Running lights without tow vehicle

[mapleman3]

I have seen folks with their running lights on on their tt without the tow vehicle connected..... I would like to do this once in a while to check bulbs and maybe also if we are having a small gathering...looks kinda cool....ok I'm a newbie never ha ing had the luxury of lights and stuff in the trailer.. yeah I want to get the awning lights too haha...I'm one of them...it will probably change as the newness wears off but I like it.

So how do they do this?

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[Clanton24v]

It's real simple. Just a jumper wire between the +12v pin and the light pin on your connector You can also make them flash
http://rvbasics.com/techtips/emergen...er-lights.html.

[Johnnyfry]

This is pretty easy to do. You take the Tow vehicle connector cable and bridge the top 2 pins in the plug together with a piece of wire.

Hold the plug with the indexing pin up and connect the pin on either side. The trailer power runs the lights. Some folks have plugged in a turn signal flasher across these pins (under $5 at an auto supply store) and the lights flash. This is handy in directing emergency vehicles to the site.

John

[webslave]

I made mine more "friendly"... I bought a repair 7 pin connector at the auto parts store (the vehicle side that your trailer's wire plugs into) and did the wiring on that, including a flasher with its wiring connected for the tail lights (brake lights). I can plug the trailer into it and light up the tail lights and running lights, or switch on the flasher and have the tail lights flash without trying to remember what gets jumped to what. I've also seen, on the internet, places that you can buy the same thing already made up in a little box that your line plugs into with switches to control the lights and flasher. If I remember correctly, they were pretty pricey, hence, I built my own.

I did mine for safety should I break down on the side of the road. Beware the "lights" police...many people, myself included, get annoyed by the trailer lights being on when not needed and if a bunch of people have them on, their usefulness in directing emergency services is gone. You can't very well direct an emergency response team to "the trailer with the running lights on" when half the campground has them lit for the "coolness". "Tacky lights" are one thing (I've got a bunch of different ones), but, the true usefulness of having a system for directing emergency response teams is gone with the "gee, this is cool" group.

OK, lecture is over Lots of folks do it, so, if it pleases you, feel free! Personally, "tacky lights" are my thing and my "emergency" lighting system is just that; for checking my lights occasionally and emergencies only.

[mapleman3]

Thank you all.....I will try it but will stick with the tacky lights...hoping I find some real gaudy that it repels my MIL lol

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[webslave]

I've had a couple of folks inquire about my "flasher component"... Plugs into the trailer's umbilical and turns on the clearance lights and tail lights. Connect the hot wire to the flasher and you've got running lights and "hazard" flashers.


This is the component as I've got it assembled. The flasher is "glued" to the plastic, but, bouncing around in my "parts bin", I thought it needed some bracing, hence the wire ties.





Here is the way I've got the internal connectors wired...:





The white wire (jumper between #4 & #3) connects the hot from the trailer's battery to the "running lights"; clearance lamps and both tail lights. As soon as you plug your umbilical cord into this 7 pin connector, your trailer's lights will activate. I didn't bother to switch those lights-if you don't want them lit, don't plug the trailer into the connector. The black wire (12v power) and the two red wires (left and right brake/turn signal) are routed out the back of the connector...:





The two red wires are twisted together and connected all the time to one of the flasher's connectors. The black wire is 12v hot. When it is not connected to the flasher, just the running lights are on. If you connect the black wire to the other terminal on the flasher, both turn signal/brake lights (left and right) will then flash as hazard lights.

If you have converted your tail lights to LED, you will have to use a special LED flasher (available at any auto parts store);





A regular mechanical type (the ones that you can hear clicking in your car) won't work with LED tail lamps (LEDs don't draw enough resistive current to cause the mechanical flashers to break their connections and "flash"). If you haven't converted your tail lights to LED, then get any regular mechanical style flasher.

That's what I've done. It isn't elegant or sexy, but, it is one piece, I don't have to remember which posts to connect and I have the ability to, with attaching one wire, have my brake lights flash just as a hazard flasher would do should I ever have to leave the unit on the side of the road while I go get a part or help. I've converted all of my external lights to LED, so, even with them all blazing, I should be able to get a week or two's "hazard lighting" off the house battery since LED lighting loads are very, very low.


Hope this helps.

[Roberson4]

I have to say I had never seen this before in a campground until last night. There are two just down from us.
I'd have to throw my vote into the annoying group.

[fla-gypsy]

Originally Posted by Roberson4

I have to say I had never seen this before in a campground until last night. There are two just down from us.
I'd have to throw my vote into the annoying group.

I agree, not sure why anyone would need to or want to do this.

[35mastr]

Originally Posted by webslave

I've had a couple of folks inquire about my "flasher component"... Plugs into the trailer's umbilical and turns on the clearance lights and tail lights. Connect the hot wire to the flasher and you've got running lights and "hazard" flashers.


This is the component as I've got it assembled. The flasher is "glued" to the plastic, but, bouncing around in my "parts bin", I thought it needed some bracing, hence the wire ties.





Here is the way I've got the internal connectors wired...:





The white wire (jumper between #4 & #3) connects the hot from the trailer's battery to the "running lights"; clearance lamps and both tail lights. As soon as you plug your umbilical cord into this 7 pin connector, your trailer's lights will activate. I didn't bother to switch those lights-if you don't want them lit, don't plug the trailer into the connector. The black wire (12v power) and the two red wires (left and right brake/turn signal) are routed out the back of the connector...:





The two red wires are twisted together and connected all the time to one of the flasher's connectors. The black wire is 12v hot. When it is not connected to the flasher, just the running lights are on. If you connect the black wire to the other terminal on the flasher, both turn signal/brake lights (left and right) will then flash as hazard lights.

If you have converted your tail lights to LED, you will have to use a special LED flasher (available at any auto parts store);





A regular mechanical type (the ones that you can hear clicking in your car) won't work with LED tail lamps (LEDs don't draw enough resistive current to cause the mechanical flashers to break their connections and "flash"). If you haven't converted your tail lights to LED, then get any regular mechanical style flasher.

That's what I've done. It isn't elegant or sexy, but, it is one piece, I don't have to remember which posts to connect and I have the ability to, with attaching one wire, have my brake lights flash just as a hazard flasher would do should I ever have to leave the unit on the side of the road while I go get a part or help. I've converted all of my external lights to LED, so, even with them all blazing, I should be able to get a week or two's "hazard lighting" off the house battery since LED lighting loads are very, very low.


Hope this helps.

Great idea for light checks. Also good if you have visitors looking for you in very large campgrounds when its real dark out at night. Going to make one of these up.
Nice Tech Tip

[michaeliack]

For folks that don't like the tacky lights, a simple alternative is using the running lights on the unit.

[The Sod Father]

I use the jumper method to illuminate my running lights, but use a blade fuse instead.

As far as why do this? Well, setting up and taking down tacky lights is just one more thing to do on a weekend trip. Also, I tend to camp with friends and we all do this so during late night strolls it is easier to find our "group" in the dark.

Honestly, I never had anyone complain about them. I HAVE had folks ask how I did it but not to turn it off.

[Roberson4]

Maybe the folks like me that don't care for them being on really don't see a reason to complain to you about them.

[KJcachers]

Originally Posted by The Sod Father

I use the jumper method to illuminate my running lights, but use a blade fuse instead.

Honestly, I never had anyone complain about them. I HAVE had folks ask how I did it but not to turn it off.

What size fuse?

[The Sod Father]

A simple 5A blade fuse is all you need.