New Jeep, JL as a toad.

[Nutmeg]

Originally Posted by coopcolt

Nutmag, with your setup, say with the diodes installed and
the brake buddy installed. Would you not have a problem
if you removed the fuse for the rear lights on JL???
Say we could move the fuse to the outside of the fuse box??
Just adding another step in hookup/unhook, not a big thing.
But I still will not CUT into the JL wiring, waiting or the Hopkins
plug and play.

I just today ran a string from the front of the passenger frame
rail to the rear of the JL. I used an old dog run plastic covered
braided wire. Ran it in 3 sections, now tied together.
Going to go with stand alone lights for now.....coopcolt

Not sure on the fuses. Likewise I am going stand alone for the time being with hopes of the Hopkins system.

Have to look again as I did not see an opening past the front of the rear tire in the frame. Thanks

[Nutmeg]

Originally Posted by justinpirie

There’s no need to cut into the JL’s wiring. Figure out what plugs it uses and make a joining section with a male and female plug, then tap off from that loom. The manufacturers all use standard plugs which you can normally get off Amazon or EBay. Failing that an electrical wholesaler.

Thing that has been keeping me from that is finding the correct fittings and wondering what is taking Hopkins so long to come out with there Diode system if its that easy.

My current thought is the Hopkins system, when it comes out, will give me 90% of what I am looking for in a tested system and supply me with the connectors and wiring. My thought is if I add a DPDT relay, powered off of the charge line from the Motor home that intercepts the feed lines in the JL system into the diode pack, I would have an automatic system similar to the factory method. Until then I have my stand alone functional that I can also use as a bike rack by installing the arms.

[stang37]

Just purchased a Wrangler JL to use as my toad. I was planing on use this Blue Ox light system. BX8848 diode tail light wiring kit ($59.00). I found this system from Mopar. JL Wrangler Tow Vehicle Wiring Harness Item: 82215382 ($405.00) A little pricey. Is there a reason not to use the Blue Ox system? I used the diode system on other vehicle without any issues.

[Nutmeg]

My concerns with that diode system are;
1. Cutting into the wire harness.
2. Depending on your auxiliary braking system, double feeding the lights with possibly different signals.

As you have experienced, people have been using diode systems for years without issue. People have also been cutting up wire harnesses, so acceptance depends on your level of comfort with that action. Currently the best system is probably the factory one, but its pricey and time consuming to install. The Cooltech also has its merits but now your cutting up the harness.

The Hopkins system sounds like it will be the best of the diode systems but until they hit the market and have a price on them that’s speculation.

In reality there are five common choices. Factory harness, stand alone, cut in diodes, harness diodes, mechanical switch. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

[CoolTech]

The JL TOAD wiring from Cool Tech is pretty straightforward in functionality. The wiring connections are made in the door sill area of the front passenger side. There are 4 wires to find - Left Brake/Turn, Right Brake/Turn, Left Running light, Right Running light. each are color coded but in Jeeps infinite wisdom, there's more than one wire with the same color code. So, you have to test to make sure you're on the right wire. These 4 wires are cut. Now you have 8 ends. The Cool Tech harness has 8 wires with pre-shrunk butt connectors already on them. You connect the 8-ends to the Cool Tech 8 butt connectors. Crimp and heat shrink and it is the same quality as an OEM butt connector. The kit comes with a pre-wired 2-position toggle switch and labeled JEEP and TOW. In the JEEP position, the 4 wires you cut are simply connected back together and your Jeep lights function normally. Meanwhile, the sheathed wires going to the front of the Jeep for connection to the motorhome (also pre-wired into the switch) are connected to absolutely nothing when the switch is in JEEP position.

When the switch is flipped to the TOW position, the MH is now connected to the wires going to the rear lights... and the wires from the Jeep are connected to absolutely nothing. So, the MH has exclusive control over the rear lights. There is NO POSSIBILITY for backfeeding or anything harmful that the MH can do to the Jeep - because the MH is connected exclusively to the rear lights and nothing else. This provides 100% isolation with no diodes that can fail, etc.

