Led flood light mounted on back of trailer

[Zede98]

Hello this is my first post

I would like to install led flood lights to the rear of my trailer with a separate rocker switch located near the battery in front of the trailer. My thought is that I will be able to flood the area I'm trying to back into.
I would like to know thoughts on the best way to install something like this... Should I run the wire under the carriage or snaking it between the roof and ceiling?

[Zede98]

Thank you all for your information after thinking about it I did not want to permanently mount the floodlight just in the back but more or less to have them movable for lighting where is needed. Now I will run a wire with two separate rocker switches so that I can decide which light I would like on at which time

[2500_Grunt]

If you decide to add lights back there you should install a relay if the lights are not led. Non led flood lights could draw a large enough load and over tax your truck's electrical system and /or make wires hot. I am a believer in that the ele. system was not designed to handle much more load than stock and even a small draw could throw codes and create problems. Relay's are cheap and good assurance. I have 2 Walmart 4" back up lights installed off of my TV hitch and I wired in a toggle switch right next to them so I can also use them when hooking up at night. Works great! Put them on and don't worry about LEO issues! Safer to have them than not to and have decreased visibility.

[Unit505]

Since the HID headlights came along for aftermarket installs, many states have changed their laws to make aftermarket headlights illegal. I drive an ambulance full time and dispise aftermarket HID headlights since 99% of them are installed in factory halogen headlight assemblies and blind the******out of you. Some states went overboard as did Louisiana. In order to combat the HID headlight issue, Lousiana changed the law to NO lighting that changes the factory original performance. Technically speaking, there are supposed to be no Non-factory lights installed unless they are DOT approved on any vehicle including trailers. The law specifically says trailers, semi trailers, to clarify that this is not just a big rig thing.
La RS 32:330

But like I posted earlier, our police just don't follow these vehicle laws. In fact, they protest these laws and refuse to enforce them. The reason being, there is no database available to law enforcement on the job that they can access to justify charging someone with. My wife is a cop and we argue constantly about why she refuses to pull over a 90's vehicle with blinding HID headlights. She said that these laws do not hold up in court and are tossed because they have no way of saying for sure that the lighting was not installed by the factory or dealer at the time of the traffic stop.
The other issue is conflict between state and federal law. Cops just don't want to go there. With the boom in natural gas production, drilling, fracking, etc, there are so many vehicles, trailers, etc, with added lighting and proving that those lights are not suppose to be there or that they are or aren't DOT approved is a waste.

Our inspection stations test factory vehicle lighting, wipers, windshield and horn. Lot's more on the list, but that's all that they actually inspect. Any tandem axle trailer has to be inspected for clearance and traffic lighting. As long as any additional lighting is not used on the road or used irresponsibly, our cops just don't touch it.

[trail-explorer]

I bought these for my truck, but they would work just as good on a trailer.

LED Flood Light

[jims1]

I have 6 lights on the bottom of our 5'er. 2 are mounted near the front landing gear, 2 in front of the tires aimed out at 45*, and 2 on the rear. They are all LED flood lights which light up a pretty good area.
Wiring to the back was in the grey 1" conduit with a box at the halfway point for the middle lights. I also have them switched separately- front, middle- rear. I also have the ability to turn on the rear ones from inside the truck to give a little light when backing into a spot at truck stops, and such. What I did was buy the cheapest 14g 75 or 100' extension cord I could find.and used it inside the conduit. The LED's only have a 18 watt draw.

[Happy_Prospecto]

When I ran my wires to rear of the Toyhauler I ran them in a old garden hose. I measured how far it was to the rear of the trailer, laid out the hose on the ground, pushed the wires in the hose and then installed the hose along the trailer rails.

Although not bullet proof, this method has worked out well for a goodly amount of years.

[TakingThe5th]

Bumpyroad wrote:
I'd go under the RV also, might put the wires in some 1/2 or 3/4 PVC pipe, cheap insurance.
bumpy

X2. Add a nylon string to your wire loom so you can easily pull additional wires later if needed. Nylon will not rot.

[Bumpyroad]

I'd go under the RV also, might put the wires in some 1/2 or 3/4 PVC pipe, cheap insurance.
bumpy

[paddywanpeep]

Go ahead and mount it..nobody cares, These guys are talking about semi's and inspections etc, the DOT, LOL. There is nobody that is going to pull you over or even care if you mounted a light to the outside..heck toy haulers come with them from the factory.

