Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

[korygrandy]

Is it possible to hookup a Blazer LED Marker light to my existing rear right blinker light?

It has a ground (white) and a brown wire. The wiring from the harness has 2 wires, green and green/black. I noticed the existing right tailight has 3 wires as well, ground (white), green and brown.

Is it the bulb that is actually causing this not to blink or turn on since it's not a "blinker"?

When I hook up a charger it lights up and the existing trailer light works fine on it's own without this extra light hooked up.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

two comments... why do you want it to blink with your right blinker? that is a center mount tail light, no blinky! Hook it to the green so it is on with your taillights.

second, you mention using a 'charger' to light up the lights. That is a sure way to pop bulbs and destroy LED's. If its a computerized smart charger, you should be ok, but your typical dumb charger is nothing but a big transformer. Without something to load it down (like a battery), you might see 50 volts at the clamps.

 

[Titanium48]

Re: Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

50 volts from a battery charger? Better not leave that one hooked up overnight or you will have turned all of the water in your electrolyte into hydrogen and oxygen. My "battery charger" is a wall wart power supply salvaged from an old printer. It puts out 17 V open circuit and will charge a battery at 2.5 A at 12.5-13 V. If I don't disconnect it when the battery is charged, the voltage rises to 15 V and electrolysis begins. Hooking up an single bulb drops the voltage to ~14 V, exactly the same a bulb gets in normal use.

 

[freeisforme]

Re: Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

Without the load from a battery, many larger battery chargers will peak out at higher voltages, I've seen as high as 58V from a few big Snap On starter chargers on the Boost position.
They gain amperage by upping the volts I guess. Attach a battery to stabilize the voltage. Even the higher voltage models will read about 17.5 or so volts when connected to a good battery.
You should never leave a charger on that high setting for any length of time, especially overnight. I have a hard time leaving a charger like that running over night at all. If I need to trickle charge a battery, I use a small, regulated and timed charger. One that will shut off when the battery reaches capacity.

The easiest way to test trailer lights is to make up a test plug and use one of those jumper packs.

 

[korygrandy]

Re: Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

My purpose was to (cheaply) add 2 of these 3 light LED's to each side of the trailer for additional BRIGHTER turn signals as my current taillights are NON-LED and not very easy to see during daylight. I can tell people cannot see them very well because they are always riding me when I have the blinker on in preperation for turning as if they don't even realize I am turning.

I was using the charger to verify both the LED and trailer light work which they do.

Is it possible to wire this positive (brown wire) from the NEW LED to my existing EZ-Loader trailer wiring (or even the existing trailer tailight wireing) so that it blinks with the right/left blinkers?

I am trying to avoid paying $70 for 2 new EZ Loader style LED Tailights.

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

It certainly is possible.

On the right side use the White (ground) and Green (right turn and brake) and on the left side yellow (left turn and brake) and the white (ground). The green or yellow will hook to the brown on the light .

Have fun - I'm sure people will see you now

 

[wa_ssv197]

Re: Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

Just buy this and be done with it! ALmost the same cost as two of those lights.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

Without the load from a battery, many larger battery chargers will peak out at higher voltages, I've seen as high as 58V from a few big Snap On starter chargers on the Boost position.

I've got a fairly small 2/10/50 amp charger, on the 10 amp setting it will do 50 volts if nothing is connected! (its nothing but a big transformer inside, no voltage regulation to speak of) Once you have a battery on it, it loads it down to 15 volts or so.

 

[korygrandy]

Re: Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

Well I figured it out and it ended up going down exactly Fl_Richard explained.

Brown (+) on New LED to Yellow on Left Side,
Brown (+) on New LED to Green on Right Side
The light housing itself provides the ground when screwed direcly to the steel frame of the trailer.

Connected wires with butt connectors, wrapped with heat shield tape, Drilled some holes on the trailer to mount the strips, filled with silicone and screwed them down with some self-tap screws.

Yes they will see me now there is no question about that, and for the $16 I spent on the lights at Wal-mart, not a bad investment at all.

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

Now all you need is some cool LED eyebrow lights to go over the cab on the pulling vehicle and you'll look like a big 18 wheeler!

Congrats!

 

[KStoon]

Re: Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

Trailer wiring is easy if you remember the code as Fl Richard spelled out. Brown is always tag or tail light wiring positive. Green wire means RH turn and brake positive. Yellow wire means LH turn and brake positive. White wires are grounds. Most cars and trucks use this same code. Good job!

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

This is what I did. Both of the tail lamps are wired for normal use - running, signal and brake functions. The high mounting position keeps them out of the water and right in line with a following driver's sight level. I also have backup capability, in case a bulb burns out on one of them. The white light is wired to my backup light circuit. Its really useful for backing down a ramp at night. It also helps me, because I back my boat into my driveway and come home after dark a lot. The starboard side setup is the same, so I have four tail lights and two backup lights.

???

 

[marlboro180]

Re: Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

Nice setup Jay!

 

[KStoon]

Re: Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

I like the back up lamp! A persons truck back up's don't shine through the trailer/boat and I'm always cussin'.

 

[PGFISHER]

Re: Installing extra LED as right blinker / brake light

You're right about battery chargers overvolt. Except for running the starter motor, a battery is only a voltage regulator.
Without a regulator or resistance a charger will ramp up the voltage 'till something fails.