Greetings all,
I would like to add an amber turn signal to either side of my Airstream. My idea is to somehow connect it to the turn signal that would activate and flash when I am changing lanes or turning. I would also like to add a strip of led lamps below my rear window that would activate when I apply the brakes. I may seem like a real psycotic human being, but I was rear ended several years ago and lost my first trailer. Anyone have any ideas. Thanks
If you have a test light or meter just check the wiring at the front of the trailer where the umbilical cord enters and locate the left and right turn signal wires. Splice in there and run the wires to the correct side of the trailer and mount your light.
To keep from having to fish wires through the trailer body any more than necessary I use 1/4 in tubing across the bottom of the trailer and feed the wire through it and then enter the body as close to the new light as possible. A way to get the wire through the small tube, once you have mounted it, is to tie an knot in the end of a string and then blow the string through the tube with compressed air. Hold the other end because this is fast.
As for the rear mounted light you can just pick up the signal from either brake light at the rear of the trailer. Feeding that wire will be a challenge. Maybe the tubing idea all the way from the front will be easier.
I'm rewiring the top marker lights to flash on a turn... so the person behind me will see top and bottom flashing. If you were really nervous, you could get a large LED "arrow" that would flash in one direction or the other. Personally, I have thought about an amber LED sign that simply says "slow." I'm not against anything that gives the people around me a better chance to avoid hitting me.
In order to have a side marker light added as a turn signal, and turn signal only (where it would NOT light up when the brakes are applied), I would think you would need a 9 pin connector to the tow vehicle instead of a 7 pin connector. The 2 extra pins would need to carry strictly a left and right turn signal without the stop lights, and finding that in some tow vehicles might be difficult. If your tow vehicle has separate rear turn signals and stop lights, then finding the turn signal circuits would be much easier.
Another option might be a bit of electronics that would cause the side marker to flash when it’s a turn signal, and stay off when it’s a brake light. No idea where you might that functionally though.
If you don’t care about the side marker lights coming on when the brakes are applied, then you can more simply wire them to the existing turn/stop light wires in the 7 pin harness.
Regarding the center stop light, my SOB trailer has one, and it’s powered by the brake controller signal. I believe it uses a relay to light the center stop light, because it needs not only the brake controller signal, but also a battery on the trailer to function.
I'm rewiring the top marker lights to flash on a turn... so the person behind me will see top and bottom flashing. If you were really nervous, you could get a large LED "arrow" that would flash in one direction or the other. Personally, I have thought about an amber LED sign that simply says "slow." I'm not against anything that gives the people around me a better chance to avoid hitting me.
An interesting idea but one that will most likely cause you are problem if a cop sees you on the road at night. Marker lights are regulated by law as per the size of the vehicle. Removing them or modifying the function is a risk.
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