Wiring from RV 7 way to Toad vehicles existing lights?

Dave,
I sent you the wiring diagram I drew up, did that not work for you? The one linked shows diodes in the running light circuit. There's no need for them in that circuit. When power is applied to that circuit from the coach, all that will happen is the parking lights and side marker lights in the front will light up too, along with the rear tail lights. That's perfectly fine. Power applied to that circuit WILL NOT LIGHT UP THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE TOAD!

You just need diodes in the turn/brake circuits to prevent signals from the coach from traveling up stream in the toads wiring up front. You only want the coaches brake/turn signal power going to the tail lights only, not the fronts. That's why I told you where to insert the diodes to prevent that from happening.
Scott

Scott, Thanks for the Diagram. Yes I think that was what I was trying to say up above. I'm planning on doing the Diodes in the Turn/Brake signal power lead before the lights themselves. Also I think I told you that my Brake and Turn signals were both Red lights. I was out there tonight and the Turns are amber and the Reds brake lights. So I guess I need a Taillight converter something like this correct?



According to this Converter I will only run 3 wires up to the front of the Cherokees 6 round pin plug. Is that right? I saw online some 7way to 4 way pigtail plugs and some 7way to 6way but not sure if I need a 6 pin on the Vehicle when I'm only running 3 wires to the converter then 3 to the rear lights... Or am I messed up somewhere?

So according to these images I would wire like this

INPUT SIDE
7way #6 to 6way Green wire to Converter Green Wire
7way #1 to 6way White Ground to Converter White
7way #5 to 6way Yellow wire to Converter Yellow Wire

OUTPUT SIDE
Converter Green Right Turn to Rear Right Turn Signal with inline Diode
Converter Red Stop To to Rear Brake lights on both sides
Converter Yellow Left Turn to Rear Left Turn Signal with inline Diode

Does this sound correct?

My Motorhome is at the Dealer having a new Generator installed right now so I can't confirm that it has both Red Brake and Turn signals. It may also have Red brakes and Amber turn signal lights for all I remember.

Scott this is your wiring Diagram. Just trying to make sure in my head I'm following it right.

You may have an easier time finding a 7 pin to 6 pin than a 7 pin to 4 pin. Works the same though.

Dave,
In our conversation, you were pretty sure that both your coach and the Grand Cherokee had RED turn and brake lights. Well, I know for a fact that there has never been a Grand Cherokee with AMBER tail lights for turn signals so, that part we were on the same page. I had to take your word for it that your coach was RED only on the tail light assemblies.

But, if in fact, your turn signals on your coach are AMBER, then, you already have that TAIL LIGHT CONVERTER, built into the wiring BEFORE it enters the back side of your trailer plug on the coach. When that unit is installed, it combines the operation of the amber turn signal and brake lights, to form what's called the Turn/Brake combo pin, both right and left, in the trailer plug.

That's why when I explained to you that you'd only use FOUR wires from the coach to the toad.

1. Tail/marker (AKA "Running lights")
2. Rt/Brake combo wire
3. Lf/Brake combo wire
4. Ground

Those are for the basic toad light wiring. And, I stated that you should use the more industrial constructed " 6-pin" trailer plug for the toads grill due to the fact that they're made better than the smaller 4-pin round and, normally the 6-pin units are clearly marked for each screw on them. i.e. "R/T, L/T, T/M, G, " etc. That makes for easy wiring as you know where each wire, leading to the rear of the grand, is coming from.

And, I also stated that you won't be needing the other two pins on that 6-pin unless, you, for some reason, would like to run a "charge line" from the coach to the Grands battery to keep it charged while towing.

But, since your Grand has no "Key ON" application for steering wheel un-lock, there's no need for the key to be in the ON position and therefore, no need to run the additional wire for toad battery charging.

So, in all that, you should be "good to go" when you receive all the components you ordered. Let me know if you need additional help.
Scott

Dave,
Well, this is what happens when you get to be an old Fa.. like me. I'm incredibly sorry for the misinformation I presented to you. I was dead certain that I'd never seen any Grands with AMBER turn signals. Well, you surely proved me wrong. What an AIRHEAD I AM. What do you expect for a retired fireman? Breathed too much smoke I guess.

Anyway, with all that being said, YES, YOU WILL NEED A TAIL LIGHT CONVERTER AND, THE ONE YOU SHOWED, IS THE CORRECT ONE. And with that, my drawing is DEAD ON, for what you need to do in your Grand in the wiring of the toad lights. It is exactly the part you need. You can purchase those on line at etrailer.com or, The Hitch Source, or multiple other on line agencies.

Or, depending on how well equipped your local RV supplies store or, even a Napa auto parts store might have them. But, one thing here, you have to make sure it's a " Two wire to THREE wire" tail light converter, just like what you pictured.

Many places stock the THREE wire to two wire version and, that is NOT THE ONE YOU NEED. So, be careful in your purchase. Again, sorry for the wrong information.
Scott

last 4 toads I wired I just installed another bulb in each taillight and ran the wires straight to them. Never touched vehicle wiring.

Bird Freak wrote:
last 4 toads I wired I just installed another bulb in each taillight and ran the wires straight to them. Never touched vehicle wiring.

Many folks do it this way. But, one of the main problems I see in wiring a toads tail lights this way is this. About 99.9% of the time, when a second bulb is added to the same tail light housing, it's ultra close to the original bulb. And, in the same percentage, there is no partition in between the two bulbs. And, if one has an auxiliary braking system, i.e. Ready Brake, Even Brake, Brake Buddy, and any other system that actually pushes on the brake pedal, then in a very, very large percentage of the toads out there, the brake lights are activated when the brake pedal pushed.

So, here's the potential scenario. You're all hooked up and towing down the road. You're approaching a turn and, you need to slow down. You apply the turn signal in the coach which, in turn, applies it to the additional bulb that's been installed in the toad. It's flashing, as it should be. But, you now apply the brakes in the coach. That, in turn, applies the brakes in the toad too, due to the auxiliary braking system installed in the toad.

If the toad is the same as approximately 90% or more out there in toad land, that auxiliary brake will activate the toads brake lights, correct?

So now, you've got a flashing bulb, most of the time, within approximately 1/2" to 1" away from a full brightness brake light bulb, with no partition between the two. What is a person following the toad, supposed to see?

Now, conditions will vary. One, the toad is one of the ones in the very small percentage that DOES NOT ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LIGHTS when the brake pedal is applied and, the key is in the off position.

Two, there is an actual partition in between the two bulbs.

Three, one is aware of the potential "dual bulb" conflict and, has remedied it in what ever way they did to alleviate the issue.

When most folks setup a toads lighting system, many are not aware that the auxiliary braking system they've chosen, not only pushes on the brake pedal but, by doing so, will activate the toads brake lights, even with the key completely out of the car. When they hook up to the coach and, run checks with their wife or, whom ever, all is good. But, the problem is, YOU'RE NOT MOVING.

It's a stationary check of the lights, not an in-motion one. It's hard to do an in-motion one.

People in RVing have been adding auxiliary sockets and bulbs for quite some time and, yes they work but, the potential problems in doing it this way are there. It's just something to take into consideration.
Scott