# trailer wiring



## WaterfowlJunky (Mar 16, 2007)

Trying to upgrade my decoy trailer, i want to install some light switches for interior lights and maybe a couple of flood lights outside of the trailer for setups. Im not sure what i would have to do to accomplish this, i dont know much about that kind of stuff but i would like to run it off a 12v battery.

Would i have to get a converter and run 110 or is there a SAFE way to run light switches off a 12v battery? Any and all ideas wanted..... thanks in advance


----------



## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Just go to an RV dealer and pick up some 12 volt interior lights for the inside of your trailer. You can use auto style flood or driving lights for the exterior.
Make sure you run all new wiring for any new lights you add. do not "jump" off any of your tailight wiring. And be sure to add fuses.
You can run the lights off of a 12vlt battery inside the trailer, or add a"hot line" from your vehicle using a 7 way towing plug (which depending on your vehicle you may already have) You'll just need the same plug on your trailer.
I prefer to use the vehicle to power the lights since I hate relying on charged batteries.
It sounds confusing, but its actually pretty simple.
Good Luck and shout if you have questions!


----------



## WaterfowlJunky (Mar 16, 2007)

so would running those lights drain the battery really fast or would they last ahwile?

Also i would like to run them on an ordinary light switch, is this possible with a 12v system?


----------



## BenelliBlaster (Mar 17, 2002)

Running any flood lights etc will take juice down really fast. If you have a lot of decoys to setup and need an hour or two of light you might not make it a whole morning. You would have to charge it every trip and that is a pain. I would go with dblkluk sugestion and run a hot wire off your pickup. As for a switch, you can buy just a simple 12V interupter switch and just wire it in before you run the power to your lights. The switch is much smaller than a light switch which comes in handy because then you won't need a large box to house it.


----------



## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Like BB said, the flood lights will take alot of juice. If you expect to get any life out of your battery it will need to be a good deep cycle marine battery. (27 series at least)
As far as switches go, just pick up a small 12vlt rocker switch from your local auto parts store.


----------



## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

dblkluk said:


> Make sure you run all new wiring for any new lights you add. do not "jump" off any of your tailight wiring. And be sure to add fuses.


 YUP!

Though you can run 2 - 12v ceiling lights off of the trailer running lights. But not the flood lights. Any tractor/farm supply type of biz has flood lights like Northern, Fleet Farm, etc.. I like the one they use on tractors to light up what they are doing while lpowing, etc.. Many guys run 4 (1 each side and 2 angled at rear). And you will need to figure out the size wire to run from your battery in the truck based upon the size of lamps you buy and run it through a heavy 2 wire plug (I do not recomend changing from a 5 to a 7 wire plug as then the plug will not fit other trailers like a boat trailer). This dedicated line needs to be fused up under the hood with a 20 or 30 amp in line fuse. And then run it back to your trailer under the truck frame to the plug, and then up throught the trailer frame to a high mounted light switch (high so no equipment bumps it and turns it on while driving) that you can swith on. If you wanted to get fancy you could have a switch for each light. Also--make damned sure you have no wiring hanging down, as the 1st corn field you drive through a stalk will rip it loose-so get the wires up high under the frame and run it properly.

The idea on flood lights is to park the truck into the wind and unload out of the back of the trailer and set up the spread, and the flood lights will give you good lighting to set up faster with less confusion in the dark being it is all lit up. It also will give better depth perception when setting decoys, as in the dark often the decoys can get set too close together, and it becomes evident in the light of day, so a good flood light set up should prevent that from happening too.

I do not like a acid battery jumping around in the back of the trailer, and then you still have to charge it up, and this can be a chore when on the road. Thus that is why I like to run off of the trucks battery. Just keep the truck running if the lights are on.

You owe it to yourself to do it right the 1st time so you have trouble free use for yars to come. Every guy that has done it that I talked to really liked the extra flood lighting. :beer:


----------



## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

H20 expains it best! Do it once and you will never regret it. You can get toggle switches to run the lights, and use a hot wire. They are really eas to wire up, and in the long run you will be happy you did it. I would suggest running all of your wireing inside of a pvc pipe, and silicone the ends. You will never have to worry about the wire rotting, and all of the road crap (Snow, slush, Mud etc.) pulling the wire down and breaking. It may take a few hours longer to do it, but it WILL last. I would say while you are doing it, keep a few extra hot wires, so you can add more lights after you have put the initial lights on. You may think 4 is enough now, but later you may decide you want to add more, and with the extra hot wires you will be able to do this really easily.

Any other questions ask. I have added flood lights on 4 trailers for my lawn care business. All run off the truck with a toggle switch inside the truck. It makes backing up in the dark a breeze.


----------



## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

Has anyone ever come into the problem of the flood lights draining and ruining your batteries while in use? Even if the vehicle is running, i imagine that is alot of juice being sucked from those lights


----------



## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

I have a Diesel with two huge battaries, and a extra large Alternator for running strobe lights, and a plow, so NO.

