separate switch for trailer running lights

[dvieira]

Hello...



1997 truck.....



what if i clip the brown color trailer running light wire on my truck wire loom, before the 7pin connector and connect another wire to it, from the wire going to the trailer and bring it up to the dash and connect it to a switch, so the running trailer lights are separate, what for you ask, well when i tow the trailer at night on the highways, and when i pass a truck, and if they use their headlights to let me know when it's safe to pull into their lane i can just flick the switch a couple times to let them know thanks, instead of killing all my lights... ... so anyway what kind of wire would i need and switch and what type of power connection should i look for to connect to a power source for switch/lights...



thanks



dave

 

[wcjp]

If you really need the switch please use a relay and fuse.

 

[HBarlow]

You can do that if you wish but it would be wiser to find the brown trailer running lights in the truck's harness under the firewall or under the dash. Cut it closer to the location of your planned switch if possible. That way you'll avoid the long run of wires from the seven pin connector back to the dash switch and then back to the seven pin again. The long run of wire would have the potential for causing a corroded bad connection or a short at a future time.

 

[dvieira]

wcip..... yes i was thinking that, just have to figure out what type of relay and fuse... ... . thank you



HBarlow..... yes, i was thinking about that also, as you know, pain in the ***** following the wires... . thank you. .



dave

 

[SHobbs]

I usually turn on the hazards and let them blink twice. Alot easier than cutting into wires. Or use the trailer brake, give it a couple of squeezes to activate the brake lights.

 

[Moose Truck]

1997, not sure how it's wired. On my Y2K, there is a relay, for the trailer running lights, in the Power Center under the hood. I also belive the fuze is there to. That would be the spot to wire in your switch. I'd use solder and shrink tube to make the connections. Moose

 

[Bob4x4]

wcip..... yes i was thinking that, just have to figure out what type of relay and fuse... ... . thank you



HBarlow..... yes, i was thinking about that also, as you know, pain in the ***** following the wires... . thank you. .



dave

Many rigs,back in the day at least had a spring loaded switch mounted in easy reach to do just what you are looking to do. A simple touch of the toggle would turn the lights off the spring loaded switch would turn them back on. Of course it all went through circuit breakers and relays



Bob

 

[Allnew2Me]

You might be interested in what member Jaybo did. He has a momentary switch that will turn on the trailer lights when the headlight switch is off, but will turn off the trailer lights when the headlight switch is on. All with one switch on the steering housing. I don't have a schematic but you can send him a PM and ask how he did it.

 

[GAmes]

I ran a new wire from the battery, thru a fuse, to a toggle switch in the cab, then back to the 7 pin connector. It really came in handy while pulling a 5er thru a rainstorm in Nebraska at night when all the clearence lights on the bed, and the truck tail lights failed. I still had all the trailer lights and was not stuck beside the road.

 

[RDHamill]

I thank the kind truckers with a flash of my trailer's reverse lights. I have done basically what you mention,redirecting the reverse light wire thru a relay , which is controlled by both a dash switch and the trucks reverse lights.

seems to work well

 

[CumminsPower98]

I ran a toggle switch for this purpose for a while. I tied in at the big plug behind and at the bottom of the driver side fender. I decided this was not needed so removed it and want to using my flashers. A couple flashes worked just fine for me. I didn't do any relays, breakers or fuses. If I had it really wouldn't have been worth the effort IMO.

 

[Cummins Thunder]

I usually turn on the hazards and let them blink twice. Alot easier than cutting into wires. Or use the trailer brake, give it a couple of squeezes to activate the brake lights.

Same here... K. I. S. S. I really try to use that thinking on the 3500 since it is becoming so... um, not simple

 

[Loren]

dave,



Back in 1967 I did exactly what you are suggesting with my Ford pickup and for exactly the same reason. I don't see why you can't do it with your 1997 truck.



I think, though, that it's unnecessary and may be unwise. Why build a potentially troublesome wiring system to solve a problem that is solved more easily in other ways.



I agree with others here who have suggested alternative ways to thank the truckers. For the last several years I have been flashing my 4-way safety flashers two or three flashes as a "thank you" for the drivers who help. I didn't come up with this idea on my own. I have copied the numerous truck drivers who have thanked me in that manner. If the truck drivers are doing it, then they obviously understand it.



Good luck with whichever decision you make.

 

[SRadke]

I have rewired a couple trucks cutting the running light wire at the headlight switch and adding a switch/relay combination to pull the entire running light load (truck and trailer) off of the headlight switch. The headlight switches stop burning up after that but you do have to turn on two switches.

-Scott

 

[cojhl2]

For me I run a hot circuit to the pickup rear. (From a panel that is wired thru a fusible link from the bat. )



Run that to the hot side of a continous solenoid. Then with a T-connector pick up the triggering circuit to close the solenoid.



That is the simple overall description.



Actually I have three solenoids, RT,LT, and tail. The tail is triggered via an extra circuit off a toggle in the cab.



I had all lights only active when the switch in the cab was on but found that there were times I or an employee might forget to turn it on, then there were no stops or turn sig active on the trailer. So I changed the turn and stops to run off a hot feed all the time.



All circuits are circuit breakered or fused.



The wires to the back are just part of a 7-circuit trailer cable.



There reason for all this isolation is because I pull trailers from time to time that have a PITA wiring (not my trailers) so I can run with the trailer (illegaly of course) with no tail lights.



BTW, using 4ways is a very adequate way to thank big trucks.

 

[dvieira]

Thanks All !!!!

Loren & Everybody else on this thread, i've never tried the flashers, i've read about using them before, i guess tomorrow i'll drive out to my trailer and hook it up to the truck and see what happens... ...



thanks to all !!!!



dave vieira

 

[dfirlik]

Here's a link to an article on adding a switch to flash the lights during the day and blink the lights at night



Articles



Scroll down to "Do It Yourself Projects" and click on "Add on ICC Switch".



Don (MI)

 

[RVTRKN]

I used to turn off my lights as well. When a good friend went with me on a fishing trip, my friend asked me why I didn't use my flashers, and ever since then I have used my flashers.