Third Brake Light?
The third - upper - brake light on my Ford pickup is completely blocked by a truck camper. I don't think I've ever seen a truck camper that has one. Come to think of it, I can't remember ever seeing...
Forum Discussion
Tapping Domestic truck lights -both.
I've thought about adding 3rd brake light (CHMSL) before.
Issue is adding something not just stuck on and hiding the wires.
Our camper door is centered so ideally light would be on door (or behind window) which makes wiring considerably more involved.
Second is brake signal.
Part of the requirement for 3rd brake light on trucks also added that a wire be run to rear for addition of 3rd brake light. IE camper shell/topper etc. Somewhere at rear is a 3rd brake light wire stubbed.
That said, for a slide in camper still not practical getting that wire to camper (if you have dedicated 7pin bed plug you 'could' use trailer brake pin). You'd need to run a wire from where your umbilical terminates inside to rear of camper to light. Painful on ours
So I would tap the campers brake/signal wires (if I could get past sticking light on door). Which one? Both. (Unless your taillights have separate bulbs for brake and signal.)
If you tap one of the taillights the CHMSL will flash with that light.
Tapping both will give you constant signal from light that isn't flashing. Requires diodes (or little magic box) on the taillight leads so not back-feeding each other.
Edit:
While easy to do for brake light- center light flashing is not legal in many (if not all) states.
I've thought about adding 3rd brake light (CHMSL) before.
Issue is adding something not just stuck on and hiding the wires.
Our camper door is centered so ideally light would be on door (or behind window) which makes wiring considerably more involved.
Second is brake signal.
Part of the requirement for 3rd brake light on trucks also added that a wire be run to rear for addition of 3rd brake light. IE camper shell/topper etc. Somewhere at rear is a 3rd brake light wire stubbed.
That said, for a slide in camper still not practical getting that wire to camper (if you have dedicated 7pin bed plug you 'could' use trailer brake pin). You'd need to run a wire from where your umbilical terminates inside to rear of camper to light. Painful on ours
So I would tap the campers brake/signal wires (if I could get past sticking light on door). Which one? Both. (Unless your taillights have separate bulbs for brake and signal.)
If you tap one of the taillights the CHMSL will flash with that light.
Tapping both will give you constant signal from light that isn't flashing. Requires diodes (or little magic box) on the taillight leads so not back-feeding each other.
Edit:
While easy to do for brake light- center light flashing is not legal in many (if not all) states.
