Backup lighting

ihsolutions

Well-known member
For the first time this evening, I had to back up my BH 3670RL into my driveway in the rain, at night. Couldn't see a blasted thing. The reverse lights from the truck were bouncing off the front bottom of the 5'er (near the landing gear switch) and I couldn't see anything behind me but bright light.

Now, I can put my Big Horn on a dime going sideways up a hill in the rain with one arm behind my back, but apparently, not in the dark. Took me at least 15 minutes. You have to be able to see where the thing is going and how it's oriented. I couldn't.

I'm thinking of installing some white reverse lights attached to the frame (low) on the back of the trailer and tying it into the vehicle's reverse light wiring. However, I'm not sure that's going to be enough, especially considering we are headed into fall and will be arriving at campgrounds (more often) at dark. How do I address the reflection issue? Surely I can't be the first person to encounter this problem?

And before you say it, just assume I am a single guy camping alone with nobody to guide me in. Because, as much as I love my wife, she's useless in this regard despite my feeble attempts to teach her even the simplest way to help guide me in. It'll be better for the marriage even if I end up hitting a tree someday. At least then it's only a few weeks of "I told you so" instead of weekly camping agony. :)
 

TXBobcat

Fulltime
And before you say it, just assume I am a single guy camping alone with nobody to guide me in. Because, as much as I love my wife, she's useless in this regard despite my feeble attempts to teach her even the simplest way to help guide me in. It'll be better for the marriage even if I end up hitting a tree someday. At least then it's only a few weeks of "I told you so" instead of weekly camping agony. :)

Now you only have to explain this last paragraph. Maybe she is like my DW. She doesn't even want to turn this bugger on.

Happy Trails..... LOL

BC
 

2010augusta

Well-known member
Your 7-pin harness is wired for backup lights, so you just have to tap into the wire that is capped off in the junction box on the back of the pin box.

the reverse light on the 450 are mounted very low in the rear bumper and then I have an array of docking light that are part of the up-fit on the truck.

I would add 2 or 3 lights down each side of the frame-rails or flush mount them into the J-wrap on the trailer and power them off a dedicated circuit, so you can use them to navigate a narrow area while driving forward too. and use them to aid in hooking up to utilities at night.

In the mean time, why not just turn on the scare lights on the trailer to help light up the dark spot.
 

porthole

Retired
Add the lights to the rear of the trailer.

Even with the truck's lights reflecting off the trailer, the trailer's reverse lights will make a difference.
Our Cyclone has top mounted "loading" lights over the garage ramp. I wired these into the reverse circuit and it works great.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
I did a similar thing to my previous trailer but instead of trying to wire the lights to the tow vehicle, I wired them to the trailers 12 volt system and put a switch in the ODS basement. It was not too much trouble to use cause I usually have to get out and do a visual when I park most times.
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
I wired tractor lights off the frameunder the cargo doors. They have a trapaziod beam. I have them pointed at the front of the wheels and they also shine off to the rear and sides, they WFM. As Alan said the yellow wire in the box is the backup light wire
 
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