What happens if you start to drive the Jeep and inadvertently leave the switch in the TOW position? Pretty harmless. The Jeep wires are no longer connected to the bulbs (LED or conventional) and the Jeep will quickly determine that a bulb is out. The driver will get a chime and a warning message. Ho-hum, place the switch into JEEP mode after palming forehead and all is good.

All of the wires to the Jeep rear tail lights come directly out of a Body Control Module (BCM) plug and there is NO plug or electrical connection between the BCM and the lights at the rear of the Jeep. No one likes to snip a wire but, other than taking a bit more time during the one-time install process, when done correctly and with high quality heat-shrink butt connectors, there should never be a longevity concern.

[CoolTech]

Nutmeg,

There is a bit of good news for you. After approximately 5-10 minutes of no activity (no doors opening and Jeep not running), the JL electronics will fall into sleep mode to reduce battery consumption. In sleep mode, the Jeep's brake pedal can be depressed and the Jeep will NOT activate its brake lights.

As I think you are referring to, previous model Wranglers, (TJ and JK) would have a problem insofar when the MH was commanding a blinking turn signal but the aux brake controller activated the Jeep's brake lights, the turn signal blinking action would be lost. The remedy was either to add a relay or to remove (and remember to re-install!) the Jeep's brake light fuse.

None of this is required in the JL. Well, after you wait about 5-10 minutes after last closing of a door.

If you have any doubts, it's pretty easy to verify. Close the doors on the Jeep and leave the driver's window down. Wait ~10 minutes and then reach in through the driver's window with a broom handle and depress the brake pedal. Shazam, no rear brake lights.

[Wnevels]

I installed the CoolTechLLC wiring after looking at it for three days of not wanting to cut my wires on my brand new 2019 50k plus Rubicon. I went ahead and cut the wires and could not be happier. Nice clean installation and works like dream and I don’t have the problem of no signal when I apply the brakes like others do.

[Nutmeg]

Originally Posted by nota4re

Nutmeg,

There is a bit of good news for you. After approximately 5-10 minutes of no activity (no doors opening and Jeep not running), the JL electronics will fall into sleep mode to reduce battery consumption. In sleep mode, the Jeep's brake pedal can be depressed and the Jeep will NOT activate its brake lights.

As I think you are referring to, previous model Wranglers, (TJ and JK) would have a problem insofar when the MH was commanding a blinking turn signal but the aux brake controller activated the Jeep's brake lights, the turn signal blinking action would be lost. The remedy was either to add a relay or to remove (and remember to re-install!) the Jeep's brake light fuse.

None of this is required in the JL. Well, after you wait about 5-10 minutes after last closing of a door.

If you have any doubts, it's pretty easy to verify. Close the doors on the Jeep and leave the driver's window down. Wait ~10 minutes and then reach in through the driver's window with a broom handle and depress the brake pedal. Shazam, no rear brake lights.

Well that certainly eliminates one of my concerns, Thanks for that knowledge learned something new today.

I like the Cooltech methodology except for cutting into the harness.

The Hopkins uses the connectors at the tail lights. Installs behind the Drivers tail light. Unplug the tail light, plug the harness into the Hopkins input and the output from the Hopkins into the tail light run two runners to the passenger side and repeat. Of course you have to run your feeds from the motor home to the unit.

In my mind a switch such as the Cooltech uses versus a diode pack would be the most reliable. A relay like what I believe the Mopar Harness uses does the same feature automatically but has the failure potential of the relay.

Personally I am thinking of adding a relay to the Hopkins kit. Why? Its a cost thing. The past kits have been in the 60-70 dollar range. That about covers the cost of the four connectors and wiring and gives me a replaceable harness. I run a charge line from the motor home so I would just need to run one more wire with the tail and signal lines to power the relay when I connect the six pole umbilical. I am cutting into an aftermarket harness so its replaceable. Benefits? I get an automatic system with the methodology of the Cooltech and Mopar systems with a Diode system back up in case of failure.
Am I overthinking it. You bet I am, did you look at my stand alone system?