Turning on Running lights while camping

[Rich W]

I've never had any problems finding my way back anywhere, but maybe that's just me. All I need is a flashlight. But if I was worried, I'd just take my cell phone with GPS and use the Maps feature to find my way back. I've even used the car GPS on a boat when I went fishing with someone who didn't have a GPS (It doesn't show islands so you can't go zipping across the lake in the fog. You can find your way back to the dock/camp, however.)

As far as the trailer lights go, I prefer the darkness but they don't keep me awake. I wouldn't do it on my trailer unless I was just checking bulbs. My trusty Coleman Dual Fuel lantern is plenty of light for this old Boy Scout.

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

You can use a car flasher unit with two connectors and plug it directly in, not exactly a strobe but you still get the flashing effect. I suspect the cheaper and lighter the flasher unit the faster they will flash...

Aaron

Unless you have LED running lights ... then an LED specific flasher is needed due to the difference in current draw ...

[J. Morgan]

A flasher marked "heavy duty" will flash and flash consistently regardless of load.

[drboyd]

OK, I used an Audiovox AA-925 alarm, but I'm sure there's a zillion that will work just the same. Check on the alarm's installation instructions, and as long as it has one "12+" lead, one "Ground" lead, and one "Parking light" lead, you're good to go.

The alarm instructions will tell you the color codes for the leads. The 12+ is usually red and the ground lead is usually black.

The ground wire goes to the #1 pin on your socket, the 12+ wire goes to the #4 pin and the "taillight " wire goes to the #3 pin.

Screw the lid back on the jar, and you're in business!

Note: I'm actually going to paint the jar, as soon as I decide on a color. Any suggestions?

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, paint it silver from the inside; That's how we painted Lexan RC car bodies.

[MYater]

Originally Posted by drboyd

OK, I used an Audiovox AA-925 alarm, but I'm sure there's a zillion that will work just the same. Check on the alarm's installation instructions, and as long as it has one "12+" lead, one "Ground" lead, and one "Parking light" lead, you're good to go.

I'm thinking how funny it would be to have a speaker attached somewhere so you can chirp the trailer and make the lights flash as though it were locked.

Originally Posted by drboyd

Screw the lid back on the jar, and you're in business!

Note: I'm actually going to paint the jar, as soon as I decide on a color. Any suggestions?

I really do like the approach using the jar, and I agree with ROBERTSUNRUS to paint the inside if the jar. My wife has done some craft things and painting the inside always looks better, and you can't get too much paint and make it look bad.

[ODSCS]

I posted on another topic about 12 lines down this list on "Emergency lights on your A/S trailer with no tow vehicle" a unit that I constructed. Photos, parts and wiring are shown. The unusual aspect was the LED running lights required a special LED rated flasher as the newer A/S trailers have. Just completed a 2500 mile journey and now have covers to place over the tail lights to reduce the annoying brightness from them.

[switz]

I see this turn on the running lights device as an emergency device if I have to leave the trailer beside the road after dark. The trailer batteries could power those LEDs for a week, if necessary. I have several "small" pocket sized 200 candle power flashlights to walk around with in the dark. A flasher model for the brake lights and steady "on" for the running lights would perhaps get more attention.

[albert]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

I love quoting myself :-)

Just tried my contraption. Perfect! No sparks, no shock. Easy peasey!

Can you show a pic of the finished piece that you wired up?
Thanks

[SteveSueMac]

Will do when I get back to the trailer Albert.

[Tumbleweed61]

I just want to say thank you for this thread, because it inspired me to attempt to power up the running lights, whereupon I was able to identify the fact that the "Charge Line" circuit breaker (power from the TV to the AS batteries) is bad. (We have not gone on a long enough trip yet to have realized that this was a problem.)
One repair and a couple of jumpers later, and I now am able to turn on the running lights steady or flashing.
Thanks again.





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[Sprouty]

This is a great thread I just put a 10 amp spade fuse in and boom lights. I am going to pick up a flasher as well.

[AWCHIEF]

This is my rally light doohickey. It is hot wired with a 10 amp fuse for lights continuously on. Pull the end cap, swap one wire and the flasher is in line. Total cost $1. Plug was on the discount shelf at West Marine as an open box/defective return. Rest of the parts were from my junk box in the garage. 💡

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

This is my rally light doohickey. It is hot wired with a 10 amp fuse for lights continuously on. Pull the end cap, swap one wire and the flasher is in line. Total cost $1. Plug was on the discount shelf at West Marine as an open box/defective return. Rest of the parts were from my junk box in the garage. ��

Hi, My original light control box was made with a 10 amp fuse, but when we plugged it into a Classic with all incandescent bulbs, the fuse blew. So I changed it to a 20 amp fuse.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by Sprouty

This is a great thread I just put a 10 amp spade fuse in and boom lights. I am going to pick up a flasher as well.

That's all I do.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, My original light control box was made with a 10 amp fuse, but when we plugged it into a Classic with all incandescent bulbs, the fuse blew. So I changed it to a 20 amp fuse.

Glad you posted that. I went out to double check what fuse was in my doohickey. Low and behold sometime in the last couple of years I put in a 15 amp fuse. Don't know why or when but I suppose I had a good reason (or not) at the time.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by albert

Can you show a pic of the finished piece that you wired up?
Thanks

Hi - I think AWCHIEF's doohickey looks WAY better than mine. I could have just plugged the 10 amp blade fuse in to the 7-pin connector but I used a male 7-pin head with the 11:00 and 1:00 positions wired to a fuse receptacle. This way, instead of the (slight) chance of accidentally shocking myself, I can just slip the contraption on the trailer's connector and I'm good to go. If the fuse ever blows (never has so far) the receptacle is exposed so it's a quick swap of fuse and back in business.

But Chief's is really much cooler :-)

[AWCHIEF]

I have been know to over think very simple projects. Thankfully this one was completed without having to take out another bank loan.