electrical question, how to make clearance lights blink

[path1]

Seeking instructions/guidance to what I need to do to make clearance lights blink? Trailer is plugged into 110 volt.

[philh]

bob213 wrote:
While camping in a somewhat remote location we had a medical emergency in our group. We used the flasher to let the EMT's know where we were. They thanked us for the help in locating us. It's not always about "light pollution".

That is a most interesting idea. I have wired up a 7 pin receiver that I can plug a jumper into to light up trailer lights, it's very seldom done, but the flasher idea for an emergency is awesome.

[CA_Traveler]

DIY Flagpole buddy: Draw what you think is needed for the cutout on 2" PVC for 1.5" pole. Cut it out and mount it. Connect 2 sections of PVC for extra length. Don't like your first try? It's only 1' of pipe, try again. Everything is available at HD, etc.

[dedmiston]

Still thinking about this...

We mostly boondock out in the deserts and most of us have flagpoles and beacon lights so we can pick our rigs out of the sea of trailers in the dark on crowded holiday weekends.

Flagpole Buddy and Poles & Holders both have great selections of extension flagpoles and beacon lights.

[magicbus]

You might get one of these http://midlightelectric.com/bulbs/acatalog/Light_Bulbs_FLASHER_BUTTON_FOR_MEDIUM_BASE_SOCKET_3996.ht... and you can turn any 110 volt light up to 60 watts into a flasher. Might be easier than trying to rig your trailer clearance lamps. You could mount it to your trailer antenna or near the clearance lights.

Dave

[dedmiston]

path1 wrote:

dedmiston wrote:

Tyler0215 wrote:
Why?

RV Park Rave.

Op here.....I'd be so happy if that was our problem. Here is our situation. Wife has been in hospice (in home) for about year and half. About 8 months ago google and other map makers made a mistake and renamed our street, so people trying to find our house by GPS can't. Looking down our long drive way, the top of trailer is visible from the street. So I thought flashing lights on trailer might help guide these directional challenged into our place. (A flashing bicycle light on top of the fence is not tall enough to been seen from street.) Seems like 2 or 3 times a month she needs medical care after hours. Between the "after hour traveling" nurses and nurses that English is second of even third language; they can't follow verbal directions.
We have submitted a street correction to google maps and other map makers. No response over 6 months now. Had to get a $280.00 UPS store P.O. box on order to get her medical supplies from fed ex, amazon etc.

So just one error of misnaming a street has created ton of problems for us.

Yikes. I didn't see that coming. So sorry to crack wise at your expense.

Good for you for doing the most for your wife. I'm so sorry to hear that Google's tech messed you up in such a horrible way. I wonder if a call to your local news stations consumer advocates might set a fire under Google?

[bob213]

While camping in a somewhat remote location we had a medical emergency in our group. We used the flasher to let the EMT's know where we were. They thanked us for the help in locating us. It's not always about "light pollution".

[JRscooby]

OP, if help can't find the right street, not sure how a light signal would help. But for what you are looking for, maybe a strobe that shines on house or trees in yard?

Skibane wrote:

Boon Docker wrote:
Newer vehicles have led lights and the flasher works for those, so no reason why it would not work for a trailer.

The old-style mechanical flashers tend to be pretty picky about how much current will make them blink - and how fast they'll blink.

One bulb would burn out, and suddenly you had all the others no longer blinking. Add a couple more bulbs on a trailer, and suddenly you had them all hyper-blinking dozens of times per second.

Back before cars got all loaded up with FREDs, the standard flasher would stop blinking the lights when a bulb burned out. This was by design, indicate to people that did not check their lights there was a problem. And if you added more lights, would flash faster. But part of installing a trailer hitch was replace standard with "heavy duty" flasher. HD did not stop flashing when a bulb was out. I don't know the upper limit on number of bulbs, but sure there is one. I do know that using the flasher jumped in in place of a fuse can be a great help in finding shorts.

[pbeverly]

Have Google fix the map issue.

Google Map Corrections

[bucky]

Give the visitors the address of the closest GPS location that is correct. Go meet them and bring them home.
So sorry about your wife, that is a long time in hospice care.

[NRALIFR]

Solid state flashers with the same pin configuration as the old round “can” types have been available for years. They work with both incandescent and LED bulbs.

Solid State Flasher

:):)

:R Let’s Go Girls! 😛 (End of quote)
NRA Benefactor Life Member
Lance 1121-Two Awnings, Slide topper, 3.6 kw Gen, Trimetric Batt. Monitor, 1500W Inverter, 40A Redarc DC-DC charger. 2016 F450 6.7 PSD.

[bgum]

Get one of these and mount it where it is easily accessible and can be seen.

https://www.amazon.com/RISOON-Flashing-Waterproof-Construction-Navigation/dp/B08FX2XWDW/ref=asc_df_B08FX2XWDW/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475826875892&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16466316205334666780&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9025362&hvtargid=pla-1012177342921&th=1

[Skibane]

Boon Docker wrote:
Newer vehicles have led lights and the flasher works for those, so no reason why it would not work for a trailer.

Most newer vehicles don't have a flasher - They just use a few lines of software in the "body control module" to turn the lights on and off.

The old-style mechanical flashers tend to be pretty picky about how much current will make them blink - and how fast they'll blink.

One bulb would burn out, and suddenly you had all the others no longer blinking. Add a couple more bulbs on a trailer, and suddenly you had them all hyper-blinking dozens of times per second.

[CA_Traveler]

Bicycle light raised with 8' PVC pipe or 16' if needed. Or Christmas lights on a pole with an extension cord, etc.

[thomasmnile]

Solar powered post lamp at your driveway entrance with an address sign made with 4" reflective letters and numerals? Advise those who travel to your property to use the original address if they navigate with GPS since Google apparently works at their own speed?