Adding 12v Exterior Lights

I added powerful off-road LED flood lights to my back bumper (2x) and front a-frame (1x). They're controlled with a key-fob remote. The front is wired into the 12v same place the 7-way connector hooks into the trailer wiring. The back ones, I drilled a very small hole through the floor and ran a wire to my battery bank fuse-block.

For wiring I used computer electrical cord, the kind that have the 3-prong male and 3-way female IEC connector. They're free to me and are nice double insulated cables, cut the ends off and I got three conductors to make use of.

Some will correctly point out, you can't get away with this in all states, as an RV is considered a highway vehicle, it has to comply with safety laws, some of which prohibit additional and/or independently controlled lights. In Michigan, I'm supposed to have covers on mine while I'm on the public roads. However, I feel as long as I'm not being an arse with them, I won't attract attention. I completed an 11,000 mile round trip visit to Alaska with these lights, and no cops complained the entire way.

One must be careful adding external lights to the rear of the trailer where you may interfere with the DOT RULES for required SAFETY LIGHTS.

In most states you are not allowed to add lights that are turned off when in travel mode mounted to the rear BUMPER or on the rear trailer wall. This may not pass safety inspection and in most cases have to be removed on the spot in order to pass.

Adding lights on the REAR OF THE TRAILER for backing into the camp sites for instance can be legally construed as BACK-UP LIGHTS but have to be DOT TYPE APPROVED and only come on when your Truck is in reverse etc... The lens have to show the DOT APPROVED number on them... These lights also are not allowed to be able to be turned on unless you are backing up and also cannot shine into the eyes of on-coming vehicles etc... Check with DOT... Back in the old days when running off-road jeeps etc we always needed extra lights and used to get away with putting socks over them when not off-road. That is pretty much not approved now anywhere.

Really behooves one to check the local DOT laws of your licensed state before dumping monies into external lights etc...

Adding lights for your own purposes may be allowed to be mounted on the sides of the trailer in most states but here again I would get a good idea from your local licenses state DOT office just to be sure what you can and cannot do. Would sure hate to have them removed on the next safety inspection.

Just saying...
Roy Ken

I am in New Mexico and will have no issue adding lights at all.

HOw do you control them with a key fob?

Here's one I had google show me

fob lights clicky

Jdereu wrote:
I am in New Mexico and will have no issue adding lights at all.

HOw do you control them with a key fob?

I'm using a four channel setup, like this one found on a popular auction site. I installed the receiver boxes inside steel junction boxes, and let the antenna wire hang out a hole - this way the little plastic receiver is protected, as are my wiring connections. I'll try to post up a picture if I get a break from the rain.

clicky - RM104