Lighting trailer at night using automotive fuse

[Glenn Baglo]

Reace at Escape got a 2 or 3 inch chunk of heavy gauge wire from the back shop and bent it into a U-shape. Gave it to me to keep in the glove box. Just make sure you put it in the right slots ( or carry a lot of spare fuses ).

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Reace at Escape got a 2 or 3 inch chunk of heavy gauge wire from the back shop and bent it into a U-shape. Gave it to me to keep in the glove box. Just make sure you put it in the right slots ( or carry a lot of spare fuses ).

One of the nice things about the GRIP commercial product is that it accommodates the ridge or "key" and can only be put on one way, pairing the correct slots, unless you get a hammer and smash it on wrong!

[Josh and Sonya W]

Originally Posted by k0wtz

lisatania put me on to it. just type in solar rv light on amazon search bar. its not very big it comes with tape just mount it above your porch light.

comes with a little bitty wire to turn it on

good luck

bob

Hi Bob,

This sounds similar to what you described, is this what you have?

https://www.amazon.com/Solarblaze-Br.../dp/B00QL2C20C

Thanks,
Josh

[stude]

Originally Posted by Mike in WIS

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 have you ever wanted to go out a night and look at the sky and stars, well if you light the area up it makes it so you nor anyone else can see them. So maybe think on not doing it.
Stude

[k0wtz]

josh that is it they work great and although some for some reason object to them they put out a very mild light no they do not light up the sky and when you walk up they brighten up just enough for you to see to get your key in the lock then they shut back down!




bob

[Darral T.]

My comment was based on this comment from "Mike"s (the op) statement early on: "The fuse method just turns on your regular marker lights and brake lights." I'm VERY aware of the difference in amperage between brake and "park" lights.

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Your brake lights are not on, just the parking lights.....big difference.

[Mike in WIS]

If you want an idea of how bright the lights are in this application, go back to the picture posted by Roger C H, on the first page of this thread.
Personally speaking, I love star-gazing and would have ALL lights off if I was off by myself without trees in the way and with no worries about security.
If you’re with a bunch of other campers in a campground, it rarely gets dark enough for quality stargazing, plus trees usually obscure your view, anyway.
It all depends on the circumstances, at the time, the way I see it.
I liked the idea that someone mentioned about inserting a flasher fuse, in case of emergency. I think I’ll put one in my glovebox.

[Jon Vermilye]

If you want to be REALLY annoying, instead of a fuse, use a turn signal flasher...

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Jon Vermilye

If you want to be REALLY annoying, instead of a fuse, use a turn signal flasher...

Geez Jon, did you have to.......

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Please post where this will be so I can be somewhere else.

One thing about it Glenn. If You and I are in that campground, compliance
will not be 100%. James Dean does not have anything on us. I like it dark,
the darker the better.
Iowa Dave

[David B.]

The only time I used this method with our 13’ Scamp was when I broke an axle on a Jeep trail, so some other Jeeper towed our Scamp back to our home (3 hour drive) while someone else towed my Jeep home on a car trailer. The person towing our Scamp did not have wiring for towing, so as the sun set during our travels, we pulled into a rest stop and placed a jumper wire between the battery charging connection and the running lights, for a safer tow home as we followed close behind him in our truck.
Dave & Paula

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by David B.

The only time I used this method with our 13’ Scamp was when I broke an axle on a Jeep trail, so some other Jeeper towed our Scamp back to our home (3 hour drive) while someone else towed my Jeep home on a car trailer. The person towing our Scamp did not have wiring for towing, so as the sun set during our travels, we pulled into a rest stop and placed a jumper wire between the battery charging connection and the running lights, for a safer tow home as we followed close behind him in our truck.
Dave & Paula

Perfect Baja fix to get her home, love it .

[k0wtz]

nice to know these things but in all my years of camping I don't think I have ever seen anyone light up their trailers like this but I have seen the 500k boys do some annoying things!

bob

[Jon Vermilye]

Originally Posted by k0wtz

nice to know these things but in all my years of camping I don't think I have ever seen anyone light up their trailers like this but I have seen the 500k boys do some annoying things!

bob

Just go to an RV show. That is where I first saw 50 trailers with a flasher in each 7 pin...

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Jon Vermilye

Just go to an RV show. That is where I first saw 50 trailers with a flasher in each 7 pin...

If they got them to flash in unison, the effect would be hypnotic...

"You want to buy a trailer. You need to buy a trailer..."

[ststefan]

I for one like this idea for maintenance. I'm going to be replacing the t10 bulbs in my clearance lights with LED lights. I won't have to hook up my TV to power them up to see if I put them in correctly as they are polar specific.

[k0wtz]

well that's a nifty idea hadn't thought of that one

bob

[k0wtz]

jon how about those huge fires? bob

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

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.