But im sure without a high idol kit on a gas, you might.


----------



## WaterfowlJunky (Mar 16, 2007)

that would be cool to have the switch inside the truck, well either way it would be cool....

so i know you said to get the tractor type lights, I will probably get 4 lights. That said what wattage lights do you run and what gauge wire do you run from the battery for your light system on your trailer. I would just do what you did.....it works for you.

h20fwler, hunt4P&Y thanks for all the help thats what i was looking for just a few more questions and i should be set


----------



## JBB (Feb 9, 2005)

If you are serious about doing your lights right here are some ideas. Go to a auto parts house get a battery isolater they are about 45.00 for a 50 amp one. Hook up the isolater to the altenator under the hood just far enough away so you can bolt it to the fender well. Then put a 30 amp slow blow fuse at the output side of the isolater. Run your wire ( a 12 gauge ) back to your trailer. Put a plug in end on it, the parts houses have lots of different types. Then mount a deep cycle battery in a boat battery box in your trailer. This will keep the battery charged whenever you run the truck without bothering the truck battery and will not run the truck battery down when you use your trailer lights.
Now run your lights off the deep cycle battery putting a fuse on each 16 gauge wire running to the lights. I would also mount my lights so you can take them off when you are traveling. When you arrive in the field just plug in your lights and go to work. This way they do not get brocken or so dirty you can not see any thing with them. There are several types of lights you can use. Get ones that are ay least 65 watts. You can get them all the way to 100 watts but that is over kill. If you get smaller ones you will not be happy with them when its dark, not enough distance. Get flood instead of regular lights. Just go to NAPA or somewhere like that tell them what you want and go shopping through their books. Mount one light on each corner and be able to pivot them then you can have light where ever you want. 
Just make sure your wires are mounted under the truck so they will not rub on anything. Good luck when you gat it all working you will wonder why you never did it sooner.


----------



## MOB (Mar 10, 2005)

I would use a deep cycle battery in the trailer to power your lights. Most newer trucks have the 7 pin round trailer light wiring already installed from the factory. You can hook up your deepcycle trailer battery to the hot wire in the 7 pin trailer light plug in and charge your battery as you travel. The only draw back would be if you don't unplug the trailer lights while using your extra lighting for setup, you could run your truck battery down too. A group 27 deep cycle battery should give you ample power for lights in your decoy setup.


----------



## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Also good points, but if you take the lights off traveling you can't flip them on when you are driving, and someone comes up behind you with there brights on!!!

Give them a few brake flashes, and if they don't turn them off flip the switch. They will back off.

I guess this only works if you have a landscape style trailer, but still the lights are nice backing into sheds in the dark or anywhere where you need light.

The extra battery is a good Idea, if you are scared of running your truck battery down, but I would say any truck will run those lights.


----------



## WaterfowlJunky (Mar 16, 2007)

Alot of great ideas guys thanks alot i appreciate it. I think i will use a little bit of knowledge from all of you. I want to make a really nice setup so im going to take my time and make sure i do it right the first time.

JBB thats a great idea, might put a little more stress on the alternator but oh well. That should be fairly simple too, a good way to keep the battery charged. I really like this idea because the battery will stay charged and i wont have leave my truck running while im setting up decoys. Maybe if it gets to be a long time i could fire up the truck for ahwile but atleast I wouldnt have a chance of draining my truck battery.

I think i will leave them mounted so i can ward off tailgaters :beer:


----------



## MSG Rude (Oct 6, 2003)

WDW,

A couple more ideas for you:

My dad has two 12v batteries in his engine compartment with a huge toggle throw switch like in the movies when they throw a lever to cut power to something. This allows him to charge a battery whenever he wants.

Also, you could mount the lights to 50lbs. magnets and then put the lights wherever you want to when you get to the field. With the lights prewired and magnetic posts, you could put all four on one side or two sides or whatever was needed.


----------



## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Those lights are $28 at Sioux Wholesale in Fargo; you can get them with a cig lighter adapter. I use them all the time for snow removal. They work great for backing up at night.

Although one guy still managed to hit the same pole twice in two days.


----------



## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

OHH and good plan with the tailgaters. I have had to do it once, for real a few times as jokes with friends, must say they get back fast. But that might be because they can't see.... WHO knows.

:lol:


----------



## Traxion (Apr 16, 2004)

JBB's setup is what I would run. It's a simple setup with a charging system for your trailer battery and you don't have to worry about running down your truck battery. If using a 12 guage wire I'd probably run a 20 amp fuse though. Size the wire to your lights amperage. The 65 watt lights should be fine, no too much draw. A couple of switches on the inside of the side door would be the ticket for me. And like others have said, do a good job of running your wire. Not point in doing a poor job and spending twice the time to fix it. Good luck!


----------



## jaydogg (Feb 19, 2007)

you could use a converter, but I would just use a few marine batteries. I would solder the connections,, so they wont corrode.


----------

