Lighting trailer at night using automotive fuse - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 03-18-2018, 11:16 AM   #1
Member
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: Winnebago
Wisconsin
Posts: 63
Lighting trailer at night using automotive fuse

This is a question, as much as a comment.
Another camper once showed me a method for lighting up all of your outside trailer lights at night by simply inserting a blade-style automotive fuse into 2 adjacent slots of the 7-pin electrical connector.
It would seem to have a negligible drain on the camper battery, especially if your outside lights are LED.
Is this a good idea? Any cautions to be aware of?
Mike in WIS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 11:30 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Byron Kinnaman's Avatar
 
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 7,056
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike in WIS View Post
This is a question, as much as a comment.
Another camper once showed me a method for lighting up all of your outside trailer lights at night by simply inserting a blade-style automotive fuse into 2 adjacent slots of the 7-pin electrical connector.
It would seem to have a negligible drain on the camper battery, especially if your outside lights are LED.
Is this a good idea? Any cautions to be aware of?
The question is WHY?
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
Byron Kinnaman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 11:32 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Donna D.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: 1988 16 ft Scamp Deluxe
Posts: 25,697
If you're overnighting in a Walmart or roadside rest area, lighting up the exterior of your trailer may be a good idea. But, if you're in an established campground, please do not.
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward - 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Double Yolk - 1988 16' Scamp Deluxe
Donna D. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 11:38 AM   #4
Member
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: Winnebago
Wisconsin
Posts: 63
To make the trailer more visible at night, in a quick and easy way.
Let’s say you’re boon docking overnight at a wayside or a Walmart parking lot, and you want to make your trailer more visible, for security reasons. Stringing up Christmas lights on your awning can be a pain and seems rather ostentatious and overstated.
The fuse method just turns on your regular marker lights and brake lights.
I’m not saying I have an opinion about the advisability of this idea; just looking for input.
Mike in WIS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 11:45 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
ststefan's Avatar
 
Name: Steve
Trailer: 1979 Boler1700
Maple Ridge, B.C.
Posts: 383
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike in WIS View Post
It would seem to have a negligible drain on the camper battery, especially if your outside lights are LED.
LED lights have a much lower draw than incandescent (stock) bulbs.
ststefan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 11:51 AM   #6
Member
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: Winnebago
Wisconsin
Posts: 63
Exactly.
We tried it once on our old camper with normal incandescent bulbs and left them on for about 8 hours with no discernible problem.
LED lights are becoming more and more common, so it would seem to be even less concerning.
What about the fuse rating? Is that important for this application? Does it matter if you use a 30-amp, for example, as compared to a 15-amp? Is there any potential fire danger or a possibility to damaging your battery?
Mike in WIS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 03:03 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Name: bob
Trailer: Was A-Liner now 13f Scamp
Missouri
Posts: 3,209
i like it

mike we boondock a lot I am going to try this. does it light up all your lights?

bob
k0wtz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 03:17 PM   #8
Member
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: Winnebago
Wisconsin
Posts: 63
I believe all of the outside lights that would be effected by your tow vehicle controls.
Wouldn’t effect your outside porch light, for example.
We had to experiment plugging the blade fuse into various adjacent slots. Only takes seconds to find the right combination.
We haven’t tried it on our new camper, yet.
I think we’ll light it up next to the house and leave it on, all night, to see how much it depletes the battery. My guess is that the power drain will be negligible.
Mike in WIS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 03:27 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Steve Outlaw's Avatar
 
Trailer: Oliver
Posts: 711
Registry
Lets assume that your tail lights draw about 0.25 amps and that you only have two. They would draw 0.5 amp/hour or about 4 amps in an 8 hour period. You would have to make the decision on usefulness depending on your battery bank size.
__________________
Steve and Tali - Dogs: Rocky and our beloved Reacher, Storm, Maggie and Lucy (waiting at the Rainbow Bridge)
2008 Outlaw Oliver Legacy Elite & 2014 Outlaw Oliver Legacy Elite II
2022 Silverado High Country 3500HD Diesel 4x4
Steve Outlaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 03:32 PM   #10
Moderator
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Trailer: 2009 19 ft Escape / 2009 Honda Pilot
Posts: 6,221
Registry
I love to be able to use a Walmart parking lot for an evening stopover, and have on many an occasion. The one thing I don't like is how much ambient light there already is, and always position the trailer to minimise it's effect inside.

