Trailer wiring

[eagle19952]

Here is what I have found.
I had the same problem,and I used to carry spare converters and simply plug in a new one..which got me going but did not solve the problem.
After a few of these remedies I came to the conclusion that heat is the enemy, that and "cheap" converters, so I bought a better one and mounted it to a small hinged box tin that I drilled 5/16 holes (with stepped bit) into all of the sides, a heat disipater if you will. The converter also has an air space between the tin and itself.
It is an Altoids tin, which when opened can be sheet metal screwed to a surface, and with the horizontal hinge on top...close the box and motor on.

Works for me, about 6 years now.

[artvonne]

  My strong belief is that all trailers should be wired to be pulled by anything, which means 12 volt. Same with any tow vehicle, all trailer hookups on a tow vehicle should be 12 volt, with standard (common) trailer conections so you can, theoretically, pull anything.

  All the cheap converter boxes are doing is taking the place of relays and diodes. If your drawing so much power your burning up converter boxes, your drawing more power than they can handle. I know some have all the running lights on their towed, all I run was tail lights. Less lights means less current means cooler wires. And some lights are better than none.

[bevans6]

What about switching the running/turnsignal/brake lights on the trailer to LED?  My new trailer is all LED, but I did the switch on my last trailer just to get the brighter lights.  Since they draw almost no current, maybe the converter will last longer.

Brian

[Ace]

Im thinking it might be easier to just change the lights in the trailer. Since I have four now, all red, and all four do the same thing, why couldn't I just replace two of them with amber turn signals that would be in dependent? Not only that, it would match the rear of my bus!

[bobofthenorth]

Its up to you what you do Ace but I can think of a couple of issues if you change the trailer.  First off it will then be non-standard whenever you sell it for whatever that is worth.  More importantly your bus still won't be rigged to pull any trailer except that particular one.  And third you'll have to string an additional wire through the trailer to drive the additional lights.  If you're looking for a fast simple solution I'd give Brian's LED idea a try.  I prefer LEDs anyway.

[Ace]

That's exactly what I was thinking.

Ok my bus has been changed to leds that have independent  turn. If I change the trailer to match, it too would be independent turn leds. I don't see changing trailers any time soon.

[bevans6]

before you spend money, try  disconnect one light on each side.  Will reduce the brake/turn load by half and may let the converter work fine.  I am not at all sure that amber turn signals on a trailer are legal.

edit.  amber turn signals on the back are fine.  http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/standards/conspicuity/trlrpstr.html

Brian

[belfert]

My bus has all 12 volt exterior lighting.  I used a powered converter from Drawtite to handle the trailer lights.  It must have some sort of relays as I can hear it clicking when the turn signals are on.

[Ace]

Brian do you have a part number?

[robertglines1]

Did you step down power when you went to led on your bus? or use existing voltage/amp wiring? Just curious have seem post in past where led didn't draw enough to make turn signals work?   Bob

[belfert]

Brian do you have a part number?

I forgot that the product is actually called a Modulite.  The model I have is discontinued, but the closest replacement seems to be the model 119192.

The only problem I have had with mine is it quit when the temps were around 100 degrees and the the bus wasn't moving.  As soon as I opened the engine door and it got a little air it started working again.

[Fred Mc]

On the trailers I have built to tow with my bus (12V) I put in an extra light for the brakes. Makes it really simple. Yea, if you sell it it has to be changed but that is easy. And if you want to tow it with another vehicle that is not difficult either. I can't remember the specifics of it now but I have a trailer I tow with either the bus or my pickup and just plug them it. You accomodate the differences in the wiring.

[eagle19952]

Remember the heat...The only problem I have had with mine is it quit when the temps were around 100 degrees and the the bus wasn't moving.  As soon as I opened the engine door and it got a little air it started working again.
http://www.drawtite-hitches.com/products/Heavy_Duty_Powered_Tail_Light_Converter__10_Amp_with_Circuit_Protection,52260

if you notice the design of the case, it disipates heat better.



or look here     or look here      or look here 
http://www.drawtite-hitches.com/categories/ModuLite_Power_Modules,279

[belfert]

The heat issue was a very unusual case.  It usually isn't nearly 100 degrees at night.  The unit worked fine when the bus was moving, but the problem started when we had to stop on the shoulder due to a hung brake.  The heat inside the engine compartment combined with ambient temps was high enough to cause the unit to stop.  Simply opening the engine compartment door was enough to revive it.  It was fairly important to have trailer lights to be seen, but we also put out triangles.

I doubt we'll ever see this combination of circumstances again.

[thunderstruck]

I assume you are talking about a "flat 4" trailer plug with yellow, green, brown and white wires. When you have seperate turn signals (yellow lenses) and brake lights you need a "flat 4" with a turn signal converter which adds an extra wire to hook to the signals...