As for your question I think I would run the wires under the carriage as it seems the easiest to do.

[JaxDad]

GlennLever wrote:
I would think there would have commented on the plate being covered.

It's likely only obscured from that close up and above angle. From behind it's prolly clearly visible between the steps.

I doubt the driver leaves it there while in motion anyways.

[GlennLever]

I would think there would have commented on the plate being covered.

[LarryJM]

RoyB wrote:
It is more than just mounting lights on the rear - they have to come on only when you are in REVERSE... They also have to be DOT APPROVED LENS on the lights...

This is what happened to me here in VIRGINIA when I mounted two lights on the bottom of my OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer. These were turned ON by a separate switch inside my POPUP trailer.

Much like this GOOGLE IMAGE from the internet...

GOOGLE IMAGE...

They worked out pretty good for me...

Then I had to get my Virginia Safety Inspection a couple of months later and the first question I got was why those lights did not come on when he asked to put my truck in reverse... The inspector also said he could not find a DOT NUMBER stamped on the lens...

He made me remove the two lights before I could pass my DOT Safety Inspection.

After taking them off I just decided not to have any mounted. I could have added the 12VDC line from the center connector of the 7-way trailer connector but just decided I would go for lights on the side of the trailer.

Back in my JEEP DAYS I was always running into SAFETY INSPECTION problems with all of our lights mounted on bars and things... DOT just doesn't these lights to ever come on when driving down the public roads...

Sorry to start anything here from what I said - Just passing along what I went thru a couple years back. Take it for what ever it is worth... I can remove my comments if you guys like...

Roy Ken

Roy if you carefully check the VA inspection manual you can have non DOT approved lights mounted on the rear controlled by a switch. For inspection they must be made inoperable (I.E. fuze or switch) and they must be covered with a factory like cover. You can't cover them up with tape, cardboard, etc. I have non DOT rear lights on both my Van and my 2013 Sonata with both on a switch and I made some cloth covers for the lights on the Sonata and for the last 14 years haven't even covered up the ones on the Van and I have never been questioned and my inspector follows the manual and even checks any LED replacements since they also have to be DOT/SAE approved.

These rules are similar to the "light bars" on vehicles like Jeeps which are covered up and are on switches. In fact I had a set of driving and fog lights on the front of my Van from 2001 until this month which had covers on them and were activated by switches and they were never questioned in any of my State VA inspections on my Van.

Larry

[Gdetrailer]

Bumpyroad wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

jjj wrote:
I mounted 2 small 50 watt driving lights under my rear molded bumper and also mounted 2 of them on the side just about 2 feet ahead of the wheels and angled them outward to shine on the ground so I can see the ground and the wheels. I mounted the switches,1 for the rears and 1 for the side ones,inside the battery compartment so when I was ready to back up I just turn them on while I was doing my maneuvering and turned them off when I was done. It works for me.

The problem with this is what RoyB eluded too.. Some states which have an "inspection" of your vehicle, the mechanics WILL FAIL the inspection unless you REMOVE said lights or PROVE that they can not be activated WHILE DRIVING IN A FORWARD GEAR. Some mechanics are worse than others so you might find one that is fine with it and others may be sticklers and force you to remove the offending lights on the spot.

Those states which do not have an inspection (and even the ones that do) your vehicle may be pulled over and you potentially can be fined and or or you may need to remove on the spot if your MANUALLY ACTIVATED LIGHTS ARE ON WHILE MOVING IN A FORWARD DIRECTION..

It is a safety thing, blinding other motorists is a bad thing.

It is for that reason any lights which are not facing forward SHOULD BE ONLY ACTIVE DURING REVERSE.

Even pickup trucks with a "cargo" light to light the bed area the lights can ONLY BE TURNED ON WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTS.. It isn't like you are going to drive at night with your interior lights turned on..

There IS a REASON to the madness and if you understand the reasoning you can safely add additional lighting provided you follow the same rules as the manufacturer..

Pretty simple, rear facing lights if connected to the reverse light circuit and you PROVE they can not be activated in any forward gear will not be an issue..

