[VAC] Re: ail lights

[Jim Dunmyer <jdunmyer@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mark,
 This is a great idea and is more-easily implemented than you might
think. An outfit called "Hoppy" makes various "tail light converters",
one being billed as an "Isolator". I use one of these, mounted under the
hood of my truck, to power the trailer lights (tail, LH & RH, not backup
lights). It has a wire to the battery, 3 input wires from the truck's
lighting system, a ground, and 4 wires to the trailer connector.

The reason I used this is to totally isolate the trailer lights from the
truck's. A short in the trailer won't take out the truck's lights, I'm
not putting excessive current through the brakelight and headlight
switches, don't need a heavy-duty flasher, etc.

There is no reason in the world that I can see why you couldn't mount
this in the rear of your A/S and power the lights from the trailer
battery. The way things are normally wired, the lights would even work
if there was no battery in the trailer. You'd still need a relay or
solid-state switch for the B/U lights, of course, but this little Hoppy
gadget will take care of the rest.

It's available from JC Whitney (http://www.jcwhitney.com) or probably
from your local NAPA store. Note that they also make other, similar,
gadgets that are NOT isolators, just "converters" for tow vehicles that
have seperate turn and brake lights. You do not want one of those
"converters".

I do think you're probably correct about those LED lights requiring
lower current than incandescents. Are they available in a "dual" design?
(tail/brake)

                                           <<Jim>>