Night time Trailer setup

[wmtire]

When it comes to backing trailers, Clint Eastwood said it best:

Eastwood- A Man's Got to Know his Limitations - YouTube

[Scott Colegrove]

Have you considered just putting a single flood light on the back of the trailer and running it through the back up circuit on the truck. You should have a pin in your plug that you can use. You can buy 12v magnetic base lights that you could put on the back bumper and run off your trailer battery long enough to get backed in.

[happyttowner]

The first time we used our TT it was dark when we arrived at the camp site. Wife was no help cause she says she don't know how to give directions. Thank goodness that my fellow campers saw what was happening and helped guide me in!! Campers are a different breed and will help others out and not think twice about!!

[avolnek]

I plan to install some 12 V lights to my backup circuit to have them come on for this reason! I plan to do 4 of them, two towards the front angled towards the tires and two in the rear lighting the trailers path. I also want to install a switch at the front of my trailer in my tool box to turn these on and off so they don't always come on when I am backing (during the day!).

I really like the idea of stringing the rope lights on the sides of the spot! I have extra lights and cords, will have to keep this in mind!

Great thoughts guys!

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by avolnek

I plan to install some 12 V lights to my backup circuit to have them come on for this reason! I plan to do 4 of them, two towards the front angled towards the tires and two in the rear lighting the trailers path. I also want to install a switch at the front of my trailer in my tool box to turn these on and off so they don't always come on when I am backing (during the day!).

I really like the idea of stringing the rope lights on the sides of the spot! I have extra lights and cords, will have to keep this in mind!

Great thoughts guys!

You know ....
Some of you guys laughed or scoffed at me for installing led clear lights for my license plate lights and man what a savior for backing in for hitching up

[avolnek]

We scoff and laugh at you for other reasons turbs!

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by avolnek

We scoff and laugh at you for other reasons turbs!

Lol !

Here.....
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...mod-32369.html

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by avolnek

I plan to install some 12 V lights to my backup circuit to have them come on for this reason! I plan to do 4 of them, two towards the front angled towards the tires and two in the rear lighting the trailers path. I also want to install a switch at the front of my trailer in my tool box to turn these on and off so they don't always come on when I am backing (during the day!).

I really like the idea of stringing the rope lights on the sides of the spot! I have extra lights and cords, will have to keep this in mind!

Great thoughts guys!

Rather than mount lights at the rear pointing forward to the tires, why not mount lights between the tires at the top the cutouts on the frame pointing out?

[avolnek]

I was going to mount the towards the tongue of the trailer facing back towards the wheels to light the perimeter of the camper was my thought... as well as a pair on the rear bumper to light up the back... Still in the beta phase yet!

[dieselbobcat]

We have a easy solution... we keep a box of cheap LED flashlights... the 9 LED ones from Home Depot are the best... $5 for two of them with batteries... We probally have a dozen of them... kids use them all the time.

When backing in late, I lay out a line of lights runway style where i want the drivers side of the trailer to go... back along the series of lights keeping the tire as close as possible... 9 LED are not all that bright, you can have them facing you w/o being blinded by them. They arent affected by being backed over unless you are are on pavement or hard ground.



They last about two seasons with a battery change...

[QCCowboy]

Originally Posted by wmtire

Being Christmas season, you can probably pick up long strings of outdoor (or even indoor) Christmas lights for next to nothing. Be very easy to just unroll them around the sides and back of the camping pad to outline the perimeter of it at night, and plug them into the pedestal, so you could see where to go. You could do the same thing with rope lights.......and then hang either the christmas lights or rope lights around the campsite for ambient lighting as so many other campers do. Just a suggestion, feel free to hate it.

Great idea! I could see rope lights really working great like this!

[Helmsey]

We camped in a park for the first time last month and our arrival was at night. I pulled out the rope lights and laid them down along the boundary of the pad on the drivers side so i could see them when i got the 5er swung around. I had wifey behind me with a flashlight, and a radio and told her to look up (for branches) and make sure I don't back into anything before I can get around to see the rope lights. It turned out ok for us.
I also have a bucket light and have thought that it would work well for situations like this. I was going to grab it but the rope lights were easier to get to.

[09grizzly1]

I have 2 driving lights on the frame of the trailer just ahead of the rear bumper and 1 on each side about 1/4 0f the way back from the front angled outwards slightly, pointing to the rear. I then hooked into the back-up wiring in the junction box for the trailer tail and brake lights, wired through 2 relays(one for the rear and one for the side B/U lights)and picked up the main power feed from the trailer batteries through a pair of 20 amp fuses. I did not wire a switch to shut the lights off in the daytime as I found out it works good to warn drivers behind you that you are backing up.

[avolnek]

Originally Posted by 09grizzly1

I have 2 driving lights on the frame of the trailer just ahead of the rear bumper and 1 on each side about 1/4 0f the way back from the front angled outwards slightly, pointing to the rear. I then hooked into the back-up wiring in the junction box for the trailer tail and brake lights, wired through 2 relays(one for the rear and one for the side B/U lights)and picked up the main power feed from the trailer batteries through a pair of 20 amp fuses. I did not wire a switch to shut the lights off in the daytime as I found out it works good to warn drivers behind you that you are backing up.

Would you mind posting pictures of this sometime? This sounds like what I would like to accomplish over the winter time...

[camper1999]

I try to avoid setup in the dark but have no choice sometimes. When I do I bring my 500 watt work light. When get ready to back in I plug the light in to the campsites power and it lights up the whole site top to bottom. My fellow campers probably don't appreciate it but it really helps and is only for a few minutes.

[RKR]

I carry these several LED lights. They can fit in your pocket. They also have a magnet so you can stick them on your bumper for backing up at night. They are pretty bright and have a flood light mode and a pin point beam. They also have a hook so you can hang it if you need to. I regularly use a these at work. I no longer carry a standard flashlight. They're cheap and last. I got mine at Lowes.

[RPAspey]

Originally Posted by RKR

I carry these several LED lights. They can fit in your pocket. They also have a magnet so you can stick them on your bumper for backing up at night. They are pretty bright and have a flood light mode and a pin point beam. They also have a hook so you can hang it if you need to. I regularly use a these at work. I no longer carry a standard flashlight. They're cheap and last. I got mine at Lowes.

Those are a good idea..get them at Harbor Freight for about $2 each with coupons. I have a bunch and now I have a use!

[09grizzly1]

Here are some pictures of the back up lights on the trailer.

[09grizzly1]

Some more back up light pictures.

[LKicklight]

This is a great mod and one that I am working on currently using LED Fog Lights that would normally go on the front of a car or truck, they are really bright, I am putting a switch between the lights and the running light connection that I am using: Thanks for the tip as we do plan on doing some parking at night on our trip to Alaska next summer:

Originally Posted by 09grizzly1

Here are some pictures of the back up lights on the trailer.