They said I could be anything...

[gtengr]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

another example...

Is that south Alabama or north?

[Stang70Fastback]

Originally Posted by gravitylover

How did you wire up the trailer lights? I need them for when I have bikes on the hitch rack because they obstruct the tail lights completely so I want to hang a set on the outermost bike.

I also want to get a small super lightweight trailer to transport a variety of things.

There is a link to the wiring kit I used in my blog post

[Takumi788]

Just buy THIS for the wiring and be done with it. Works great for me.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by gtengr

Is that south Alabama or north?

Well, don't really know

The source page is Texas but didn't start there. Did an image search but couldn't really find the origin. Regardless..go Grandma!

[sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Jordanwolf

Could you not just get an external battery?

I suppose you could do that. It won't charge as you drive though. I've installed trailer wiring on about 5 vehicles from trucks (which are usually 12v 2-wire and ready to tow) to minivans which are a PITA to do.

[Jordanwolf]

Originally Posted by sweetpea

I suppose you could do that. It won't charge as you drive though. I've installed trailer wiring on about 5 vehicles from trucks (which are usually 12v and ready to tow) to minivans which are a PITA to do and the lights are 6v.

I only bring that up because depending on frequency of use it may be less hassle to just hook it up to a battery? yah?

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by sweetpea

I suppose you could do that. It won't charge as you drive though. I've installed trailer wiring on about 5 vehicles from trucks (which are usually 12v and ready to tow) to minivans which are a PITA to do and the lights are 6v.

Originally Posted by Jordanwolf

I only bring that up because depending on frequency of use it may be less hassle to just hook it up to a battery? yah?

Not sure that would work because it wouldn't activate the brake lights on the trailer when you press the pedal, unless I'm missing something. Hooking the trailer lights directly to a battery would illuminate them, but that's about all.

[Jordanwolf]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Not sure that would work because it wouldn't activate the brake lights on the trailer when you press the pedal, unless I'm missing something. Hooking the trailer lights directly to a battery would illuminate them, but that's about all.

Well the battery as the power source and then wiring work could be minimized? Idunno, thinking about it now (I didn't really think about it to begin with) it may be more work to use a battery than to just hardwire

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Jordanwolf

Well the battery as the power source and then wiring work could be minimized? Idunno, thinking about it now (I didn't really think about it to begin with) it may be more work to use a battery than to just hardwire

If you are really concerned about doing the install, check with U-Haul. The usually will install a hitch for about $100 plus cost of the hitch. Better to have someone do it right.

[Jordanwolf]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

If you are really concerned about doing the install, check with U-Haul. The usually will install a hitch for about $100 plus cost of the hitch. Better to have someone do it right.

Good tip, maybe in a couple of years though when I finally decide to go to an all day track day

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by gtengr

Is that south Alabama or north?

Sorry to burst your stereotype, but that's not Alabama. Alabama has a helmet law and aggressive police who would likely perform a pit maneuver on the old lady to stop them for multiple tickets.

It looks more like something I'd see down here in Florida, especially around The Villages. Fun Fact: The Villages has one of the highest STD rates in the country. They wouldn't worry too much about exhaust fumes or head injuries.

[sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Jordanwolf

Well the battery as the power source and then wiring work could be minimized? Idunno, thinking about it now (I didn't really think about it to begin with) it may be more work to use a battery than to just hardwire

Maybe I misunderstood your question.


*edited

1. If your car is low amperage 3-wire then you need the converter box that was shown in the link. This takes the signal from the brakes, lights, turn signals and sends them to the trailer


2. Many trailers are 12v systems. So the low amperage car system won't light it and/or it only sends a signal to the turn signals as they are wired from the primary brake lights. the box decodes all of this and allows you to send it to the trailer.


3. When you said you wanted to use a separate battery to run the trailer lights......you can do that. But it would only be for the 12v primary wire that powers the distribution box. You still have to splice into/use a wire harness into on the main tail lights/turn signals. The 12v lead is only for power, not the signal of what to do. So you can use an external battery....but really its like 20mins work to run a lead from the trunk to the front of the car. You only have to pull the panel up by the floorboard on the battery side. The rest you can fish it through (I just did the same thing to my 2014, but it was the backup camera cord I ran to the stereo. Could have easily went through the dash to the battery at that point.


If you are familiar with car stereo amps....its similar to how they operate. You plug the amp directly to a 12v source. Then there is a signal wire that tells it to turn on (from your radio). This is how the newer car lights work in simplified terms. You need that 12v source for powering the trailer lights and you need the taillight source to be your signal wire for brakes/lights/turn. The box decodes all that and sends the signals to the trailer lights...but uses the power from the battery, not the car tail lights as there isn't enough amperage there.

[gtengr]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

Sorry to burst your stereotype, but that's not Alabama. Alabama has a helmet law and aggressive police who would likely perform a pit maneuver on the old lady to stop them for multiple tickets.

It looks more like something I'd see down here in Florida, especially around The Villages. Fun Fact: The Villages has one of the highest STD rates in the country. They wouldn't worry too much about exhaust fumes or head injuries.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by sweetpea

1. If your car is 6V then you need the converter box that was shown in the link.

Originally Posted by sweetpea

2. Its 6v (which is more common nowadays).

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