Community Forums

Jake21 · 06-17-2012, 01:53 PM

Your best guess please.

I have my Jeep Wrangler that I am towing. I would like to put some extra lights on the rack that I installed on it. Do you think that if i plug in extra lights into the Jeeps trailer light harness that the extra lights will work from the MH signal like the Jeeps lights do when I tow?

Thanks,
J

garym114 · 06-17-2012, 02:40 PM

The Jeep trailer lights and the Jeep toad connection to the MH should be seperate.

wa8yxm · 06-18-2012, 10:27 AM

If you use LED lights instead of the older Incandascent kind.. (And change your tail lights over as well) the total current draw will DECREASE, and thus cause no problem.

In reality, The anser depends on how big the added lamps are. ONe additional 1157 on each side will cause no problem.

Jake21 · 06-19-2012, 07:20 AM

I managed to hook up the jeep without moving the MH and took a volt meter to the trailer harness on the back of the jeep. I do have power from the MH's lights going through the jeeps trailer harness, so I am going forward with the additional lights. I will post pics.

Also, I talked to the guy who wired the jeep for tow lights. He said that as he recalled, he wired the diodes to allow current to the jeep but not frommm the jeep to the MH

J

wa8yxm · 06-19-2012, 11:48 AM

Yup, there are 3 different tow light systems

One is the diode kit, works as you describe and should power the jeep's trailer connector

2 is the "Add-a-lamp" system, where you drill a hole in the side of each tail light and snap in a 1157 lamp and socket that is hooked to the Motor Home connector up front but isolated (Save for ground) from the jeep's system

3: add a fixture,, Same as 2 electrically. Don't look as good. (Mickey mouse ear tail lights in addition to the OEM)

Jake21 · 06-22-2012, 06:15 PM

Here is the install. Used some rubber fasteners so the lights are easily removed. Got the LED lights from Walmart and a few nuts and washers and velcro fasteners from the hardware store. These lights are needed because I have a 4 bikes on the back of the jeep when I tow and you can't see the regular tail lights.

needed a few spacers so the nuts would not kit the bars.

https://idisk.mac.com/jjakle//Public/jeep5.JPG

Finished it up with some flex conduit and velcro.

https://idisk.mac.com/jjakle//Public/jeep3.JPG
https://idisk.mac.com/jjakle//Public/jeep2.JPG
https://idisk.mac.com/jjakle//Public/jeep1.JPG

garym114 · 06-22-2012, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake21

I managed to hook up the jeep without moving the MH and took a volt meter to the trailer harness on the back of the jeep. I do have power from the MH's lights going through the jeeps trailer harness, so I am going forward with the additional lights. I will post pics.

Also, I talked to the guy who wired the jeep for tow lights. He said that as he recalled, he wired the diodes to allow current to the jeep but not frommm the jeep to the MH

J

The diodes are not installed correctly.
If you have power in the trailer harness from the MH this means the MH is powering up the Jeep computer, engine control unit (ECU). The installer even says so. It allows current to the jeep from the MH.
This defeats the whole purpose of using diodes. Diodes should be wired to allow current to the bulb from the Jeep source or the MH source and not back to the idle source, ie. the jeep ECU.
You might want to check to see if you register miles on the Jeep odometer while being towed.

TAZ · 06-22-2012, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garym114

The diodes are not installed correctly.
If you have power in the trailer harness from the MH this means the MH is powering up the Jeep computer, engine control unit (ECU). The installer even says so. It allows current to the jeep from the MH.
This defeats the whole purpose of using diodes. Diodes should be wired to allow current to the bulb from the Jeep source or the MH source and not back to the idle source, ie. the jeep ECU.
You might want to check to see if you register miles on the Jeep odometer while being towed.

My factory jeep trailer harness is wired off of the rear lights harness. The diodes installed on mine I put under the door jam next to the drivers seat. So mine does power the trailer lights and I have a second set attached to my rack, that holds the cooler, for extra safety.

TAZ · 06-22-2012, 08:25 PM

Part of the confusion is that the diodes you buy for this hook up are actualy sets of two diodes for each light. You break the feed to the rear lights and place the diods between the jeep feed and the MH feed. This allowing current to only flow to the rear lights and not back to the coach or the jeeps ecu.