T.V. , Low Voltage Ele. system

[EugeneFlorida]

Has anyone got LED's to work with the Low Voltage Ele. system?

With this Low Voltage Ele. system you can not add the Extra tale lights.

What Do You Know!!!


Thanks for the Help

[Bob Miller]

Direct replacement LED bulbs, that work on 12 volts, are readily available.
Tail lights are powered by the tow vehicles electrical system, not the trailer's.


At last count we have about 80 LED lights in our Hunter. All on 12 VDC. What are you trying to accomplish?

[EugeneFlorida]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Direct replacement LED bulbs, that work on 12 volts, are readily available.
Tail lights are powered by the tow vehicles electrical system, not the trailer's.


At last count we have about 80 LED lights in our Hunter. All on 12 VDC. What are you trying to accomplish?

You miss the Low voltage
not the same as a reg. 12 volt system.

in the 2015 Ford Transit Connect manual said " do Not tow trailer with LED lights"

thanks Bob

[Darwin Maring]

in the 2015 Ford Transit Connect manual said " do Not tow trailer with LED lights"

You should ask Ford for the reason.

[redbarron55]

I don't know about the Ford, but my VW needs to have the late trailer module to detect the trailer connection with LEDS. Perhaps Ford does not yet have the trailer module that will work with LEDs.
In Europe the detect and trailer stabilization are required.

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[Bob Miller]

On this site the term "Low Voltage System" is usually used to refer to the trailers 12 volt system. Your question has to do with your TV, which wasn't mentioned, not the Scamp. The year of your Scamp isn't shown. Does it have LED tail lights?


As mentioned, ask Ford, some vehicles require a ballast resistor across LED lights to replicate the expected load, otherwise it will show as a "No Light Error".

[Glen_]

If this post is concerning connecting a trailer to the car I want to say my ford escape can not have trailer lights connected directly to the car lights. A power module is needed to sense the car lights and it in turn supplies power to the trailer from a separate battery supply on the car.

[sokhapkin]

WTF? Could you please translate this to a plain English? Or provide an exact quote from Ford manual.

[redbarron55]

Perhaps Ford has the module that ties into the

car's CANBUS system to activate the stabilization system required for the higher tow rating. I would bet that this is a part of the required package.
Since the Escape is basically the European Ford Kuga and stabilization is required there as is the bulb out detector for the trailer.



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[Glen_]

This my explanation using the basics.
A 12 volt fused battery line is run to a black box mounted in the back.
The black box has all the wires that go to the trailer plug for brake, turn, and running lights.
It also has a corresponding set of wires that are connected to the cars brake, turn and running lights.

The black box senses when any of the cars bulbs are on and supplies corresponding battery to the trailer lights from the fused line. Therefore the trailer lights are isolated from the car lights. The new car led lights are very sophisticated and don't like any add ons such as trailer lights.

[EugeneFlorida]

the black box? Ford Transit Connect 2015, T-Connector by CURT®. 3-Wire System with Powered Converter, For Models Without Factory Tow Package Location: S3/S4. This provides all you need to connect a trailer to the...

CURT® 56218 - T-Connector (3-Wire System with Powered Converter)
************************************************** *********
Can I run four tail light (two LED and two reg. tail lights)?

[redbarron55]

Here's my take on the towing package. According to this media blurb from ford:
http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/g...scape_oct1.pdf

The towing package consists of the hitch, the wiring harness, and sway control, whatever that means. There is no mention of transmission coolers or different final drive ratios.

Now, to dig a little further. I have the Ford Workshop Manual for 2013, so I looked at the wiring diagrams for all the modules. There isn't a sway control module. But what I did find was that the Ford wiring harness that seems expensive at about $65 is actually a module that communicates with the Body Control Module when installed, using the CAN bus of the vehicle.

The wiring harness adapter is operated from the CAN messages from the Body Control module to control the turn signals and running lights. The brakes are triggered directly from the brake line.

I suspect that the Body Control Module knows when the trailer lighting adapter is installed as it communicates via the CAN bus. My theory is that the trailer adapter communicates when the trailer lights are connected (easy to identify), and the Body Control Module can then activate the sway control that's likely built into all the vehicles. It doesn't make any sense to look for trailer sway if there isn't a trailer connected.
Hitch #DJ5Z-19D520-A
Wiring Harness #DT4Z-15A416-A

Trailer Sway Control works with AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control™) using a yaw motion sensor to monitor the motions of the truck to detect trailer sway. When sway is detected, the system works to apply selected brakes and/or reduce engine power to help the driver regain control

[redbarron55]

