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Old 11-13-2020, 06:06 PM   #1
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Toads - what lights should be lit at night?

Just setup my Cherokee as a Toad curious which lights should be on while towing.

Tails, Brakes & blinkers work. Yippee!

What about Toad license plate? Would think that should be illuminated as well but it don't seem to be. Should I worry?
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Old 11-13-2020, 06:13 PM   #2
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The license plate light wasn't included in my hook up either , and 10 years in I haven't run into a situation where a LEO has said anything .

But maybe I've just been lucky .
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Old 11-13-2020, 06:13 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KenZ71 View Post
Just setup my Cherokee as a Toad curious which lights should be on while towing.

Tails, Brakes & blinkers work. Yippee!

What about Toad license plate? Would think that should be illuminated as well but it don't seem to be. Should I worry?
Good question, I rarely ever drive at night. But I don't think the license plate is illuminated. I guess we'll both learn something.
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Old 11-13-2020, 06:22 PM   #4
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Good question, I rarely ever drive at night. But I don't think the license plate is illuminated. I guess we'll both learn something.
If the running lights are lit, wouldn't the light the plate? I've never checked mine.

Ray
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Old 11-13-2020, 06:43 PM   #5
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If you used a diode kit, it may be wired after the plate light junction point.
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Old 11-13-2020, 06:49 PM   #6
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Depends on how you’re lighting your toad. If it’s wired with separate bulbs in each tail light, independent of the actual wiring of the vehicle (in your case a Jeep) then no, you’re license plate will not be lit.

Like someone else said......never been pulled over because mine is not.
Don’t trailer that often at night anyway.
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Old 11-13-2020, 08:13 PM   #7
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As a teen driver my 1st run in with the law was for no lights on my car's license plate. Turns out the bulb shorted & burned through the housing. New bulb and a bit of bubble gum fixed it for the next 4 years I had the car.

So I'm always worried about license plate lights now. No lights on the front of the toad only the OEM bulbs on the rear which were lit up.
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Old 11-14-2020, 09:36 AM   #8
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If you used a diode kit, it may be wired after the plate light junction point.
This^^.

Typically, the harness from the coach is tapped into the Jeep wires for the rear running/brake lights after the junction for the plate light. The diode kit prevents the current from the coach harness from travelling "backward" toward the junction and into the plate light.

My 2007 Wrangler has very easy access to the coach harness connections, which are behind the left rear light fixture. Though I have not checked to see if my plate light works, if it doesn't, it would be likely be easy to move the harness connection back before the split-off for the plate light, or move the split-off "forward" of the harness/diode connection. Like others, I don't drive at night so I don't know if my plate light functions when under tow.
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Old 11-14-2020, 10:28 AM   #9
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As a teen driver my 1st run in with the law was for no lights on my car's license plate. Turns out the bulb shorted & burned through the housing. New bulb and a bit of bubble gum fixed it for the next 4 years I had the car.

So I'm always worried about license plate lights now. No lights on the front of the toad only the OEM bulbs on the rear which were lit up.
Wow,
An LEO that had absolutely NOTHING BETTER TO DO than worry about a license plate light, man, talk about bored. Annnnnnyway, I've wired a few zillion toads, mostly Jeeps of all years and models of Wranglers and, to tell ya the truth, even as many as I've wired, I can't remember if the plate light lights up or not. If not, oh well.
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Old 11-14-2020, 10:41 AM   #10
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Technically the license plate light should be lit.

I know its part of NY, NJ state safety inspection.

I have different tail lights on my trailers, one with a clear bottom, to light the license plate.
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Old 11-14-2020, 11:00 AM   #11
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On my first toad, 2004 Wrangler TJ, the license plate is lit by a clear lens on the bottom of the driver's side tail light. So, it would have lit up if I used a light harness. But, I used magnetic lights.
The 2016 Wrangler had its own light on the license plate frame, so no license light on using the Hopkins kit.
The current 2020 Jeep Gladiator toad has license plate lights in the bumper. I'm pretty sure they don't turn on with the Cooltech kit I am using.
I have never been stopped or checked on any of them in all the years flat towing. But like mentioned above, we rarely travel at night.
In Washington State, they make us buy new license plates every so many years. 5 or 7, I forget. This is a newer law, they say it is due to the plates reflective coating wearing out. Sure it is. If they are going to make me buy new plates, so they can reflect light and been seen at night, I'm not going to wire an extra light!
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Old 11-14-2020, 05:49 PM   #12
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When you think about it, almost all trailers have their license plate attached to a combo taillight/license plate bracket with a clear lens on the underside of the taillight. Technically, you're suppose to have an illuminated license plate, but have never seen it enforced.

When you run separate diodes or the diode one box kit, they attach directly at the taillight bulb, so no feed to the license plate bulbs. You could simply one an additional diode to the bulb if you're concerned.
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Old 11-14-2020, 06:17 PM   #13
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If I recall correctly, a towed vehicle with two wheels off the ground does (or did) not require a license plate in NY, so it's hard to imagine that the light would be required. I have not checked into whether that works for toads on toll roads. Sigh. Something else to follow up, I guess, if I want to drive in the dark.
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Old 11-14-2020, 07:35 PM   #14
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Thanks for the feedback. I'm going to live on the edge and let the Toad license plate be dark.
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