Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Sure its here somewhere but can't find it.

I have never wired a trailer before. I was planning on going with a flat 4 prong plug. For running lights I will have:

2 brake/running/turn lights
2 yellow marker lights (one each side towards the front)
2 red marker lights (one each side towards the back)
1 license plate light

Can I use a flat 4 or do I need a different type plug? Does anyone know where I can get schematics?

A little help is greatly appreciated.

Ezbie

Sorry I wasn't sure what section to put this in so its in two...

Here you go. The brown would would also got to the license plate.

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=1941

ezbie wrote:Sure its here somewhere but can't find it.

I have never wired a trailer before. I was planning on going with a flat 4 prong plug. For running lights I will have:

2 brake/running/turn lights
2 yellow marker lights (one each side towards the front)
2 red marker lights (one each side towards the back)
1 license plate light

Can I use a flat 4 or do I need a different type plug? Does anyone know where I can get schematics?

A little help is greatly appreciated.

Ezbie

Sorry I wasn't sure what section to put this in so its in two...

I believe that a 4 wire flat plug system will work if you don't charge the trailer battery from the car's alternator or plan on using electric trailer brakes. You can find schematics by doing a Google search on trailer wiring.

I put a 6 wire system on my trailer so I can charge the battery. I don't think I'll be using trailer brakes though.

Joanne

In our case, we use either the wife's Ford Expedition (6 prong) or my Toyota 4Runner (4 prong). I did a two-headed connector.

The 4 pin wiring goes like this:

Right Turn/Brake (goes only to your bright filament in your right tail)
Left Turn/Brake (goes only to your bright filament in your left tail)
Running Lights (red and yellow side markers, license plate and tail running)
Ground (This is the only pin that is exposed on the plug) This gets grounded to your metal frame.

All of your lights must be either mounted to the metal frame or a ground wire run from the screw that is ground on the light to the metal frame.

True! This only gives you trailer lights. If you want brakes or a charge wire then you must use a 6 or 7 pin plug.

Just remember that the 4-wire setup depends on the turn signals being part of the brake circuit. If your tow vehicle has turn signals separate from your brake lights, you need an adapter that takes the inputs from the brakes and both turn signals, and outputs a separate signal (green and yellow wires) to each brake light. The brown wire is for the tail lights, tag lights, and the clearance (marker) lights. I have separate turn signals on my truck, and am putting separate turn signals on my trailer, just like I have on my boat trailer. My trailers will use 5 wires (tail/clearance lights, brake lights, right turn, left turn, and ground via a round 6-wire connector. That leaves one wire, so I can also wire up a backup light if I want to.

Here is a pic that Joanne made up. It's in the Important Information section umder the "My wiring plans" thread.

Brown wire is all the running/tail/ license plate lights.
Yellow is Left turn signal
Green is Rught turn signal

Brown for running lights, tail, side marker, license, etc. Yellow for left because there is a L in yellow Green for right because there is an R in green and white to ground.
Brwbier

If everyone would start with the white wire at the connector and run it with all the other wires to all the lights and then open the lights and make a secure connection to each bulb socket 99% of lighting problems would be gone. Stay away from using frames as current paths, especially bolt together ones.

How many lights are actually required on The trailer ??? can those side lights be replaced by reflectors... It seems like LED lights are the way to go now ...and wiring in a separate ground should make the lighting almost fool proof , well, at least a bit more anyway , eh ?...

Here is a chart of Federal regulations for trailers. I think most in states, this is what you need. And, yes, clerance lights and side reflectors are required. My clearance lights are also reflectors.

These are the side marker lights that I used: http://www.pmlights.com/products.cfm?cI ... 4&pId=2169
They are very small and have bright LEDs. I bought them at Wal Mart.