the trailer. Is that not a good idea?
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I would suggest not using the running lights to power bright white lights that face the rear. If you forget to turn them off or if someone plays with the switch in a parking lot, you could create a driving hazard for those behind you. There is a pin on the 7 way connector for backup lights and that wire is in the junction box on the trailer tongue/pinbox. You can connect to that and have power only when in reverse and connected to the tow vehicle (similar to the way your TV backup lights work) or you can wire them to a "always on" 12 VDC connection.
If you choose the "always on" connection, it's obvious that the lights are on/off when you do your walk-around before departure. If you have them connected to the running lights, you won't be able to check the reverse lights unless the running lights are on, something few of us do while at intermediate stops. That could set you up to turn on your lights during rain or at dusk and inadvertently turn on the bright reverse lights and not know they're on.