tail light coverters?

[a70eliminator]

I had a "hoppy" tail light coverter which enabled me to run the typical 3 wire hookup with my Jeep which has the third brakelight rather than stoplight turnsignal combination, it's served me well for several years up until this new trailer, the coverter burned out within the first couple times out. The only thing I can think of is that this new trailer has a row of three little marker lights at the rear center of trailer and also 1 marker on each side just in front of the fenders, is it that the converter can't carry the load of a couple extra bulbs? Is there a better way to get around the seperate brake light scenereo in terms of wireing and converters? Thanks. I just want to get this wiring cleared up and I'm in the water!

 

[Chris1956]

Re: tail light coverters?

Does the jeep have seperate turn signals, from the brake lights? If it does, you need the converter. I bought a couple from JC Whitney many years ago. They work great. If you have a turn signal sharing a bulb filiment with a break light, you do not need the converter.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: tail light coverters?

The identification lights at the rear and side markers have nothing to do with the brake and turn signals. They run from the tail lights. Separate stop and turn signal lamps is the reason you need a converter. You can ID this need by 1) amber turn signals at the rear, or 2) separate bulbs for stop and turn.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: tail light coverters?

Ok I need to splain this a little better.
I already have a converter, I know my tow vehicle has seperate brake light, I just needed to know if the extra marker bulbs on the trailer could have overload the converter and cooked it? I'm willing to try another one but are thay all pretty much the same or are some better than others, I think I would like a heavy duty one if possible.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: tail light coverters?

Get a good one.
Go to a boat dealer or camper place and get one.
Also try NAPA if you have one. They carry good quality ones also.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: tail light coverters?

The tail light circuits are the same on either style of tow vehicle lighting. I believe the brown wire is simply a pass through since there would be no reason to convert anything on that circuit. Side markers, ID and tail lights are all on the same circuit. No conversioni necessary. I really doubt those added lights did anything to the converter.

You can also get around the converter entirely by adding another set of lights to the trailer. You would need another lead in the tow vehicle connector so you end up with totally separate circuits for 1) Left Turn, 2) right turn, 3) stop, 4) tail/running/marker and 5) ground. The stop light circuit from the truck would be routed to what was the STOP/TURN (bright) filament in the original lamps. The added lamps can be identical to what you have. The dim (running light filament) could be used if desired. The bright filament would be wired to the left turn and right turn circuits from the tow vehicle.

 

[mickjetblue]

Re: tail light coverters?

I installed 2 of those taillight converters in the last few weeks, on 2 different
vehicles. One cost about $7, and the other cost about $28 in a kit. The more
expensive model is about twice the size of the cheaper one, and it has about
4' of wire extending from it to the plug. With that, you can leave the converter
in the vehicle, instead of outside at the plug. They both work, but I think the
bigger and more expensive model will last longer.

Breaking news - iboats has one on sale, and this can't be beat!
http://www.iboats.com/Attwood_Road_...--**********.587508054--va.18--view_id.163817

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: tail light coverters?

Well I figured out what blew my converter and i now have a new one and it's all good now. The converter cooked when the trailer lost it's main ground from a bad connection at the broken grounding eyelet, the turn signal circuit found it's new ground through the marker light filiments, how I noticed it was after wiring my new converter in while checking the lights the darn marker lights were flashing with turn signals just faintly though, the converter got a little warm and I quickly unlugged it fron the trailer, I then noticed the broken eyelet ground, fixed that and now everything works as it should no more blinking markers. I guess the converter couldn't handle the extra current draw from the markers flashing and turnsignal bulb together, at least not for long it will overheat and burn out.