Trying to put flood lights on trailer...

[RamblingRMZ]

How do I go about putting a light on my trailer so when I'm loading up at night I can see what's going on. Do I need a battery pack or can I wire it up to my trailer wiring? I'll be mounting these on the front rail.

Edited September 28, 2016 by RamblingRMZ

[mlatour]

Not sure about your tow vehicle, but some pickup trucks with 'towing package' have a larger 7-pin connector versus the basic 4-pin.

In those 7 pins models I'm pretty sure there's a power lead for trailer accessories / battery charging.

 

There's also a 'backup light' lead in the 7-pin connector, handy to wire extra backup lighting

on your rear bumper without having to mess with the wiring too much.

 

If you have the basic 4 pin connector:

 

-battery negative / ground

-RH turn

-LH turn

-running lights

 

unless you leave the running lights on the tow vehicle,there is no other 'constant' power output.

 

The very simplest solution (no battery or wiring required) would be those camping / survival lights that are crank recharged.

I have a few from Wal-Mart, about 4" in diameter, 1" thick, has selectable white or red LED's in low/high intensity.

Edited September 29, 2016 by mlatour

[RamblingRMZ]

I have a 4 pin and I would only need it at night so can I tie it into the running light wire? I plan on using a pre fab harness with a 40 amp relay. I plan on putting one of these on the front one on each corner or maybe use a piece of unistrut with conduit and mount them up high when at the track.

Nilight 2PCS 18W 1260lm Spot Driving Fog Light Off Road Led Lights Bar Mounting Bracket for SUV Boat 4" Jeep Lamp,2 years Warranty

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G620ZVU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.Dh7xbHDQSF8Y

LAMPHUS CRUIZER Off Road ATV/Jeep LED Light Bar Wiring Harness Kit - 40 Amp Relay ON/OFF Switch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D1CQVIY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_WEh7xb9DJ5DYN

[Padilen]

Have you seen the light those put out?

I bought a cheap pair from Walmart - not very bright.

[RamblingRMZ]

I have a cree led bar on my truck it's 12 inches long and super bright I don't know about the small ones but I'll try them out there only $18

[lseann]

You can get a 2 pin cigarette lighter socket that you can plug into a vehicle trailer connector and run one of those 1000 candle power spotlights off it or whatever.

[lseann]

Or plug in one of these to that socket. http://www.partdeal.com/heavy-duty-lighting-mag-base-work-light-hd42505-3wflmags.html?zmam=74973193&zmas=1&zmac=4&zmap=77196596&gclid=CM-w16aBtc8CFYF-fgodYycF8Q

[bobsled]

I installed mobile electronics for several years, I also have a MECP certification (woopee); so I feel that I'm not shooting in the dark here....this is what I would do:

Run a power lead from your battery to the back of the truck, being sure to put a fuse within 18" of the battery...it's basically like your running an amplifier, Inverter, or cb power wire....10-12 gauge should be PLENTY big

I would put a small switch on/under the dash inside the cab & connect the switch to your 40amp relay (a 15/20amp would likely be plenty big)...naturally, you will need to run the power wire through your relay, so it may be easier to run the power wire through the firewall into the truck, and then go back out to the rear bumper (your call there)

At the back of the truck I would either use a 2nd trailer light connector, or the plug I linked at bottom....& put the corresponding plug on your trailer with two pieces of power wire running to the back of the trailer (or wherever you plan to put the lights)

on the Truck side of the plug ground the negative wire to the chassis....on the trailer I would likely run your own ground wires to the lights instead of using the trailer as a ground plane (just my personal pref)

Feel free to ask if you need any help, I can draw diagrams if needed....or even make videos

Here is the molex style connector you can use in place of a 2nd trailer light harness: http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/33481-0401/WM4692-ND/1756774?WT.mc_id=IQ_7595_G_pla1756774&wt.srch=1&wt.medium=cpc&WT.srch=1&gclid=CJ7ghJ6ntc8CFUMkgQodsuEI5A

-this method is the most involved, but it WILL be a "one and done" job if you do it this way...no mickey mouse crap with a permanent install

Alternatively you could just put a couple lights on your roof rack pointed backwards, could be handy for backing up too!

Edited September 29, 2016 by bobsled

[RamblingRMZ]

I installed mobile electronics for several years, I also have a MECP certification (woopee); so I feel that I'm not shooting in the dark here....this is what I would do:

Run a power lead from your battery to the back of the truck, being sure to put a fuse within 18" of the battery...it's basically like your running an amplifier, Inverter, or cb power wire....10-12 gauge should be PLENTY big

I would put a small switch on/under the dash inside the cab & connect the switch to your 40amp relay (a 15/20amp would likely be plenty big)...naturally, you will need to run the power wire through your relay, so it may be easier to run the power wire through the firewall into the truck, and then go back out to the rear bumper (your call there)

At the back of the truck I would either use a 2nd trailer light connector, or the plug I linked at bottom....& put the corresponding plug on your trailer with two pieces of power wire running to the back of the trailer (or wherever you plan to put the lights)

on the Truck side of the plug ground the negative wire to the chassis....on the trailer I would likely run your own ground wires to the lights instead of using the trailer as a ground plane (just my personal pref)

Feel free to ask if you need any help, I can draw diagrams if needed....or even make videos

Here is the molex style connector you can use in place of a 2nd trailer light harness: http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/33481-0401/WM4692-ND/1756774?WT.mc_id=IQ_7595_G_pla1756774&wt.srch=1&wt.medium=cpc&WT.srch=1&gclid=CJ7ghJ6ntc8CFUMkgQodsuEI5A

-this method is the most involved, but it WILL be a "one and done" job if you do it this way...no mickey mouse crap with a permanent install

Alternatively you could just put a couple lights on your roof rack pointed backwards, could be handy for backing up too!