I fail to see how having your running lights on makes you any more secure. In fact, you would draw even more attention to yourself. And like Donna asked it would please me too if folks did not do this in campgrounds.

As well, do not Walmart's have parking lot security cameras in all locations? I know some do.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 03:37 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Carl V's Avatar
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 700

You simply bridge the two pins closer to the 'key' in the Bargman plug using a standard fuse.

No a big fan of this personally. I like it dark!
But I admit I've done it once during an evening at a campground where there was an event, most RVs were lighted like this and it gave the campground a nice festive atmosphere.

I also use this trick if I want to check my clearance lights without plugging in the tow vehicle.
Carl V is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 04:39 PM   #12
Member
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: Winnebago
Wisconsin
Posts: 63
Good points.
Like I said, I don’t have a strong opinion, either way, but I am not overly concerned about lighting up the inside of our camper, because we have good room-darkening shades on every window.
Are there lots of security cameras at wayside rest stops?
I guess I just figured that a well-lit camper would signal that somebody’s home and would be more conspicuous; thus, a deterrent against prowlers.
What bothers me a lot more than lights at campgrounds is NOISE. Lots of folks deck out their campers with Christmas lights and build big camp fires that put out lots of flickering light, far past curfew time. I can deal with that. But more and more campers come equipped with outside speakers and some people are not as considerate as they should be!
Mike in WIS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 04:53 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Name: bob
Trailer: Was A-Liner now 13f Scamp
Missouri
Posts: 3,209
can be done

mike I like the fact you have shown us the way to make it work for whatever reason.

I installed a little solar light right above our outside light. it glows at a very low light until you step up to the door. then it puts out just enough light for you to find your door lock as soon as you go inside it shuts down.

the lisatania came up with this nice idea!

makes things very nice and handy

bob
k0wtz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 04:55 PM   #14
Member
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: Winnebago
Wisconsin
Posts: 63
Sounds good. I’ll get one.
Where can I find one?
Mike in WIS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 05:02 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Name: bob
Trailer: Was A-Liner now 13f Scamp
Missouri
Posts: 3,209
porch light

amazon

bob
k0wtz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 08:22 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Roger C H's Avatar
 
Trailer: 2009 Trillium 13 ft ('Homelet') / 2000 Subaru Outback
Posts: 2,222
Registry
Trailer lights

I just jump from the power to the tail/clearance light with a short piece of wire. It would be neat if an entire campsite would have a lights hour or some such.
Attached Thumbnails
GEDC2530.jpg  
__________________
A charter member of the Buffalo Plaid Brigade!

Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.
Roger C H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 08:24 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
Glenn Baglo's Avatar
 
Trailer: Escape 17 ft
Posts: 8,317
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger C H View Post
It would be neat if an entire campsite would have a lights hour or some such.
Please post where this will be so I can be somewhere else.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
Glenn Baglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2018, 08:39 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
Name: Steve
Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
NW Wisconsin
Posts: 4,500
We put reflective tape on the belly band of our trailer
It draws no electricity , when it is dark out it doesn't bother others ,helps finding your trailer trailer at night if you have a flashlight
and it's inexpensive
steve dunham is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 05:00 AM   #19
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Name: jim
Trailer: 2022 Escape19 pulled by 2014 Dodge Ram Hemi Sport
Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,710
Registry
I installed an extra Hopkins 7 pin female connector to my Escape, when I pull over for the night at a rest area, I unplug my tow vehicle and plug in my power cord to the spare connector. I bridged the two pins with a fused wire.
Attached Images
 
__________________
Jim
Never in doubt, often wrong
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 06:19 AM   #20
Senior Member
 
Name: bob
Trailer: Was A-Liner now 13f Scamp
Missouri
Posts: 3,209
steve good idea you need to go to frugal rv


bob
k0wtz is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
light, lighting


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Automotive Paint over Gel Coat Problem Str8781 Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 19 02-04-2014 09:24 PM
Decals or Automotive Wraps Bonnie n Claude Modifications, Alterations and Updates 13 09-17-2012 06:11 PM
Automotive paint ok? Yamaha_gurl Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 1 04-27-2011 11:21 AM
axle is an automotive axle on my casita tracy.c Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 26 07-30-2007 04:50 PM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:31 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.