should one have a fuse in basic trailer to car wiring

[Ron Dickey]

I bought lights that came wires but I see no fuse
do I need one or two?
or should there be one before the plug from the pull unit?

[madjack]

Ron, you could do that but you would be one of the only ones to do so...those lights are fused at you cars fuse block...but if you wanna, it is yours afterall...
madjack

[Miriam C.]

JMMHO
No. Your already fused at the tow vehicle and I personally don't want my wires spliced anymore than needed. Remember, every splice is a place waiting to come undone. Plan where your clearance lights go too.

Now wire from the aux. battery to the tear will have a separate fuse box.

Miriam

[Leon]

I put a separate fuse in the trailer light circuit that is less than the running light fuse on the car. that way if the trailer has a problem it blows the trailer fuse and I only loose the trailer lights instead of the entire car. It happened once when I had to tow a friend's trailer and one of his wires was touching ground. On my S-10, there is a provision to take the trailer signals before the truck's fuses, so separate fuses are easy to add at that point and isolate the trailer from the rest of the tow vehicle.

[Ron Dickey]

I put a separate fuse in the trailer light circuit that is less than the running light fuse on the car. that way if the trailer has a problem it blows the trailer fuse and I only loose the trailer lights instead of the entire car. It happened once when I had to tow a friend's trailer and one of his wires was touching ground. On my S-10, there is a provision to take the trailer signals before the truck's fuses, so separate fuses are easy to add at that point and isolate the trailer from the rest of the tow vehicle.

I am thinking putting a box in that would plug after the car and before the trailer. it will have male and female trailer plugs.

what size fuse did you use in the trailer.

[Dale M.]

I'm thinking its added complexity and another place to cause a problem and you don't need it....

Dale

[Esteban]

Ron, I am putting a junction box under my trailer. Auto parts stores probably sell them.

[working on it]

I'm thinking its added complexity and another place to cause a problem and you don't need it....

Dale

However, if it simplifies the wiring and keeps it tidy, then it my be a boon...Dale advised me to try using one, previously, in an earlier thread http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=58985&hilit=spectro&start=45#p1072104(suggested also, here, by Esteban). I used this one: http://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Spectro/38656.html

Spectro 7-way.jpg (53.39 KiB) Viewed 691 times

It was a life-saver.