Deere Mack Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Hello, I've started installing new LED's on my trailer and I've gotten stumped . I've got 4 tail lights, two each side, all serve as lamp and brake then one each side is a turn also. My question, the one with turn, how do I wire it for stop too? If I splice it into the stop wire wouldn't it bleed over to both lights and make them both blink? Help!!! I cut it all loose before looking didn't think it would be that big of deal......My pig tail has three wires, one for ground, one for lamp and one for blinker or stop. Where does the stop go here? the only way I see is to use the ground wire for stop???CONFUSED YET? Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32208-wiring-trailer-lights-with-combination-tail-lights/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deere Mack Posted August 4, 2013 Author Share Posted August 4, 2013 heres my wire diagram. I may be wrong, maybe my outside turn doesn't serve as a brake light too? Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32208-wiring-trailer-lights-with-combination-tail-lights/#findComment-197986 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbigrig Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 Your brake lights on the end of your trailer should only be turned on by the red wire of your 7-wire plug (#4 on your picture above)Your signals should only be operated by either green or yellow wires (#3 and #4 in your picture) The way your signals and brake lights are split up at the rear of your trailer is probably done at a junction box somewhere in the light boxes or rear of your trailer frame.Keep in mind your signals and brake lights should be separately wired from the nose to the tail of your trailer to keep there operation separate. You may have brake light wiring and tail light wiring running separately to a junction for one set of lights. Your other lights that have signals, tail and brake or no brake should all run back to a central location and be wired into (stop, turn, tail) separately as required.Best to run new wiring back to a junction box and wire them in as you desire.A lamp that is stop and tail only should need 2 wires and a ground. A lamp that is turn and tail only needs 2 wires and a ground. What differs is where you hook the (usually red) wire that comes from the tail lamp you are installing.That is why most trailers have 2 tail lamps on each side. One for tail/signal, the other for tail/brake. Both brake and signal use the same bulb element. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32208-wiring-trailer-lights-with-combination-tail-lights/#findComment-198013 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deere Mack Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 BBIGRIG, I appreciate your reply and help! Was trying to get this done before Monday hit. I just got confused thinking that the turn light would also serve as a brake light when not in used as turn signal. No junction boxes on my trailer, "was" a bunch of mangled patched up wires from the previous owner. Cut it all out, replaced all pig tails & groumets, soldered and heat shrink all connections and replaced all the lights with LED's. This is a lowboy truck with a detach, so I added two led strobes in the grill and two LED strobes on the rear too. Now hopefully these nuts pulling out in front of me will see me coming and back off! Thanks! 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32208-wiring-trailer-lights-with-combination-tail-lights/#findComment-198046 Share on other sites More sharing options...
slpwlker Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 BBIGRIG, I appreciate your reply and help! Was trying to get this done before Monday hit. I just got confused thinking that the turn light would also serve as a brake light when not in used as turn signal. No junction boxes on my trailer, "was" a bunch of mangled patched up wires from the previous owner. Cut it all out, replaced all pig tails & groumets, soldered and heat shrink all connections and replaced all the lights with LED's. This is a lowboy truck with a detach, so I added two led strobes in the grill and two LED strobes on the rear too. Now hopefully these nuts pulling out in front of me will see me coming and back off! Thanks!The nightmares of electrical on a lowboy let me count the ways. Re wired my 4th axle and just waiting to yank the pigtail out of the trailer. Not really a rats nest yet but damn Fontaine and there bs has given me enough greif Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32208-wiring-trailer-lights-with-combination-tail-lights/#findComment-198050 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deere Mack Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 Yup, I'm married to a Fontaine too. I'm hoping the solder job will help my troubles. The new LED's I got seem to have a better conneciton too. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32208-wiring-trailer-lights-with-combination-tail-lights/#findComment-198116 Share on other sites More sharing options...
