License plate light wiring

[DoctahDeane]

The trailer I just bought has very nice, very large wooden taillights, all working. The left hand light (please see photo) has a clear lens to shine light down on plate below it, but no bracket in place and also, if I rig something up, 1. it's gonna stick out like crazy and I know I'll catch on it every time I walk by 2. it'll catch the wind at 60mph and seems like that'll be noisy and will probably stress that tailight over time. So, I'd like to place it on or below the rear bumper. The parts I have researched tend to have a black and white wire. One is ground, of course, and I imagine the other ought to tap into the running lights, which on a 4 wire harness is brown. Hope I am making sense so far. Might seem like a very basic question but that's why I'm here: where and how should I tap into the brown wire? Should I splice to the existing brown wire end point at one of the taillights? Is that the best approach - my question really is - is that unsafe and should I be thinking about this differently? Appreciate any feedback because for the moment, I'm not road legal though its still cold here.

[troubleScottie]

Typically, brown is for the running lights. You do have to confirm -- there is no requirement that brown is the running light.

You will have to find a spot where the wire exists and is accessible. The tail lights are a reasonable choice. The question is how to get it out of the lights, through the body/frame and down to the bumper.

The other obvious choice to the connect to the ground and running light wire at the connector at the front of the trailer. If you are fortunate, there is a junction box.

Similarly, if the light wiring does run down the frame, you can splice in anywhere along the wire.

[DoctahDeane]

Similarly, if the light wiring does run down the frame, you can splice in anywhere along the wire.

Thanks a lot, this was really what I was wondering and should be easy. Guess I'd better look for a better way than electrical tape to seal it up post-splice but at least i have a plan, now. Thanks again.

[Tom&Shelly]

Guess I'd better look for a better way than electrical tape to seal it up post-splice but at least i have a plan, now. Thanks again.

Sounds like you have it. If it were me, I'd use solder and cover it with heat shrink, but many (most?) others here like crimps. Best to put the splice somewhere where it is accessible. Maybe in the taillight?

Tom

[MtnDon]

Shrink wrap is sometimes difficult to use in the middle of a long run of wire that one wants to splice into. Silicone wrap tape is very good. It self vulcanizes and seals out moisture. It can be difficult to handle in a cramped space, but it seals very well.

[DoctahDeane]

Thanks for the feedback folks. I can see a clear direction. Driving in the dark = cheap thrills.

[working on it]

* I've switched over to heat-shrink butt connectors, standard-type and solder-seal type, and now have both heat-gun and propane torch heat sources to seal them. Where there's no need for heat-shrink, nor space to apply heat, I also have standard connectors, and my old favorite, Posi-Lock twist on types. I've also used Liquid Tape brush-on, where there wasn't any room to protect wiring any other way (note to self: I've got to get another can/bottle of it next time at Home Depot).

* Concerning license plate location: originally, my license plate was behind the left rear wheel, about 8" off ground, where it was subject to road debris, and could contact the ground if going over large objects (or over/into potholes). I had the same problem on my car-hauler, but removed it and mounted it on the folding ramp that was raised/locked in place at the end of the dovetail. I secured it there with carriage bolts, but on my TTT I made a bedliner-coated frame and installed it on the rear hatch, mounted 55" off the ground. In both cases, I used LED lighting over them. Also, a couple of years later, concerned about the visibility of my trailer at night, after a near-miss (even with conspicuity strips already on the lower rear), I installed a strip of LED's (with sequential signalling feature) high up on the hatch (within legal limits), plus some more reflective strips. Now, I am assured that my trailer can be seen from all sides (reflectors all around, incandescent and LED running lights).

high-mounted license plate, LED's, and conspicuity strips.jpg (101.09 KiB) Viewed 2660 times

[DoctahDeane]

*
Now, I am assured that my trailer can be seen from all sides (reflectors all around, incandescent and LED running lights).

high-mounted license plate, LED's, and conspicuity strips.jpg

Thank you - good reminder. I believe I see a good spot, dead center, rear bumper on the frame for license plate bracket. It's an easy run over to (and into) the right tailight from there. I'll look into more visibility though I hope that mostly, I'm camped at night :-)

[tony.latham]

Silicone wrap tape is very good. It self vulcanizes and seals...

Once again, I learn something involving the magical movement of electrons from you, Don.

I'm going to grab some of that soon and lose it deep in my shop somewhere.



Tony

[MtnDon]

Silicone wrap tape is very good. It self vulcanizes and seals...

I'm going to grab some of that soon and lose it deep in my shop somewhere.



Tony

I have duplicates of a few things, some tools, some supplies, all because I couldn't find something I knew I had someplace.
But I couldn't find it when I needed it.