Tail Lights

[Thalweg]

This weekend I wired up the exterior lights on my 1962 Tradewind. It took a little work to figure out where all of the wires went to. I found that there were separate wires to the brake lights, and turn signals.

While the 7-pin connector at the truck has the brake and turn signal lights on combined pins (RH turn and stop, and LH turn and stop). So I attached the turn signal lights on the trailer to the appropriate pins on the 7-pin, and left the trailer brake light wire unattached. Everything seems to work OK in that arrangement.

However, I’m wondering if I should be using a different bulb or tail-light socket with that arrangement, instead of the original 1962 Bargeman-99 socket and bulb.

Has anyone else looked at this?

Brent

[idroba]

If you are happy enough with the brightness of the turn/brake lights you will be fine. If they are dim and hardly show, you might consider a change. Of course LED lights will give you a much better brightness and are faster acting. For me, any extra warning to people following me is worth a new LED light system.

[Thalweg]

Originally Posted by idroba

If you are happy enough with the brightness of the turn/brake lights you will be fine. If they are dim and hardly show, you might consider a change. Of course LED lights will give you a much better brightness and are faster acting. For me, any extra warning to people following me is worth a new LED light system.

Thanks, that's pretty much what I thought, but it's good to have some confirmation.

I was actually surprised how bright the lights were, but I may switch to LED bulbs for longevity sake.

[HowieE]

Your modern TV combines the turn and brake apply voltage on the same wire going to the 7 pin receptacle at the rear of the TV.

You also have a parking light signal on the pin at 1 o clock in that receptacle.

Did you hook up the parking lights and if so are they lite at the brake light. Newer lights will use a 2 filament bulb in this light fixture. Older trailer may have a completely separate fixture for the parking lights. That may be your second wire.

[Silver Hawk]

I bought a 18" LED light bar at the trailer store and mounted it above the "AIRSTREAM" above the rear window and hooked it into the break lights - now when I hit the breaks at night the back really lights up - especially for the cars behind the car behind me! Feel safer - people doze at night.

[Thalweg]

The parking lights (TV calls the running lights) have their own separate socket and bulb. They confused me for a while because they had green and brown wires, which is for turn signals on one of my other trailers. However they come on with the rest of the running lights. I just had to remember that wire color convention wasn't the same back in the '60s. I wired them to the running light position on the 7-pin. They work great.

That's a good idea to attach the top running lights to the brake light. Maybe someday if I open up the interior to access the wiring.

Thanks everyone.

[Silver Hawk]

I didn't wire from the inside - was able to run wire (it's stiff) up from the license plate lite up (down really) from the window, around window, than up from top of window (between inside and outside alm.) to light bar location. Placement of light bar was based on how far I could push wire up to a hole to go out to light bar. Was easy and worked great.

[Silver Hawk]

Opp's - meant the brake lite - not the license plate lite - sorry.

[HowieE]

You can not wire the top running lights to the brake lights. If you do that then every time you turn on the running lights they will back feed the brake lights.

To do that you would have to disconnect the top running lights from the running light circuit. This would reduce you exposure from the rear after dark.

Attaching a separate LED light bar up there and wired only to the brake light circuit would work. If you want to go one step further get an LED light bar that has both running lights and brake lights in it and then you would have both.

[Thalweg]

Originally Posted by HowieE

You can not wire the top running lights to the brake lights. If you do that then every time you turn on the running lights they will back feed the brake lights.

To do that you would have to disconnect the top running lights from the running light circuit. This would reduce you exposure from the rear after dark.

Attaching a separate LED light bar up there and wired only to the brake light circuit would work. If you want to go one step further get an LED light bar that has both running lights and brake lights in it and then you would have both.

That makes sense.

I won't do that. I doubt that I'd add an additional light bar as I wouldn't want to deviate from the original 1962 appearance.

Good discussion though!

[airdreamers]

I don't want to highjack this thread but did you use any fuses in the trailer for each circuit to the different lights ie: running brake signal back up? I don't seem to have fuses in line to my lights in the trailer, just a distribution block. Any thoughts, please. I don't seem to have power to my running lights after replacing the 7 pin plug?? Wired wrong? Thanks all.

[HowieE]

Looking at the end of the umbilical cord touch a piece of wire between the contacts at 1 and 11 O Clock. They are trailer battery and parking lights. If the lights don't come on you have an open. Most likely in the new plug end.

[Thalweg]

I didn't use any fuses on these circuits. They all receive their power fromthe tow vehicle, so the tow vehicles fuses provide the necessary protection. So if if your plug on the TV is dead, start there before looking at the trailer.

I used a volt meter and continuity meter to chase down all of the issues.

[SL4BLLT]

We purchased the LED upgrade replacing all of the lights on the airstream. When we first brought the airstream home it was dark, I placed the truck in reverse and my wife thought we were doing a remake of "Christmas Vacation" when Clark Griswold finally connects the Christmas lights. They are bright and this is the first time we've had lights that didn't go out.
The only drawback are the sensors with the side view indicator that allows you to see if all lights are working. Due to there being no reflection with the LEDs in which the bulbs have, the side light indicator does not work. However, well worth the loss of this feature with the enhance LED lights.

INLANDRV, ODM and a few other companies sell the lights individually and in complete sets.

SL4BLLT