Great info bobsled but my thing is I have two vehicles I tow with. Can I run my lights off of the running lights hot leg and just ground to the trailer chassis? I'm trying to make it independent from the Vehicle so I can use what ever vehicle I want to use? Should I look into getting a battery and run it that way? How would I keep the battery charged? How big of a battery do I need? I will only need the lights at night. The lights will come in Tomm. I know where I want them but not sure how to wire it up yet. Plus I can to mount them on a pile of pipe so it shines down if possible.ill post pictures Tomm.Thanks for your help in advance

[SMarquez]

I have a 4 pin and I would only need it at night so can I tie it into the running light wire? I plan on using a pre fab harness with a 40 amp relay. I plan on putting one of these on the front one on each corner or maybe use a piece of unistrut with conduit and mount them up high when at the track.

Nilight 2PCS 18W 1260lm Spot Driving Fog Light Off Road Led Lights Bar Mounting Bracket for SUV Boat 4" Jeep Lamp,2 years Warranty

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G620ZVU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.Dh7xbHDQSF8Y

LAMPHUS CRUIZER Off Road ATV/Jeep LED Light Bar Wiring Harness Kit - 40 Amp Relay ON/OFF Switch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D1CQVIY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_WEh7xb9DJ5DYN

That's what I did on my sons band trailer. They can have inside lights and outside lights. They just run the van while they are using the lights. No reliability issues since there are 6 in the band and they all do walk arounds before they leave the trailer so no lights get left on.

The lights look good, are they spots of floods? For what you are doing you should think of flood lights.

Edited September 30, 2016 by SMarquez

[bobsled]

Great info bobsled but my thing is I have two vehicles I tow with. Can I run my lights off of the running lights hot leg and just ground to the trailer chassis? I'm trying to make it independent from the Vehicle so I can use what ever vehicle I want to use? Should I look into getting a battery and run it that way? How would I keep the battery charged? How big of a battery do I need? I will only need the lights at night. The lights will come in Tomm. I know where I want them but not sure how to wire it up yet. Plus I can to mount them on a pile of pipe so it shines down if possible.ill post pictures Tomm.Thanks for your help in advance

There are a few ways you could go about using the running lamp power; but I've had sudden inspiration:

Lowe's sells a solar powered security light that has led flood lamps on it....something like that may be the easiest solution to your needs

No power source to tap with that setup, and you don't have to leave your lights on to run it (don't know if that matters to you)

If you are more interested in having something with no battery, I would be glad to outline the procedure to use the running lamp power

Edit: the downside of tapping into the power for the running lights is a risk of blowing the fuse on your circuit & getting to deal with that (no biggie if you carry an extra & it's easy to access)

Edited September 30, 2016 by bobsled

[scooter89]

I just tapped into the tail light circuit for power and put a cheap set of LED pods on and used a simple toggle switch to break power so they aren't always on with the tail lights.

[RamblingRMZ]

That's what plan on doing but I shorted the trailer tail relay a while back trying to plug the 4 pin backwards bc I had no light why there no light at the plug boggles my mind. Any who can you post a picture? I hope this doesn't overload the circuit I'm hoping the fuse on the relay will blow before the relay does again it's a $85 dollar relay at Toyota

[bobsled]

That's what plan on doing but I shorted the trailer tail relay a while back trying to plug the 4 pin backwards bc I had no light why there no light at the plug boggles my mind. Any who can you post a picture? I hope this doesn't overload the circuit I'm hoping the fuse on the relay will blow before the relay does again it's a $85 dollar relay at Toyota

I'm confused, what are you needing a pic of?

Also, how did you plug in your trailer light plug backwards? All that I have ever seen have 3 pins that are female with one male, to prevent plugging them in backwards.

BTW, don't buy your relay from Toyota, relays should be less than $15! (Unless it's a special shaped one from toyota, in which case you may not have a choice). Check with your local parts shop, or look at rockauto.com

I doubt it hurt the relay, they are quite tough (unless you try to pull high current through the switch lead/pins)

[RamblingRMZ]

I finally installed the lights and they look great I hooked up my hot to the running lights and so far that's good enough. I'll take picture of wiring later

[RamblingRMZ]

[Padilen]

Great!

I'd protect those wires with split loom or even a piece of fuel line etc.

[Jason Starr]

Hello bud so you just tied that harness into the trailer light harness correct. I'm looking at doing led light on the inside of my 6x12 trailer for my utv and wanting to make it where I can turn them on and off.