No Trailer Lights....

[Matt M PA]

Thanks to CHPMustang's help....I switched to Econoline tail lights awhile back. Part of the re-wiring involved severing the green wire in the column in order to stop the brake light feed from feeding my "new" amber turn signals. I ran a new brake light feed from the CHMSL. If I touch the greeen wire back together....bingo trailer lights...and lit amber turn sigs too.

I hooked up my trailer for the first time since the install today. Everything works, turn sigs, electric brakes, etc....but the brake lights do not. Nuts.

My local dealer looked up the wiring, and we decided that I would run a new hot feed to the relays that control the right and left turn sigs under the hood. I found the wires leading to the relay closest to the firewall...one LG/OR, one OG/LB. I cut these, installed a diode, and then tapped each one with 12V. They do indeed go to solid brake lights...but they over ride the turn sigs.

I am guessing that the mutli-function switch handles this..and that I will need to go back to the standard set-up, unless there is some way to make this work.

Does anyone have an idea or schematic on how I could get around this?

 

[Matt M PA]

Okay...between a friend and I...we may have this licked.

I got a Hoppy "converter", used for setting up trailer lights on a vehicle with amber (or independent) turn sigs. You attach the left and right sig wires, brake feed and (if needed) the park lights wiring. The output is the typical 4 wire. Somehow this box figures out when the trailer should have brake, turn...etc. I'll feed these to the relays that control the trailer lights.

We'll see how it pans out in the morning..(it's raining now darn it.) I'd hate to lose this 3 color tail lights.

 

[CHPMustang]

See if you can photograph the Hoppy converter(never seen one) and the accompanying circuitry you're hooking up part so you can amend the article when you get a chance

I'll be around this weekend to give me a yell as I'll have the Excursion's wiring here to refer to if need be.

 

[Matt M PA]

Thanks CHP...you have a PM.

 

[Matt M PA]

Got it!

I used a Hoppy 48845 "Converter". I pulled a brake light feed from where my trailer brake controller gets it's feed. I ran that wire under the carpet, out of the rubber grommet and over the fender liner to the driver's side inner fender.

There are two relays that handle the brake, left and right turn for your trailer. Both are on for stop. These (at least on my '05) are in the rear most relay box on the driver's side fender. I opened the box and did all my wiring inside, so all that is coming out are the wires.

The orange/light blue wire is your right turn sig. The light green/orange is the left. You cut those wires and install this in the middle. This Hoppy unit figures out the light situation and makes sure that brake/turn, etc do waht they should. I ignored the park light circuit.

The Hoppy piece is made for hooking up trailer lights on a vehilcle with independant turn signals. It was $10 at Auto Zone.

 

[ExcursionPSD]

Another approach to this would be to get a converter from an RV shop that sells or rents European trailers, that is designed for the other trailer wiring situation:

A conventional tow vehicle with combined brake and turn lights, that is pulling a European trailer with separated brake and turn lights.

You could wire this converter into the back of your truck, maybe behind one of the tail light assemblies, give it a feed from the opposite side combined brake/turn signal, and then use the separated output wires from the converter to drive the brake and turnlight separately.

For a point of reference on converters for the previous method, here is Hopkins web site then click under PRODUCTS... electronic taillight converters

 

[Matt M PA]

PSD...I understand. You mean to make the euro style tail lights work.

When I first installed them, I cut the one wire on the column and everything worked fine. I simply lost the brake lights for my trailer. If someone switched the tail lights like I did, and does not use a trailer...there would be no problem. Heck, even my brake controller still worked.

The Hoppy part I got was around $10 and easy to wire and set up under the hood. But, it's good to know there is another way around.

 

[drchris1024]

Matt, do you have pix of the Econoline Lights ???

 

[Matt M PA]

drchris1024....

http://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displayalbum.php?&userid=174744&albumid=18688

 

[CHPMustang]

Matt, do you have pix of the Econoline Lights ???

Chris I thoughts I told you we had done the taillight conversion on our X a ways back in Jan '04??
I cleaned up Matt's photo