Lucky13MN
Minnesota
Full Member
Joined: 05/31/2005
View Profile
 Offline
|
We're seasonal campers now so we have our camper setup at the campsite for the summer (loving this so far). I noticed some travel trailers had their auxiliary lights on, which I thought looked cool and made sense. Of course I had to figure out how it was done and it seems you just run a power lead with inline fuse from the battery to the auxiliary input of the trailer's wiring harness.
I decided to take it one step further... stopped at Wal Mart this morning and bought a 7 pole vehicle adapter for the trailer harness to plug into and some 16 gauge wire. I plan on tapping into the power wire of the electric tongue jack and run that to the proper location on the vehicle adapter (with the inline fuse in place), I think this is the one on the top right. This way I have something to plug the trailer harness into instead of it just laying there. I may also run a switch to turn it on and off, not sure yet.
What do you think? Any reason this won't work how I think it will?
Here's the vehicle adapter I'll be using:
The plan is to mount the vehicle adapter somehow so it looks like it's supposed to be there. Will probably use that to mount the switch as well.
|
Crazy_2
New Maryland New Brunswick
Senior Member
Joined: 08/19/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Went to a rv show put on by a local dealer.
most of the units on display had the running lights lit up.
took a look and was amazed how simple it was.
they had taken a (Large) 15 amp automotive fuse and bridged two wires in the light/break harness to the trailer.
the two wires that were bridged are the ones beside the notched key way in the plug.
that simple.
03 Nissan Xterra
Travel Star Sport XLT 24 FQB by Starcraft 3570 LBS Dry
Prodogy EBC, Reece Dual Cam WDH
|
LAdams
Northern Illinois
Moderator
Joined: 10/06/2000
View Profile
Offline
|
TRAILER END OF 7 PIN PLUG
2000 Ford F-250SD, XLT, 4X4 Off Road, SuperCab
w/ 6.8L (415 C.I.) V-10/3:73LS/4R100
Banks Power Pack w/Trans Command & OttoMind
2006 Nomad 3150 Double Slide (Bunkhouse)
Hensley Arrow
Jordan Ultima 2020
HUNTER THERMOSTAT INSTALL
** NEW ** blog.rv.net
|
MarionMedic
Marion, MS
Senior Member
Joined: 06/01/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
LAdams wrote:TRAILER END OF 7 PIN PLUG
REMEMBER,
the above view is from the BACK (inside) of the plug, not from the "business end".
It's on the website where that photo came from.
(and don't ask me why this is so fresh in my mind) LOL
1997 Chevy 3500 LWB Crew-Cab Dually 6.5 turbo-diesel
2005 Jayco JayFlight 29BHS
|
Fire44
Smyrna, Delaware
Full Member
Joined: 03/05/2005
View Profile
|
I made a simple wire to connect the tail lights and 12V pins...works great. I have a friend that took a flasher and made a "pigtail" to connect the same circuit. He uses it incase he has a break down, by plugging it in all the marker lights flash. I don't think he has had to use it yet but it is a good idea.
Gary
Gary
Delaware
2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Crew Cab Duramax
2006 Outback 30FRKS
|
|
|
Lucky13MN
Minnesota
Full Member
Joined: 05/31/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
So if I just connect a power lead from the tongue jack to the green #3 pin that should do the trick, correct?
Something like this:
* This post was
last
edited 05/05/08 11:27am by an administrator/moderator *
View edit history
|
LAdams
Northern Illinois
Moderator
Joined: 10/06/2000
View Profile
Offline
|
MarionMedic wrote:REMEMBER,
the above view is from the BACK (inside) of the plug, not from the "business end".
It's on the website where that photo came from.
(and don't ask me why this is so fresh in my mind) LOL
Oops, forgot to put that in - yeah, I've done that myself 
Les
|
lhuff
Marietta, GA USA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/18/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
LuckyMN wrote:So if I just connect a power lead from the tongue jack to the green #3 pin that should do the trick, correct?
Yes, but you don't have to do that. Simply put a jumper/fuse/flasher/switch (choose ONE) between pin 3 and 4 on the trailer connector and the trailer battery will run the running lights.
|
Lucky13MN
Minnesota
Full Member
Joined: 05/31/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
So #4 is hot on the trailer end? I thought that was where the vehicle power (to charge the battery, etc) went to.
Interesting... if that's the case it's even easier, I can just use the vehicle plug I bought and make the jump there so when I plug in the trailer harness it will give power to the lights.
I just ordered one of these to mount to the trailer frame that I'll mount the 7-way to (that the trailer harness will plug into). Just to make it look neat and give that harness a 'home' instead of just laying there.
I know I have more into this than I needed, but oh well... Thinking I could put a switch on this box as well.
* This post was
edited 05/05/08 12:04pm by Lucky13MN *
|
lhuff
Marietta, GA USA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/18/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
Assuming (there's that word again) you have a charged battery on the trailer and assuming the trailer is wired as is convention, there is ~12 volts DC on pin 4. You might want to consider adding a 15 amp fuse in the line as well just in case. Your fixture looks nice and should make it easy.
Pin3----Switch----Fuse----Pin4
Or, if you really want to get fancy...
Pin4----Fuse----Switch(DPDT)----Blinker----Pin3
|
|
----Pin3
so that switching the switch one way would light the lamps and switching the switch the other way would blink the lamps (beside the road in an emergency while you go for help would be a use).
The switch would look like this on the back...
No connection--o o--Pin3
Fuse----Pin4--o--o (Connect center terminals together)
Pin3--o o--No connection
This is for a switch where the center is the common connection and the outside connections are switched. You need a DPDT switch with center off so that you can cut it off or use a separate SPST switch between Pin3 and the fuse.
* This post was
edited 05/05/08 01:33pm by lhuff *
|
|
|
