I am trying to figure out my wiring for my tail lights on my 1984 starcraft starmaster pop up. I have four wires coming out to the old taillights on the driver side. These are white which I know is ground, green which I know is for running lights, yellow which is reverse lights and red, which is turn/ stop light. I purchased LED taillights that have a five wire hook up. I hooked these up to a 12v battery and determined what the wires on the tail light control. Black is ground, white is reverse, green is running lights, yellow is turn signal and red would be brake. The issue is that the LED light has the turn signal and brake signal circuits separated, where the original setup was on the same wire, using a dual element bulb. When using a test light on the red wire from the camper, it will blink as it should when blinkers are on but give more power for brake light when brakes are applied. If I hook up this red wire to the LED light fixture on the blinker circuit the light will blink as it should but will light up like a brake light when brake is applied. This is just an amber turn indicator, I want it to just blink. I can take it lighting up when brake is applied because it does blink when brakes are pressed and turn signal on, but I don't get the red lens to light up for brakes like it should. Can I tie into the electric brake circuit to get my brake light in the rear? Please help, I will try to post a crude drawing of what I am talking about.,thanks

my TV has one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/Trailer-Light-Converter-3-to-2-5-to-4-wire-w-5-amp-built-in-Circuit-Protect-/370578657851this allows my separate amber turn signals to be integrated with the brakes to light up the red stop and turn lamps on my pop up.Depending on your TV (if it has amber turn signals or a separate red bulb) you have the same thing. reduces the wiring harness from 5 to 4.If your new trailer lamps have amber turn signals you would have to rewire it from your TV. If you have the converter installed you could simply remove it and run all 5 back through a 5 or 6 or 7 pole harness. Which I wouldn't recommend if you haul another trailer the lights wouldn't work right.Maybe tap into it before the converter and leave the4 intact and just run another connector. of course you have to then run a yellow wire all the way back to the tail.If your TV just has red stop and signal lights through a dual bulb you need to tap into the brake and turn signal wires and run them back

If I understand what you’re saying, there are four wires from the tow vehicle to the trailer. I don’t recall the color but the wires are: ground, running lights, right turn/brake light, left turn/brake light. The problem is that vehicles built after about 1992 have separate brake light wiring, and turn signal wiring, thus requiring more than four wires. One alternative is to upgrade to a 7 pin connector such as used with larger travel trailers, or install a device to combine the brake and turn signal functions to two wires. The first options would allow full functionality identical to the tow vehicle. The second would use the turn signal for brake lights. I use the 2nd option for my jeep that I tow with the motorhome using some diodes (actually 1/2 of a full wave bridge) to feed the rear lights on the jeep. The link shows some of the devices that can be used to combine the stop and turn signal lamps. http://accessories.etrailer.com/trailer/Brake%20Turn%20Light%20Converter

As stated above, most wiring will have left turn/brake and right turn/brake wires. There can't be just one brake wire with no turn signals. With only four wires I will bet there are no backup lights. With 4 wires you would need to have at least Left Turn, Right Turn (which are also the brakes), ground and running lights. With a 7 conductor plug you get electric brakes (usually blue), hot wire for charging (usually black) and an auxilliary which is usually used for back up lights (usually yellow).

84starmaster wrote: I purchased LED taillights that have a five wire hook up. I hooked these up to a 12v battery and determined what the wires on the tail light control. Black is ground, white is reverse, green is running lights, yellow is turn signal and red would be brake. The issue is that the LED light has the turn signal and brake signal circuits separated, where the original setup was on the same wire, using a dual element bulb. Not sure how you determined that "white is reverse" since you have no backup light actuator on the pup wiring-? Yours is a three function connection (stop/turn/tail+markers).I'm unfamiliar with a five-wire replacement light for trailers...most 3-function are three wire, even the LED versions. What's the brand/model of the lights you're trying to install?

on a four prong white is ground yellow and green are turn/stop and brown is running lights the new one sounds like it is for semi trailer.. they have seperate brake lights and turn signals..check i believe they make a converter to go from four to five for seperate turn signals

Rv wiring stumper???? | Good Sam Community

recycler
Explorer
Aug 13, 2013
on a four prong white is ground yellow and green are turn/stop and brown is running lights the new one sounds like it is for semi trailer.. they have seperate brake lights and turn signals..check i believe they make a converter to go from four to five for seperate turn signals
Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
Aug 13, 2013
84starmaster wrote:
I purchased LED taillights that have a five wire hook up. I hooked these up to a 12v battery and determined what the wires on the tail light control. Black is ground, white is reverse, green is running lights, yellow is turn signal and red would be brake. The issue is that the LED light has the turn signal and brake signal circuits separated, where the original setup was on the same wire, using a dual element bulb.

Not sure how you determined that "white is reverse" since you have no backup light actuator on the pup wiring-? Yours is a three function connection (stop/turn/tail+markers).

I'm unfamiliar with a five-wire replacement light for trailers...most 3-function are three wire, even the LED versions. What's the brand/model of the lights you're trying to install?
69_Avion
Explorer
Aug 13, 2013
As stated above, most wiring will have left turn/brake and right turn/brake wires. There can't be just one brake wire with no turn signals. With only four wires I will bet there are no backup lights. With 4 wires you would need to have at least Left Turn, Right Turn (which are also the brakes), ground and running lights. With a 7 conductor plug you get electric brakes (usually blue), hot wire for charging (usually black) and an auxilliary which is usually used for back up lights (usually yellow).
RLMiller
Explorer
Aug 13, 2013
If I understand what you’re saying, there are four wires from the tow vehicle to the trailer. I don’t recall the color but the wires are: ground, running lights, right turn/brake light, left turn/brake light. The problem is that vehicles built after about 1992 have separate brake light wiring, and turn signal wiring, thus requiring more than four wires. One alternative is to upgrade to a 7 pin connector such as used with larger travel trailers, or install a device to combine the brake and turn signal functions to two wires. The first options would allow full functionality identical to the tow vehicle. The second would use the turn signal for brake lights. I use the 2nd option for my jeep that I tow with the motorhome using some diodes (actually 1/2 of a full wave bridge) to feed the rear lights on the jeep. The link shows some of the devices that can be used to combine the stop and turn signal lamps.

http://accessories.etrailer.com/trailer/Brake%20Turn%20Light%20Converter
popupcamping
Explorer
Aug 13, 2013
my TV has one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/Trailer-Light-Converter-3-to-2-5-to-4-wire-w-5-amp-built-in-Circuit-Protect-/370578657851

this allows my separate amber turn signals to be integrated with the brakes to light up the red stop and turn lamps on my pop up.

Depending on your TV (if it has amber turn signals or a separate red bulb) you have the same thing. reduces the wiring harness from 5 to 4.

If your new trailer lamps have amber turn signals you would have to rewire it from your TV.

If you have the converter installed you could simply remove it and run all 5 back through a 5 or 6 or 7 pole harness. Which I wouldn't recommend if you haul another trailer the lights wouldn't work right.

Maybe tap into it before the converter and leave the4 intact and just run another connector. of course you have to then run a yellow wire all the way back to the tail.

If your TV just has red stop and signal lights through a dual bulb you need to tap into the brake and turn signal wires and run them back

Forum Discussion

Rv wiring stumper????

About Technical Issues

Related Content

Adding Another RV/Toad Wiring Harness

Wire Size

Wiring

sparkplugs and wires

TV wiring