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 a trailer that has one, either.What's up with that?That third brake light is such an obviously good idea that I can't believe they don't come as standard.I do see them with 5 lights across the top - two at the outer corners and three clustered together in the center - and I think I remember reading something about DOT required lights on certain widths of truck bodies and trailers. Apparently DOT doesn't require the upper brake light.Has anyone here added an aftermarket third brake light to their camper? How hard would it be to do? If I do it, am I going to see flashing red lights in my mirrors?

If you have access to both tail lights, you can use a converter to add one!Etrailer sells them (been thinking about adding one to my TT).

Standard trailer wiring harness does not include a wire for a center light so there is no reason a trailer manufacturer would install that light. To add one you would need to tap into the wire that goes to your center light and run a new wire to that light, whether on a TC or to a trailer.Or install a converter as noted above.

Or if you plug your camper into the 7 prong trailer cord, use the AUX wire. could work on a trailer too. Long before the third brake-light was common, I was putting them on dune buggies. But I would put a flasher on them.

Worried about getting rear ended without a high mount brake light, and worried about getting pulled over by the cops for having a high mount brake light?Yup, I’m seeing the logic here....no, actually I’m not.

You are carrying a house on your back and you are worried someone will miss a brake light? If they don't see the two of them on the camper then one more hidden in all the other things on the back won't help.

Third Brake Light? | Good Sam Community

MORSNOW
Navigator III
Jul 19, 2020
Zig wrote:
It does seem odd that truck caps are required to have the third brake light, but slide-in truck campers do not...

Truck caps are probably classified as a truck accessory, while truck campers are an RV/Cargo. Cargo can block rear windows and don't require 3rd brake lights.
Zig
Explorer
Jul 19, 2020
It does seem odd that truck caps are required to have the third brake light, but slide-in truck campers do not...
Grit_dog
Navigator
Feb 01, 2020
Optimistic Paranoid wrote:
AnEv942 wrote:
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.

Thank you. That makes sense now.

Would probably be easier to add 2 additional turn signal/brake lights, 1 on each side. Then it's a direct splice to each light from the lower ones.
JRscooby
Explorer II
Feb 01, 2020
Much easier, IMHO would be add extra lamp on each side. More brake light and more turn light. More tail would not hurt ether if not to high.
northshore
Explorer
Jan 31, 2020
A couple of things here;
first, why I don't know for sure I would venture to guess financial. It cost money to include a 3rd brake light. Just a guess on my part.
second, if being visible is in the equation, then the led conversion taillights makes sense to me. There are quite a few You tube vids on making the change over. Im thinking about this route. myself.
stevenal
Nomad II
Jan 31, 2020
AnEv942 wrote:
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.

With diode isolation, the on will override. Signal to turn and the 3rd light will flash until the brake is depressed and it becomes solid. Legal?
Dave5143
Explorer
Jan 31, 2020
With all the distracted driving on our highways, a third brake light isn't going to do much. I was going to mount a CHMSL on my trailer till I realized it wasn't worth the effort. People still can run into you.
BB_TX
Nomad
Jan 31, 2020
Optimistic Paranoid wrote:
AnEv942 wrote:
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.

Thank you. That makes sense now.

Even with diodes the center light would flash if you initiate a turn signal without applying the brakes, or until you do apply the brakes. That’s why you need an electronic circuit to detect both lights on/both lights off to prevent the center light flash.
Optimistic_Para
Explorer
Jan 31, 2020
AnEv942 wrote:
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.

Thank you. That makes sense now.
wnjj
Explorer II
Jan 31, 2020
stevenal wrote:
And to the same filaments when signalling to turn or switching on the flashers. Most of the time stopping and turning occur simultaneously, so one filament is solid while the other flashes. Which side should they wire the third to?

It would have to be done with a digital circuit that lights the 3rd light after sensing both lights were on simultaneously. Then it would stay lit as long as at least one is lit constantly so it wouldn’t flash with the hazards (other than one initial flash).

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