How to wire in tail lights and side lights

[tinoworldinc]

hi i know this sounds a little bit silly and childish but what i want to do is wire in the caravan lights which come on when it is plugged into the car to use them as more outside lights. because when i goes dark i would like to be able to see the corners and that because i have a hobby 720 and it is pretty long also it would help prevent people crashing into it if they didnt see it. many thanks

 

[Jazman]

Running lights are the Black & Brown wires in the seven core cable. If the caravan has an inboard junction box you could wire a live switched feed from the battery to the appropriate terminals with those wires. Or wire a live feed from the battery to an extra 12N sockets pins number five and seven fitted to the A Frame, then plug the seven pin plug to it when detached from the car.

Replacing the normal bulbs with LED bulbs would save on battery power and draining it.

 

[Cockovan]

Alternatively get 4 solar powered garden lights and push them into the ground close to the corners of your van.

 

[tinoworldinc]

Alternatively get 4 solar powered garden lights and push them into the ground close to the corners of your van.

i dont want solar lights i want to wire the caravan running lights into the outside light switch so that it looks cool and different. thanks

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Have alook here

http://www.practicalcaravan.com/newforums/fm_messages.asp?FO=1&FM=359946

 

[Ray R]

Try looking in your caravan hand book; some have wiring diagrams you should be able to follow these to help you achieve what you need

 

[George2]

'i want to wire the caravan running lights into the outside light switch so that it looks cool and different'

Well it will certainly look different.... but if there was someone else's red taillights shining into my van I'm not sure how 'cool' I'd think it was, bloody irritating more like !!!

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Martin,

I have to broadly agree with the other respondents, that it seems rather unnecessary to wish to have all your road lights on whilst parked up on site, but each to their own!

From a practical point of view, it is not to difficult to devise a scheme, and it would be similar to a job that a friend of mine needed when he had to park his trailer on the road outside clients houses. The road traffic act required that the side lights were on during the hours of darkness.

In his case we fitted a 12S socket to the front of trailer body, which was wired to an internal battery. The side light circuits were connected, so that when he parked up, he disconnected the trailers 12S plug form the truck, and plugged into the trailers 12S socket.

This was handy as it provided a proper stowage point for the plug, and it was easily disconnected during daylight or for towing.

The socket was also a handy 12V source for external equipment, like a work light, power tools etc.

If you are after making a light show, then with some electronics, you could create a running light effect by connecting each light circuit to a sequencer

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Martin,

Sorry martin, I should have said 12N sockets and plugs

For the wiring allocations see:

http://www.rydertowing.co.uk/trailer_towbar_wiring/12N_trailer_towbar_wiring.htm