Warn Backup Lights - Trailer Power ?

rlinger

rlinger

New member
Hi All,
First off, I have searched but could not find an answer. I note that in the fuse box there is a 30 amp circuit labeled "trailer"

Can I attach two 100Watt Warn Fog lights as backup lights using the Reverse Power off my 7-pin trailer attachment? Does it matter if I wire them serially or in parallel?

Thanks
 
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200w would be almost 17amp. I personally would run a dedicated switched circuit so it could be turned off. Do you really want all that light every time you are in reverse? Why not just go for some small LEDs back there?
 
I also have a relay I can install to make it selective. Based on using the relay with remote, which wire in the trailer harness is always on?
Charley
 
rlinger said:
"...I note that in the fuse box there is a 30 amp circuit labeled "trailer". Can I attach two 100Watt Warn Fog lights as backup lights using the Reverse Power off my 7-pin trailer attachment? Does it matter if I wire them serially or in parallel?"

Thanks
Click to expand...

Hi rlinger,

If you do decided to do it that way you can get away with it, but like [MENTION=46322]Mace[/MENTION] stated, that's 17 amps that you will impose on that circuit alone; plus the brake/stop, back-up, tail, and directional signal lamps will consume their fair share of the 30A budget... would you really want to place that much extra load on that electrical branch? A simple rly would accommodate that utility using only 0.5 to about 1.0 amp; ...problem solved!

Oh, should you decide to run those foglights in 'series', you know that if one bulb goes out the other will go out as well... probably not the best idea, parallel is likely your best option. rgds!
 
Parallel will give full power to each light. Wiring them in series will reduce the current to half and the light output may be less that half.
 
[MENTION=54241]rlinger[/MENTION],
I was just making connections to my trailer back-up lights circuit for a pair of 18W LED's this PM.

Just because you have a 30A Fuse under the hood, that's only part of your circuit, if it's like mine.
There should be a Fuse Panel with a 10A Low Profile Mini Fuse under the dash to the right of the driver's side kick panel that says TOWING BKUP. << (terminology corrected)
So your circuit will be overloaded if you tie directly to that with 2) 100W lights!
:wow:

Your best bet would be as mentioned above....dedicated 12V Power from battery, relay, relay trigger from back-up light circuit and possibly a switch (in the trigger wire) to isolate when you don't really need 200W of light.

Check you fuse panel to make sure yours is the same, it may be different than mine.
 
Last edited:
Thanks everyone. I originally had them hanging from the rear bumper but now I am rethinking that given the change in clearance. I may just put them behind the front grill and just call it a day (or are there better places to mount them for rear backup lighting?)
 
I have been running the lower profile aux reverse lights like some of the members have just done for about two years. While I haven't ripped them off I have dragged them just about every time off road. Depending on the shape of them and how far they hang down there is a good chance of ripping them off. If you have a rack, up top would be a good spot to mount them. Also I think I remember seeing a flush mount rigid dually in the rear bumper if you aren't opposed to doing some cutting.
 
[MENTION=54241]rlinger[/MENTION]

This is what I did....
Wired to the TOWING BKUP light circuit.

Purchased from ebay: 18w 6INCH LED WORK LIGHT BAR FLOOD

They make a huge difference at night looking thru tinted windows and also lots of light when looking at BU camera!
134170d1413843878-what-did-you-do-your-5th-gen-today-backup-lights.jpg
 
cd121082 said:
[MENTION=103267]Saker[/MENTION] If you have any pictures of this install that would greatly help
Click to expand...

[MENTION=98676]cd121082[/MENTION],

No photos of the install. The lights are mounted to the bolts on either side of the hitch. I Found the backup light circuit and the ground on the 7-pin trailer attachment, unplugged, unbolted it & removed it. Found the wires going to the proper pins and tied into the wiring to each, ran my wiring to each light and mounted my lights.
 
Saker said:
[MENTION=98676]cd121082[/MENTION],

No photos of the install. The lights are mounted to the bolts on either side of the hitch. I Found the backup light circuit and the ground on the 7-pin trailer attachment, unplugged, unbolted it & removed it. Found the wires going to the proper pins and tied into the wiring to each, ran my wiring to each light and mounted my lights.
Click to expand...

Will this mess up my harness for when I do tow?
 
Neauxla said:
Will this mess up my harness for when I do tow?
Click to expand...

[MENTION=110036]Neauxla[/MENTION],


That's a pretty open ended question you have asked!

I guess that depends on how good a job you do when you tie into your backup light circuit and the ground on the 7-pin trailer attachment.

Only you will be able to make that determination.

Will you be using the backup light circuit when you connect whatever you are towing?
If so, you will have to determine how much draw you will have on that circuit...
Just do it in a professional manner after determining if the total amperage draw is acceptable.
 
Did you use a relay switch and run power from the battery or did you just tap into the reverse lights for power?
 
Neauxla said:
Did you use a relay switch and run power from the battery or did you just tap into the reverse lights for power?
Click to expand...

I didn't use a relay for this, I tied directly into the wires between the harness connection and the 7 pin plug as I don't otherwise use the Back Up light circuit on the 7 pin connection for towing.

You can do that if you desire and use that as a trigger for your relay.
That way, there is only minimal draw on that circuit to close the relay contact and still power your trailer back up lights.....
 
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