We upgraded the outside light as we found that prepping food or arriving or packing up in the dark, the outside light was just not practical. My dear handy husband came up with an idea to add an extra switch on the orange outside light. This way we can have the original light working together with the strip light, which lights up the whole camp ground so bright it can be. But then we can also flip the little switch outside and have only the orange light on for a more romantic soft light. This was one of our best mods. It eliminated us bringing along the Coleman light we previously used outside to prep food by.

Nice job!I always like to see how people do this mod since there doesn't seem to be any clean industry method.

Adding lights to trailers always make one wonder if what you are doing is legal in the eyes of the state DOT office. They have the general approved plan for the required SAFETY LIGHTSGenerally added lights to the sides of trailers will not be frown on by DOT.One must be very conscious when adding unapproved lights and fixtures on the front and rear of the trailers... These are things that might accidentally get turned on and cause safety problems when be driven or pulled down public roadways... Hopefully the annual state inspections catch the problem areas before anything bad happens. I was wanting to add back-up lights to one of my trailers and finally went to the DMV to talk about what I was wanting to do and it would have been very much illegal in their eyes. Glad I asked before putting money into the mod project...Just saying....Roy Ken

RoyB wrote:Adding lights to trailers always make one wonder if what you are doing is legal in the eyes of the state DOT office. They have the general approved plan for the required SAFETY LIGHTSGenerally added lights to the sides of trailers will not be frown on by DOT.One must be very conscious when adding unapproved lights and fixtures on the front and rear of the trailers... These are things that might accidentally get turned on and cause safety problems when be driven or pulled down public roadways... Hopefully the annual state inspections catch the problem areas before anything bad happens. I was wanting to add back-up lights to one of my trailers and finally went to the DMV to talk about what I was wanting to do and it would have been very much illegal in their eyes. Glad I asked before putting money into the mod project...Just saying....Roy KenThe RV manufacturers do not worry about it when they add awning lighting, convenience lighting at hitch and dump valve areas, and the annoying decorative lighting on front caps and under skirting. If the added lights are not tied into the running or other indicator lights and illuminated while the vehicle is in motion a local DMV or LEO can pound salt. The arrangement of minuimum required lighting is dictated by the Feds by the way. (NHTSA)

RoyB wrote:Adding lights to trailers always make one wonder if what you are doing is legal in the eyes of the state DOT office.Fairly certain the DOT has nothing to say about lights that aren't designed to be on whilst traveling down the road. Check your patio lights on your camper, let us know if they are DOT approved...

Exterior Light Added LED Strip light with Pictures

NewToUs
Explorer
Jun 17, 2017
Thank you everyone especially BarneyS for helping me find my way here with uploading the pics correctly. I have fixed my original post now and pics are showing up lovely.
TNGW1500SE
Explorer
Jun 17, 2017
RoyB wrote:
Our problem here in Virginia is that we have Annual Inspection required at the State DOT Inspection stations. They love to fail your inspection and make you remove the items in front of them before they will issue your inspection sticker... Our OFF-ROAD JEEPS suffered big time with all the external lighting you can find to add to them... Use too you could add socks over them but not in todays world...

The biggest craze today is the neat looking LED PANEL that go behind the front grill.... Some get away it but most don't...

Google image

Just saying - Didn't mean to start up a mess - I will delete my post if you all like... I got shot down recently posting about DOT rules and enforcement on not having a working battery on board when it comes to Break-AWAY Switch actions... Guess I am the only one on here that follows the rules hehe...

By the way NewToUs - I added exterior lights to my awning as well and changed out my outside porch light to one of those motion detector LED SL-1000 lights...

Roy Ken

Don't delete anything. Everybody adds something.

In Tennessee we don't have any inspections.

PS: WE SHOULD! People will drive anything!
kerrlakeRoo
Explorer
Jun 18, 2017
In Defense of what Roy was saying, I too live in Va, but have also lived in many other states. Virginia says, and I'll bet many other states do as well that any exterior clearance light or fog light which is installed must work. It doesnt have to be a part of the vehicles original equipment, if it is physically on the vehicle (and yes they inspect trailers too) it must work when the vehicles lights are on. It appears that the mod had used a type of light that is frequently used as a clearance light which could be construed as needing to come on when the trailer was hitched to the truck and the truck lights were on.
If the light were of a type that was not considered a clearance light it would not pose a problem either way.
I think it was a little misunderstanding on what he was trying to say.
allen8106
Explorer
Jun 19, 2017
How did you get the light strip to stick to the wall permanently?
NewToUs
Explorer
Jun 19, 2017
I believe it had some glue to the back of it and its self adhesive and has been on for a year now almost. So holding up very well.
Kylesmith3021
Explorer
Jun 20, 2017
whats the connector that goes in outside light to connect to led strip light

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Exterior Light Added LED Strip light with Pictures

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