"Scare" lights are a different creature.. They are not intended to be on during transit and the driver takes the risk of ensuring they are not on while traveling..

lots of double talk. you can have them but you can't have them but if you promise to not turn them on while driving, etc. the truck cargo area light is a perfect example. it CAN be turned on while driving. the law does not say that since it is unlikely, etc. etc. and SCARE lights won't flunk a vehicle.

bumpy

Bumpy, in order to turn on your cargo lights you MUST turn on the INTERIOR LIGHTS. That is the way the vehicle code has been since something like the early 1970s..

Last time I remember a truck with the cargo lights on a separate switch was my Dad's 1970 Ford.. Had a switch on the back wall of the cab above the drivers head.. His 1974 Ford they integrated the cargo light with the interior cab light.. Had to turn the dash light brightness adjustment control all the way to the right until it clicked. Once clicked the interior dome light came on and so did the cargo light..

It isn't like your are going to WANT to drive with your INTERIOR LIGHTS ON AT NIGHT. If you did you will not be able to see much if anything through the windshield!

Scare lights along with normal outside door lights can't be operated from the cab and typically do not face the rear so they are not really any concern for most inspections.

What does become a concern is when you place intentionally high powered white lights facing the REAR TOWARDS VEHICLES BEHIND YOU and you have no way of turning them on/off from the cab and worst yet is if they get turned on while you are GOING FORWARD. You have a potential to BLIND DRIVERS BEHIND YOU.

It is for that reason it is best to connect them via the backup wire which is already PRESENT on pretty much all factory wired vehicles for towing. Your trailer WILL already have the wire present and all you need to do is run additional wire from the tongue back to the rear.

This is not brain surgery and is not hard to do.. Just ONE single strand of wire run via the frame and you are done.. Wire tie the wire to the frame.. All told should not take more than an hr to run the wire using the frame..

I simply do not understand why folks think this is so hard or complicated.. You will do more work trying to run wire and rig/mount a manual switch to the trailer battery than if you run the wire from the already present backup line..

If you like flashlights, go ahead and use them but for myself I really love my automatic backup lights..

This entire train wreck of a thread makes me wonder as to why I bother reading and responding to this entire RV.net forum.. :h

[Bumpyroad]

Gdetrailer wrote:

JN_B wrote:

Zede98 wrote:
Hello this is my first post

I would like to install led flood lights to the rear of my trailer with a separate rocker switch located near the battery in front of the trailer. My thought is that I will be able to flood the area I'm trying to back into.
I would like to know thoughts on the best way to install something like this... Should I run the wire under the carriage or snaking it between the roof and ceiling?

Funny how off topic everyone gets..
OP wants to install the switch and lights on the trailer. Not the switch on the truck and lights on the trailer. Or both lights & switch on the truck.

Do Trailers have to get annual DOT inspections? Pretty sure not.

And besides that having both the switch and light on the trailer make it pretty hard to activate the light while driving.

If you are worried about it, but some lights with covers, then leave the covers on until you need them. Pretty hard for DOT to argue with covers, and it will protect your lights.

Personally, I would install the lights under the trailer. It would give you a better perception of the terrain, by creating shadows which would show the dips/highs of the terrain. If you lights are on top of the trailer, you won't see the dips/highs as well..

PA REQUIRES ANY MOTORIZED AND NON MOTORIZED RV (IE TRAILERS EXCEEDING 3K lbs GVW) to have an ANNUAL SAFETY INSPECTION. I suspect there ARE other states that have same or similar requirements..

When getting my trailer inspected, ALL LIGHTS which serve as markers, tail/stop/turn AND BACKUP FUNCTIONS ARE TESTED.

Failure of any these lights to work FROM THE CAB will result in a failed inspection.

Placing a switch on the trailer to operate backup lights (or lights you placed on the back FOR BACKUP PURPOSES) WILL RESULT IN A FAILED PA INSPECTION, PERIOD.

PA mechanics TEST all the marker, tail/stop/turn and backup lights to ensure they operate FROM THE CAB.

Scare lights ARE NOT THERE FOR BACKUP PURPOSES and as such are not part of PA inspection routine (they have never failed my inspection for my side door lights since that is not typically used while traveling)..

so each and every non-colored light you put on your RV are for scare purposes, to light up your patio area, etc. and as such, do not operate from the cab. what about the white light they put on the front of mine to light up the tank/battery/hitch area?

bumpy