# trailer lighting??



## Whackin-N-Stackin (Jul 16, 2010)

i need some help with my enclosed trailer lighting on the interior. i have a 6x12 dct cargomate enclosed trailer and as of right now i have to have my truck lights on before the lights work inside the trailer and was wondering if there was a way to hook up the lights to just a battery that i have sitting inside the trailer without having to take all the boards on the inside of the trailer off to get at the wires and do it that way. i was thinking of getting some more rv lights and just running them to the battery and putting in another toggle switch and doing it that way but id really like to use the lights that are already in there. so if anyone can help that would be great thanks


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## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

Interesting thought, what I'm wondering is would it back feed to the truck? When you say a battery sitting inside the trailer are you talking about the electric brake battery? that I don't believe would have enough storage capacity unlike a deep cell. If your talking a seperate battery, I'd run a wire from inside up along the tounge and tap into the harness on the trailer side of the plug. With the trailer lights unpluged touch each with the hot wire till your lights come on then trace it back a couple inches and splice into it. you will have to also run a ground to the trailer to complete the new circut. It should work. Let us know if you try it.


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## Whackin-N-Stackin (Jul 16, 2010)

ok i will probably try that but i have a deep cycle battery inside the trailer that i use to run my portable lights for setting up in the dark but i have a question on running the wire to the harness. would that draw from my battery when im running down the road with my lights on, on the outside of the trailer?? or would it chrage my battery??


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## Bauer (Sep 29, 2005)

I dont know how your trailer is set up, but my roof is open with the only paneling on the walls. My wires for the interior lights run along the top of the paneling behind a lip. I can then see the wires follow the framing up to each light. I was able to tap into my lights behind the lip above the side door and power them from the inside.

If you cannot access your wires PERIOD from the inside, as they stated, I would find the wire outside in the harness and try it there.

:thumb:


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## Whackin-N-Stackin (Jul 16, 2010)

ok well i have an open ceiling too with the wires running the length of the trailer on the inside along the side of the trailer were the walls and the ceiling meet. i can access them but im not quite sure which one to use since there is about 6 or 7 different wires there with two wires heading to the switch for the lights which i would assume is the postive wire which i thought about splicing into but now where do i run the negative wire? just to a grounded area?? or do i have to splice that to another wire?? thanks


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## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

Two wires running to the switch is the same wire split by the switch (in and out) A switch breaks the flow, therfore a hot wire runs to the switch and then out of the switch when it's on. If the switch is "off" the connection is broken and thus the lights are off. AS far as the negitive, pull a light off the ceiling and see where they hooked the ground to. If it's to the trailer steel frame then hook your ground from your battery to the steel frame as well. Keep us updated so we can answer any questions.
Cut'em


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## Whackin-N-Stackin (Jul 16, 2010)

ok i tried to splice the positive end of the battery into the switch and then i just touched the ground on some steel on the frame that i could reach while tending to the switch and this is were im lost. when i have the positive on the one wire running to the switch the inside lights turn on and off and then the outside ones are on all the time. but when i spliced into the other wire going to the switch instead of that wire i just tried the lights on the inside of the trailer stay on all the time and when i turn the switch the outside lights turn on and off and the inside ones just dim but never shut off so i dont know what i can do now. thinking about just pulling the lights off and capping the ends and then running new wires and toggle straight to the battery which is starting to sound easier than what i have tried so far and am at a dead end as of right now so any help would be great. thanks


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