Adding reverse lights

[Halmfamily]

My fiver does not have reverse lights, is there a way to add them to it. I thought about using a set of driving lights but not sure how to wire them from the trailer to the truck. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Travel on.

[johntank]

skipnchar wrote:
My suggestion is to use a manual switch to turn them on when they're needed. At the same time set up your back up lights on your truck with a manual shut OFF switch so you can actually USE the lights on the trailer. Back up lights reflecting off of the front of the trailer will KILL your night vision making the trailer back up lights next to useless. You'll be surprised how much difference it makes to get rid of the trucks lights when backing.

I will add this to what skipnchar said, it would be nice if one could turn off the tail/brake lights also, as their reflection will hamper ones vision past front of trailer.

[Cummins12V98]

I had DRV run the reverse light wire to the back of the RV along with the 7 pin. Rolling retreats added the backup lights for me before delivery. They are VERY bright!

[rhagfo]

banjo wrote:
I have added reverse light to two trailers. Mounted the lights on the back bumper. One wire to ground the other to the center conductor
of the cable. Both of my trucks used the center conductor as reverse lights. You can check your truck with a meter. Center pin should go to +12 when truck is in reverse...

Atom Ant wrote:
Use the relay that comes with most driving lights and power the lights from the camper battery, but switched by the pickup reverse lights though the pigtail. I had four 55 watt halagon backup lights on my old rig, two out the back and two out the side. Great for rolling in at night. Also consider high lumen LED which would eliminate the need for the relays.

Yes, the center pin on a 7 pin is backup lights on a standard trailer connector.

I personally don't like the switch idea, I like mine to come on and off with the ones on the TV.
I also have added a set on the TV mounted low below the bumper, these light up the 5ers tires.
Both sets of auxiliary backup lights are on relays to avoid overloading the Backup light circuit.
Getting the wire from the pin box was easy. I found an existing wire that I could get to move at the pin box and near the front compartment, cut it at the pin box. I then tied the new wire and a replacement for the one I cut and used the old one to pull both in.

[DHCamper]

skipnchar wrote:
My suggestion is to use a manual switch to turn them on when they're needed. At the same time set up your back up lights on your truck with a manual shut OFF switch so you can actually USE the lights on the trailer. Back up lights reflecting off of the front of the trailer will KILL your night vision making the trailer back up lights next to useless. You'll be surprised how much difference it makes to get rid of the trucks lights when backing.

X2. There will be times when you don't want or need to use them. I have Bargman tail lights and they produce enough red light to be able to safely navigate at night. Best of all they have little effect on night vision.

Bargman led tail light

[Winged_One]

wbbeesley wrote:
going to add reverse lights to my trailer this year. My thought is to use the white led strip lights used on the back of pickups. it is self sticking, low profile and bright. I am considering wiring off a switch so when parked and disconnected from the truck I can use the lights for seeing behind the camper during the stay. I will run a hot line to camper system and install a switch either outside or right inside the camper door.

You might want to test out those lights in the dark before you install to see how far you will see with them. I worked with LED's since the 80's and found that while they are very bright when looked at, they often don't project light very well, especially over any distance. It's in the way they are manufactured.

[wbbeesley]

going to add reverse lights to my trailer this year. My thought is to use the white led strip lights used on the back of pickups. it is self sticking, low profile and bright. I am considering wiring off a switch so when parked and disconnected from the truck I can use the lights for seeing behind the camper during the stay. I will run a hot line to camper system and install a switch either outside or right inside the camper door.

[Antigua1767]

I just had two double halogen lights installed, mounted to the bottom of the bumper. Wired to the pin...mine was a centre pin power to the Dodge dually. I had to have a relay installed so the lights run off of the trailer battery. We then put a switch inside the trailer so the lights work both in reverse and can be manually turned on from inside. Yes the dual halogens are bright. But when I need to back in at night I can use the back up camera and it shows just as it does in the day time.

Good luck with your set up,
Respectfully,
Am

[jaycocamprs]

Just some seal beam work lights mounted by the landing gear work for me. If you put in a double pole switch and they will come on with reverse or manual.

[Atom_Ant]

Splashers3 wrote:
AAnt...I'm sure your fellow campers thought those 55W Halogens were great when you came rolling in the night too....

A friend of mine has 2 Halogens, and he turns them on seperately.They are angled to be less intrusive to fellow campers....2 out the side seems to be overkill.

Side docking lights are standard on some motorhomes, which are not different than what I had. Only on the forum does a simple solution become complicated and twisted. :R

[RoyB]

I like the manual switch idea for additional lights. There are lots of photos of google showing where different spotting lights have been installed. Click on the image shown for more info.
RV BACK UP LIGHTS

Some of these type of lights might get you in trouble with trailer inspections however. We JEEP GUYS with the OFF-ROAD lights always had run-in's with inspections too...

Having lights on each side mounted to the frame in the rear area is great for me when backing. If you mount them on the rear side then the BACKUP lights rules apply. i.e. they have to come on when you go to reverse... The also have to be DOT approved lights.

nothing is ever easy hehe...

Just my thoughts
Roy Ken

[Splashers3]

AAnt...I'm sure your fellow campers thought those 55W Halogens were great when you came rolling in the night too....

A friend of mine has 2 Halogens, and he turns them on seperately.They are angled to be less intrusive to fellow campers....2 out the side seems to be overkill.

[Halmfamily]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I will check the center pin this weekend. I like the idea of adding lights in front of the trailers wheels also and will probably do that as well. Travel on.

[Atom_Ant]

Use the relay that comes with most driving lights and power the lights from the camper battery, but switched by the pickup reverse lights though the pigtail. I had four 55 watt halagon backup lights on my old rig, two out the back and two out the side. Great for rolling in at night. Also consider high lumen LED which would eliminate the need for the relays.

[WE_CAMP2]

As others have said the center pin of your plug should be for back up lights. When I mounted lights on the back of my 5th I wired them with a relay so the power is taken from the trailer battery. My 5th was wired up to the pin box so I had to run a wire from there back. Another idea I had was to mount a light on each side facing back just in front of the wheels. I have these on a switch so if I have to maneuver back and forth in the dark I can keep an eye on how the trailer is doing even when the backup lights are off.