slpwlker Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Yup, I'm married to a Fontaine too. I'm hoping the solder job will help my troubles. The new LED's I got seem to have a better conneciton too.Best thing you can do is wire it for regular lights. Those damn Grotes or whatever Fontaine likes suck as you can never find them and just an oddball plug. rewired axle 4 on the trailer and had regular plugs put in. The trailer is next no more funky ass plugs that once you pull apart never go back together . Fontaine malfunction junction at it's best Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32208-wiring-trailer-lights-with-combination-tail-lights/#findComment-198270 Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer52 Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Best thing you can do is wire it for regular lights. Those damn Grotes or whatever Fontaine likes suck as you can never find them and just an oddball plug. rewired axle 4 on the trailer and had regular plugs put in. The trailer is next no more funky ass plugs that once you pull apart never go back together . Fontaine malfunction junction at it's bestMy Great Dane uses Grote lights. I was able to get replacements at NAPA. Quote Ken PRR Country and Charter member of the "Mack Pack" Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32208-wiring-trailer-lights-with-combination-tail-lights/#findComment-198305 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deere Mack Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 I'm having trouble installing the grommets and lights without breaking them....... They are a little different than what I had, they have a raised lip on the outside of the frame. I can get my 4" rubber grommets in but not the light and I can't even get the 2.5" grommets in period! Used a little oil with no luck. Any tips or tricks here would be appreciated. I get all the wiring done and can't even get the damn lights in!By the way BBIGRIG, I now have a junction box at the end of my Fontaine trailer Thanks for the eye opener! Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32208-wiring-trailer-lights-with-combination-tail-lights/#findComment-198312 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deere Mack Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 I now know what you mean by grote! The other grommets will not work! Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32208-wiring-trailer-lights-with-combination-tail-lights/#findComment-198329 Share on other sites More sharing options...
slpwlker Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 I now know what you mean by grote! The other grommets will not work!What seems to work for me put the grommet in and then push the light in sometimes top or bottom then work around. Push to far start over.Been lucky. Only problems I've had is I put clear led's in and they are just a c h smaller and would tend to fall. Silicone worked wonders. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32208-wiring-trailer-lights-with-combination-tail-lights/#findComment-198336 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deere Mack Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 Once I got the right grommets they went in just fine. Lesson: If your trailer came with Grote lights/grommets, you at the very least have to have the Grote rubber grommets if you replace any at all. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32208-wiring-trailer-lights-with-combination-tail-lights/#findComment-198353 Share on other sites More sharing options...
daninnm Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 This string is helpful in getting me figuring out the M172A1 G.I. Fontaine lowboy In have.....Wanted to keep the military 12 pin plug wired just like it is in case we tow with a strictly military trailer....WANT TO KNOW1. if I replace all the bulbs with 24V LEDS that should still be OK with the military wiring.2. I bought a combined Cole Hersee 48000 wiring convertor and was going to install at 7-Pin standard semi-tractor bulkhead connectoronto the trailer near the military plug....3. then would connect the converter to the military wiring system using the Cole Hersee instructions........BUT I WOULD ADD4. a box with four diodes (arrows pointing toward the 24V military system) so that the 24 volts would not feed back into the 12V Cole Hersee box and burn something upIS THIS THE CORECT WAY TO INSTALL THIS?? Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32208-wiring-trailer-lights-with-combination-tail-lights/#findComment-289048 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deere Mack Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 This string is helpful in getting me figuring out the M172A1 G.I. Fontaine lowboy In have.....Wanted to keep the military 12 pin plug wired just like it is in case we tow with a strictly military trailer....WANT TO KNOW1. if I replace all the bulbs with 24V LEDS that should still be OK with the military wiring.2. I bought a combined Cole Hersee 48000 wiring convertor and was going to install at 7-Pin standard semi-tractor bulkhead connectoronto the trailer near the military plug....3. then would connect the converter to the military wiring system using the Cole Hersee instructions........BUT I WOULD ADD4. a box with four diodes (arrows pointing toward the 24V military system) so that the 24 volts would not feed back into the 12V Cole Hersee box and burn something upIS THIS THE CORECT WAY TO INSTALL THIS??Good Morning sir and welcome! I have a M101A2 military trailer that was 24 volt. All I did was replace the bulbs with 12v bulbs and made an adapter to use on the military harness, did nothing to the wiring. If your using LEDS, they usually will accept a wide range of voltage. You can search the internet and find the diagram for the military wiring, it's a bunch of wires, but all you need are the four. The extra wires are for the blackout lights etc. for military use. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32208-wiring-trailer-lights-with-combination-tail-lights/#findComment-289073 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.