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Trailer back up lights
cdnwhaler	#1  Posted on 05/31/05 - 4:45 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 200 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/01/05	I just installed a pair of fairly tall trailer guides, 60", and thought they looked like a logical place to mount some back up lights on them. Or lights that are on when unloading and retreiving the boat at night. What's involved in doing this? What do I need to look for in the wiring? Peter 1984 Outrage 22
Mike	#2  Posted on 06/01/05 - 2:07 PM
Site Owner Personal Page Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 337 Comments: 1 Joined: 03/18/05	Peter, Could you use one of those 5 wire flat connectors? Just wire the 5th line on the vehicle side to a powered switch placed somewhere on/in your vehicle and then use the 5th line on the trailer to run the back-up lights. Mike
Mike	#3  Posted on 06/01/05 - 2:10 PM
Site Owner Personal Page Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 337 Comments: 1 Joined: 03/18/05	One more thing. I suppose the switch would have to be covered or locking so you couldn't accidentally turn the lights on and be blinding the folks behind you on the road. Edited by Mike on 06/01/05 - 2:11 PM
Jeff	#4  Posted on 06/01/05 - 2:57 PM
Member Posts: 1987 Comments: 34 Joined: 04/02/05	I like Mike's idea of mounting regular lights to the posts!!! That you be very helpful instead of red break lights... 1993 23' Walkaround Whaler Drive
Joe Kriz	#5  Posted on 06/01/05 - 5:52 PM
Site Owner Personal Page Personal Album Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 11434 Comments: 452 Joined: 03/18/05	Peter, For many years now, most vehicles that have the optional tow package also came with the trailer wiring harness and receptacle. These receptacles have normailly been the 7 Pin style. Since I purchased a Jeep for my wife in 1994 that came standard with this 7 Pin receptacel, I have converted the rest of my vehicles. My new Ford Truck also came with the 7 Pin receptacle. The 7 Pin has everything. 1. Left Turn and Brake 2. Right Turn and Brake 3. Ground 4. Running Lights 5. Constant Power (for charging batteries and running camper lights, etc.) 6. Back Up Light 7. Electric Brakes (for those using electric brakes on other types of trailers) By converting your vehicle over to the 7 Pin receptacle, you can still use a trailer with the 4 Pin connector using a readily available adapter at Wal-Mart, etc... One last note. For those people who are using surge style disc brakes on their boat trailers, the back up light connection allows for the solenoid switch in the actuator to automatically disengage the brake system when backing down your trailer. This is a must have feature on the disc brake system with the surge actuator. Also with the 7 Pin receptacle on all my vehicles, I can tow anyone's trailer with an adapter, whether it is 4 Pin, 6 Pin, or 7 Pin connector.... Makes life simple for me.
cdnwhaler	#6  Posted on 06/07/05 - 6:08 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 200 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/01/05	Joe, I noticed you mentioned a 1994 Jeep. I'm towing with a 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee that also has the round 7 pin receptacle. I use the attachment that takes it to a flat 4 and all neccessary lights work fine. Upon closer inspection inside the 7 pin I notice one of the pins is missing or broken off and considerable corosion. Are you saying I could disect the receptacle (after I get a new one) and use one of the unused pins to power the lights on the guides? Or should I wire the lights directly into the Jeep panel with their own switch? For example: could I use the wire designed for electric brakes since I have surge brakes? And a surge actuator that is just a little too old to install a solenoid so I use a temporary pin/bolt when backing up instead. Good thing we can edit these posts. I assume the pin for the electric brakes is wired to the brake pedal so this would have to be changed. I happen to have the origianl owners manual for the Jeep and I notice there are a few relays & fuses for items either I don't have or don't use. Like fog lamps. Would something like this work? And thanks Mike. I suddenly had visions of me driving down our 3 lane highways at night and everytime I touched the brakes these two white halogen lights blinded everyone within 10 car lenghths. Oh great. Edited by cdnwhaler on 06/07/05 - 6:26 AM 1984 Outrage 22
Joe Kriz	#7  Posted on 06/07/05 - 11:11 AM
Site Owner Personal Page Personal Album Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 11434 Comments: 452 Joined: 03/18/05	cdnwhaler, I am not exactly sure how you want these lights to work. If you just want the lights to work when you back up, then you could hook the lights up to the back-up light wire. Whenever you backed up, your lights would come on. Doing it this way, you could also have the lights come on if you put the vehilce in gear without the engine running but the key on. This would be your on/off switch so to speak. If you want to hook it up the the electric brake wire, you would then need a switch or electric brake system to activate the lights. The wire for the electric brake system is not hooked up to anything under the dash of the Jeep, or any vehicle for that manner that I know of. They expect the owner to hook up electric brakes and add the controller unless it was ordered as a factory option.
cdnwhaler	#8  Posted on 06/07/05 - 2:50 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 200 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/01/05	Joe, I am quite often retrieving the boat at night and also having to back it into some reasonable tight spots at night, by my self. I thought it would great to have some sort of spotlight to help and when I installed those guides the other day it struck me these might be a logical spot to mount them. As for how they turn on, all I think I need is a manual switch. Now, this afternnon I was at an auto supply shop and when picking up a pair of LED trailer lights, I grabbed some reflecters for the guides, but what caught my eye were magnetic spotlights you simply plug in somehow and put them on your cab. I ran out of time but now I'm wondering if there isn't a spotlight I can simply plug into the Jeep lighter and attach it somewhere for 30 minutes to give the rear facing spotlight I'd like. I creamed a stern corner once. I'd like to avoid doing it again Peter 1984 Outrage 22
Phil T	#9  Posted on 06/10/05 - 7:40 AM
Administrator Personal Page Personal Album Project Albums Posts: 6994 Comments: 6 Joined: 03/26/05	pete check out go-light brand portable spotlight. This one is on my list of future purchases. http://www.boatersworld.com/webapp/wc...Id=9173371 I can use on the boat and then transfer to my 4runner roof to light my backing down the ramp and prepping boat prior to leaving
cdnwhaler	#10  Posted on 06/13/05 - 9:57 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 200 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/01/05	That looks like a great idea. Expensive but great. I would never have believed there was such a thing as a portable remote control spotlight. Go-Light has a number of products I note worth researching. Thanks, Peter 1984 Outrage 22
cdnwhaler	#11  Posted on 09/23/05 - 11:37 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 200 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/01/05	As follow up to this old thread Someone recently found this company. www.pipe-light.com It looks pretty good and answers some of what I was looking for. Peter Edited by cdnwhaler on 09/23/05 - 11:37 AM 1984 Outrage 22