As relates to the 2015 transit:
fron the ford transit forum
Document Used For Installation Of Trailer Hitch Electrics Kit (FK4Z15A416A):
SKFK4J-15A416-AA 2015 Auxiliary Brake Control Installation
Q-227R1 SVE Bulletin 2015 MY Transit Reverse Signal Access
Ford Transit 2015 Body and Equipment Mounting Manual
Issue Of Installation For Vehicle Built Before 1/18/15:
Missing wiring harness and connectors between Trailer Module Jumper and Tow Socket Jumper harness.
Missing Reverse Signal wire.
Detail Of Modified Harness:
The vehicle is missing wiring harness between the Trailer Module Jumper and Tow Socket Jumper. The vehicle also is missing the Reverse Signal wire (See Q-227R1 SVE Bulletin).
There are 6 wires in the connector for the Tow Socket Jumper harness (under the van at the right side rear of vehicle near the rear axle). These 6 wires need to be connected to the Trailer Module Jumper harness.
There are 4 wires in the Trailer Module Jumper harness (under van at the driver seat location). The Trailer Brake Control harness provide 1 wire (Electric Brake Power). The Reverse Signal (from engine compartment) provide 1 wire. These 6 wires need to be connected to the Tow Socket Jumper Harness.
Cut the connectors off the kit jumper harnesses and splice the wires together. See the attached wiring diagram. I used the watertight heat-shrink butt splice connectors for all splice.
When adding the reverse signal wire per Q-277R1 Bulletin you will need the DU2Z-14474-FA Service Kit. The kit has the pin/wire that you will add to the specified open slot in the connector. The connector is in the engine bay just aft of the LH head lamp assy. You only need one pin, but you have to buy it in a package of 5 from Ford. You are welcome to to have my extra pin/wire if you need one.
I will add pictures of the installation when available.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf TRAILER HITCH Sheet 2 (1).pdf (22.5 KB, 95 views)

[Bob Miller]

Quote:


"Ford Transit 2015 Body and Equipment Mounting Manual
Issue Of Installation For Vehicle Built Before 1/18/15:"


Eugeneflorida's post re: the Curt Powered Converter box, sound like a much simpler idea for starters..... And I suspect that U-Haul and others also have a plug and play box.


Instructions: Plug it in and try it.....


And what about those built after that date???

[EugeneFlorida]

Thanks for All The Replies!

To see if the 13 ft Scamp tail light will work the way I want, made this tester.

[redbarron55]

You are pprecisely correct it would be easier to get a plug and play light converter and plug it in.
You would then be limited the the lesser weight since the higher weights are predicated on the electronics detecting the trailer and stabilizing the entire system electronically. I believe if the Ford system is used and perhaps the GM well the on board sensors detect the yaw, roll, and accelerations etc and the car's CANBUS controls are compensated for towing. This has been required since 2005 in Europe along with checking those pesky trailer bulbs. This is the reason the tow limits are higher there and not the lower speed limits, smaller pounds etc.
The newer trucks are equipped with this technology and I think that Ford required for the higher towing limits that the package be factory installed and the computers adapted for it.
The computers and modules can, perhaps, be added after delivery, but you would have to ask Ford. I am familiar with the VW system and it can be added later and the computers programmed to function with the module and lights.
In the case of the VW (I don't know about the Ford or GM) the electric power steering will also give steering cues for the proper reaction to incipient trailer sway.
These systems are becoming very sophisticated today.
There are also trailer mounted stabilization systems available that brake individual wheels on the trailer as well. If you search for videos you can find several.
The easy way is not necessarily the best, but it is each individual's choice.

Bob, where you always advocating to follow the factory recommendations this is a major part of that now The lower limit is to be used without the proper electronic components and wiring. In the case of the Escape (I can't speak for the transit since it was not on my list of possible new tow vehicles) the limit is 2000 lbs without the factory setup (this means mostly the wiring kit and modules with the computer activation's as required whether factory or dealer) and 3500 with. Of course this would mean a brake controller as well. I don't know if the factory brake controller option ties in with the onboard computer, but it might as well.

[Bob Miller]

If the owners manual specifies a higher tow limit by adding additional components it's a valid hypothesis... But without that it's only conjecture.


Besides that, all the OP wanted was how to make his lights work, not a re-engineering discussion. And, as you said, you can't speak for the Transit.

[Carol H]

Many vehicles these days (including my Subaru) require a Blackbox/power module/ModuLite/power converter or what ever you wish to call them on the wiring harness at the point the harness connects into the vehicles wiring in order to work/play will with the vehicles built in wiring and features.

[EugeneFlorida]

using two 1157 (regular bulbs and two LED light strips)
the test light board shows all light work. The only unknown to me ...
will the side markers light cause a Failure?
Well, I'll find out coming back from Backus in Late March

My TV is the Ford Transit Connect which is a mini Van (2000Lbs tow)
where the Ford Transit is a full size van.
FORD


Thanks again everyone

[Bob Miller]

Looks neat, is that with the Curt box, direct connection or what?