They said I could be anything...

[sweetpea]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

More common? What car built since the 1950s has used a 6v electrical system?

So for the more technical answer........(I apologize....it is more of an amp load than voltage, but I do know my minivan lights showed 6v when I checked them a few years back).


What is a converter?
Two types of taillight designs are found on vehicles; an independent bulb system and a common bulb system. If the brake light and turn signal operate from the same bulb, the taillight design is common. If the brake and turn work from separate bulbs, the design is independent. The industry standard found on trailers is a common bulb system. Vehicles will vary depending on the make and model. Any vehicle that has an independent bulb system must have a converter to“convert” the independent system to a common which is required on a trailer. A converter enables vehicles with independent brake lights and turn signals to provide proper lighting to the trailer.
Why do I need a power converter?
Electronics on many newer vehicles are not equipped to handle the extra amp load that trailer lights require. A power converter provides power directly from the battery bypassing the electronics. This guarantees protection for sensitive electronics found on these vehicles.
What is the reason for the battery lead wire on the power converter?
This wire provides the power to the trailer lights. Green / RT, yellow / LT, red / brake, and brown / taillights going to the power converter are only used as a signal. Once a function is used on the vehicle, the converter provides the actual power for the trailer lights from the battery. This allows us to bypass all the vehicle electronics to provide guaranteed safety.






Converters are required when a vehicle has what is called a 3-wire or separate lighting system. These systems will have turn signal circuits that are separate from the brake light circuits.

Trailers use a 2-wire or combined system meaning the brake lights and turn signals are on the same circuit.

A converter is needed to take the separate signals from the vehicle and combine them so that the trailer lights operating on a combined system will work properly. Wires and fuses connected directly to the vehicle tail lights will not work because trailers in the US do not have separate turn signals from the brake lights.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by sweetpea

So for the more technical answer........(I apologize....it is more of an amp load than voltage, but I do know my minivan lights showed 6v when I checked them a few years back).


What is a converter?
Two types of taillight designs are found on vehicles; an independent bulb system and a common bulb system. If the brake light and turn signal operate from the same bulb, the taillight design is common. If the brake and turn work from separate bulbs, the design is independent. The industry standard found on trailers is a common bulb system. Vehicles will vary depending on the make and model. Any vehicle that has an independent bulb system must have a converter to“convert” the independent system to a common which is required on a trailer. A converter enables vehicles with independent brake lights and turn signals to provide proper lighting to the trailer.
Why do I need a power converter?
Electronics on many newer vehicles are not equipped to handle the extra amp load that trailer lights require. A power converter provides power directly from the battery bypassing the electronics. This guarantees protection for sensitive electronics found on these vehicles.
What is the reason for the battery lead wire on the power converter?
This wire provides the power to the trailer lights. Green / RT, yellow / LT, red / brake, and brown / taillights going to the power converter are only used as a signal. Once a function is used on the vehicle, the converter provides the actual power for the trailer lights from the battery. This allows us to bypass all the vehicle electronics to provide guaranteed safety.






Converters are required when a vehicle has what is called a 3-wire or separate lighting system. These systems will have turn signal circuits that are separate from the brake light circuits.

Trailers use a 2-wire or combined system meaning the brake lights and turn signals are on the same circuit.

A converter is needed to take the separate signals from the vehicle and combine them so that the trailer lights operating on a combined system will work properly. Wires and fuses connected directly to the vehicle tail lights will not work because trailers in the US do not have separate turn signals from the brake lights.

I still don't see an answer to the question in all that copypasta. I don't believe there have been any passenger cars built with a 6 volt electrical system since the 1950s. Sticking a meter in the lamp of your minivan doesn't make that a 6v system, nor does it make 6v electrical systems "more common nowadays." Pretty much everything is 12v, except for 24v military applications.

The other details of the tail light circuit notwithstanding, you wrote quite a bit about 6v electrical systems that don't exist. Now I can just imagine the weird and confusing conversation resulting from someone having read that and then trying to explain to a guy at the parts counter that he needs a device to convert the 6v electrical system in his BRZ to 12v so he can tow a trailer.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

I still don't see an answer to the question in all that copypasta. I don't believe there have been any passenger cars built with a 6 volt electrical system since the 1950s. Sticking a meter in the lamp of your minivan doesn't make that a 6v system, nor does it make 6v electrical systems "more common nowadays." Pretty much everything is 12v, except for 24v military applications.

The other details of the tail light circuit notwithstanding, you wrote quite a bit about 6v electrical systems that don't exist. Now I can just imagine the weird and confusing conversation resulting from someone having read that and then trying to explain to a guy at the parts counter that he needs a device to convert the 6v electrical system in his BRZ to 12v so he can tow a trailer.

They still make them.

[sweetpea]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

I still don't see an answer to the question in all that copypasta. I don't believe there have been any passenger cars built with a 6 volt electrical system since the 1950s. Sticking a meter in the lamp of your minivan doesn't make that a 6v system, nor does it make 6v electrical systems "more common nowadays." Pretty much everything is 12v, except for 24v military applications.

The other details of the tail light circuit notwithstanding, you wrote quite a bit about 6v electrical systems that don't exist. Now I can just imagine the weird and confusing conversation resulting from someone having read that and then trying to explain to a guy at the parts counter that he needs a device to convert the 6v electrical system in his BRZ to 12v so he can tow a trailer.

Edited my posts to help with confusion. 6v was incorrect, though I do stand by my minivans (had 3 of them) being PITA to do and they all showed 6v at the lights. Like my first sentence above says....it was an amperage thing, not volts.

[Irace86.2.0]

I would be concerned that the flat wood would create an area of low pressure at speed resulting in lift which could cause the trailer to lift, bounce or cause the rear end to lose control.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Irace86.2.0

I would be concerned that the flat wood would create an area of low pressure at speed resulting in lift which could cause the trailer to lift, bounce or cause the rear end to lose control.

Maybe we can ask Mr Nerd to run it through his wind tunnel program.

[Stang70Fastback]

Originally Posted by Irace86.2.0

I would be concerned that the flat wood would create an area of low pressure at speed resulting in lift which could cause the trailer to lift, bounce or cause the rear end to lose control.

The low pressure would have to develop above the trailer for what you described to happen. This isn't going to happen on "flat wood" unless your tire trailer is not actually a tire trailer, and just an empty bed. Even so, it wouldn't be anything significant at all. You don't accidentally wind up with 100 lb of lift on a trailer unless you're towing it at a 30 degree angle at 100 MPH or something. Even if you mounted a massive wing on your trailer, and configured it to create 100 lb of lift at 80 MPH, causing the trailer to go very light and start moving around a bit more, it doesn't weigh anywhere near enough to have any meaningful impact on the vehicle's direction of travel.

[JSube]

Uh...everybody's still ok with the idea that the twins are meant to be enjoyed and not be taken that seriously, right? If you lined up all the NA, NB, NC and now ND Miatas that drag tires and toolboxes to autocross and various other motorsports events they'd stretch from here to Beijing and back 12 times.
Shut up and drive...

[JMon85]

Lol nice!