Extra backup lights for trailers

[opcop]

I needed a way to get extra light behind my trail to help me back up into spaces at night. Even though my wife assists me with a FB radio, it helps to have that extra light. I bought a pair of off road lights used on sand rails and such. I mounted them onto the frame on each side and wired them to the backup light circuit so they only come on when I back up. They adjust up and down so you can get the coverage you desire.

[Round Mound of Sound]

Neet idea! I will be adding a set to my TT. I do have one question, are those concrete concrete blocks.

[NINA]

They almost look like the footings used when you build a deck on a house.
Nina

[opcop]

Yes, they are concrete pier blocks. Due to my yard having a slight slope, I use them to split the difference when putting my back jacks down. This way it keeps them further apart instead of fully extending them down with less stability. Only use them at home. I will be getting the area graded this summer and fix that slope problem.

[MtnGuy]

Talking about back-up lites......my Surveyor came without backup lites, but my Trailmanor had them. I guess there is no industry wide standard??

[hunt4240dw]

Where did you tie into the backup circuit?

I bought my lights last with doing the idea of doing the same thing. The only place I knew to tie in was up front where the TV harness wire connects the trailer. I was also going to put in a 30 amp relay with the backup circuit as the activator.

David

[opcop]

Locate the pin on the connector that operates the back up lights. Follow your TT connector back to a metal box attached to you trailer tongue, usually just under the front of the TT. Open the box and find the wire associated with the back up light pin using a lighted tester pen. Make sure your parking brake is on and wheels choked when you put your tow veh in reverse. By removing the wire screw caps, you will eventually locate the right wire when your pen lights up. Tap into that wire and put the screw cap back on. Run your new wire out of the box and close it up. Now you have your lead for your back up lights. Just don't forget to ground each light as well.

[hunt4240dw]

That is where I was thinking. I wanted to make sure there was not a better place.

David

[cat1956]

If you have the standard 7 blade plug it will be the only one not being used.

[cmcct]

Hi,
Thought I'd chime in on this one. I'll be putting back-up lights on soon as well. I don't want to assume that all Forest River wiring is the same, but on my Rockwood the wire I need to use is the yellow wire. It is the only one not connected to anything inside the junction box.

[cat1956]

Yellow is the one.If the female plug on your TV came factory installed it will already be wired to the back up circuit.But if it is a add on you may have to hook it up.

[donjuanss]

I had a Salem 19' Hybrid and it came with the yellow wire already ran to the back of the TT. All you had to do was connect it in the junction box then connect the lights. The new V-Lite I bought had the yellow wire from the TV connector to the junction box but no further. I had to run a 14ga wire to the back to connect the lights. I also used the 55 Watt Utility lights you can buy at Wal Mart for $11. They give more light than most cars headlights do.

[rafcar]

I just finished doing this myself the other day. I put a relay next to that junction box under the trailer. I had a really hard time hooking a wire to the yellow wire from the trailer since it was very short and I didn't want to pull it out to much. I used two 55w fog lamps from Walmart and put them mid way back and just above the tires pointing down some and to the side a little. It actually turned out really good IMO. I'll try to post some pics later.

[cat1956]

Did you use the yellow wire to power the coil in the relay and the trailer battery to power the lights?

[rafcar]

Yes, I used the yellow wire to activate the relay, and I connected the power to the relay by running a wire from the battery + to the relay. The other two connections from the relay are to power the lights, and a ground. This was just a regular 4 prong relay. Hope this helps.

[rafcar]

Here are a few pictures I took the other night. Had to back into the driveway at night and I can honestly say the placement of these two lights is perfect for me.

[CorpusBragg]

rafcar and opcop,

Thanks for your ideas and photos! I plan to do the same, perhaps with Piaa lights. Two directly behind my 34' TT, with two high on the sides rear or middle.

[revrnd]

Dumb question of the day, is the circuit alsways "on" when in TV is in reverse? Or can it be switched on or off independently? Your may not always need the trailer backup lights.

I guess you could add a small switch @ the front or side of your trailer.

[SaskCampers]

Use both the light cct and reverse with 2 relays and it will only work with the lights on. You power the 1st relays coil with the light cct and then put the backup light power through the main contacts of the 1st relay and use it to power the coil in the 2nd relay. Run your 12v from the batt through the main contacts of the 2nd relay and you will have a ctt that only provides power with the lights on in reverse.

[MikeA]

On our last TT I add some backuplights in a manner very much like opcop. When I wired them up I wired them through a simple relay to isolate the power from the TV. I also added a wall mounted switch near the entry door to the trailer to operate the lights whenever I want to light up the "back yard" behind the trailer at night.

While I was at it I also added additional turn signal indicators to the sides of the trailer about half way down the length of the unit. I found that making lane changes on busy freeways easier after the change as drivers driving beside the trailer could more easily see my intentions.

Mike