Tapping trailer running lights in front compartment for TPMS repeater

kdubinwa

Well-known member
I have a 2016 Bighorn and would like to wire my TPMS repeater in or near the front storage compartment. Like my rear camera I only want the TPMS repeater on when I'm running down the road with lights on... I took a look and did not find any access to wires for clearance/running lights circuits passing through the front compartment.

I also tried to snake a new wire from the pin junction box into the front compartment but no luck... need to try again with helping hands. Before I tackle that job again I wanted to ask if there is a better solution for tapping that circuit near the front of the trailer?

Kurt
 

GOTTOYS

Well-known member
If I ever get around to using mine I thought i would tie it to the always hot side of the breakaway switch. When I turn off my battery switch I have it wired to kill everything electrical so it wouldn't be a problem when in storage...Don
 

danemayer

Well-known member
If I ever get around to using mine I thought i would tie it to the always hot side of the breakaway switch. When I turn off my battery switch I have it wired to kill everything electrical so it wouldn't be a problem when in storage...Don

Don, you might want to verify that the breakaway switch doesn't have power when the battery switch is OFF. I think mine is wired around the cutoff. And I know on the Landmark 365, the wire going to the breakaway is between batteries and cutoff switch as pictured here.

breakaway switch buss bar closeup notated.jpg
 

kdubinwa

Well-known member
Great question. I was attempting to split the distance between sensors and front seat where monitor sits. I ended up adding a switch to the driver side propane compartment and placed repeater on front compartment wall. I think the pin is worth a try.
 

'Lil Guy'

Well-known member
I mounted a toggle switch at the rear of my hitch on the underside. Mounted it on the back of the junction box. Pulled the power from the Junction box for trailer hookup. Just took kof the cover ad drilled hole to fit switch. I mounted the repeater at the back center of the hitch.
 

GOTTOYS

Well-known member
Don, you might want to verify that the breakaway switch doesn't have power when the battery switch is OFF. I think mine is wired around the cutoff. And I know on the Landmark 365, the wire going to the breakaway is between batteries and cutoff switch as pictured here.

View attachment 43580

I installed my own switch right into the battery cable. There is nothing else coming off the battery post before the switch. It also adds some security as the electric to the jacks is shut off when I store it...Don
 

sengli

Well-known member
I bought a spare 7 pin trailer wire connector, and plugged into the extra 7 pin receptacle on the back of the truck for power. My RAM, has two 7 pin receptacles on it from the factory. One in the bed, and one on the rear bumper area. Used only the +12, and ground pins. So i will only be powering it up when I am towing, and the TX will be mounted with some Velcro as needed.
 
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rxbristol

Well-known member
I bought a spare 7 pin trailer wire connector, and plugged into the extra 7 pin receptacle on the back of the truck for power. Used only the +12, and ground pins. So i will only be powering it up when I am towing, and the TX will be mounted with some Velcro as needed.

Neat idea.
 

kdubinwa

Well-known member
After the great input on this post I just rewired the TPMS repeater today to run off the running light circuit at the pin junction box. I like the idea of no switch and no power unless I am running... that's just like my rear observation camera setup. Now I'll see how well the TPMS reception works with the repeater right behind the pin.

Thanks guys.
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
We added our TPMS to the front compartment, tapping the overhead light that also happens to have a wall switch. Now we can turn the repeater on and off, and the light on and off, as needed.


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justafordguy

Well-known member
Does the repeater have to be turned off when not in use? I wired mine to the battery in the front compartment and it's aways on.
 

JWalker

Northeast Region Director-Retired
Does the repeater have to be turned off when not in use? I wired mine to the battery in the front compartment and it's aways on.

I wired our repeater to the hot wire from the overhead light in the front storage compartment. It is always on. I find little drain on the battery. I was going to wire a toggle switch at first, but really never had an issue.
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
Does the repeater have to be turned off when not in use? I wired mine to the battery in the front compartment and it's aways on.

It doesn't have to be off. We wired ours originally to the hot wire of the light in the front bin in our previous rig. Just wanted to be able to turn it off. We fulltime, working fulltime, and stationary for sometimes months... so there's no reason for it to be on when we are not traveling.


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