We have a bike rack with lights on the back of our caravan and need to know the easiest way to run a line so the lights work on the bike rack.
dogbox said
06:23 PM Jul 8, 2022
light board as used on boat trailer an put a trailer plug on back of van
yobarr said
06:58 PM Jul 8, 2022
dogbox wrote:
light board as used on boat trailer an put a trailer plug on back of van
Drleted
Brenda and Alan said
07:16 AM Jul 9, 2022
Simplest way would be to wire it into a numberplate light. Drill a small hole into the bottom of the covering to run the wires into it.
Alan
whitebeach said
10:56 AM Jul 9, 2022
Hi,
Would running wires from number plate let indicators and brake lights work?
Mike Harding said
11:01 AM Jul 9, 2022
Do you actually *need* to wire up the bike rack lights? Does it obscure the vehicle lights?
jegog said
02:30 PM Jul 9, 2022
whitebeach wrote:
Hi,
Would running wires from number plate let indicators and brake lights work?
LED lights use naff all current.
Bobdown said
02:43 PM Jul 9, 2022
whitebeach wrote:
Hi,
Would running wires from number plate let indicators and brake lights work?
Good point whitebeach, I think you would only have power and probably only when the 'Park/Headlights' are on.
To get brake and indicator lights you will have to tap into the existing wiring harness, maybe like dogbox says, have a seven pin plug at the back of the van and a male plug from the bike rack lights.
Cheers Bob
whitebeach said
04:21 PM Jul 9, 2022
yes best way but how do I 'tap into wiring harness' and do you mean the wiring harness on the car?
Brenda and Alan said
08:40 PM Jul 9, 2022
Must be a bloody big bike rack if it needs indicators.
Alan
Bobdown said
10:22 PM Jul 9, 2022
whitebeach wrote:
yes best way but how do I 'tap into wiring harness' and do you mean the wiring harness on the car?
No the van........Auto electrician will do in no time.
Mamil said
11:36 PM Jul 9, 2022
I did what you are asking about on my camper trailer.
I basically took a new branch off the existing trailer light cable for the bike rack.
First I found where the 5 core trailer light cable entered the camper trailer at the front, and cut it. I then wired both ends of the cut cable to a twelve way terminal strip, and added a third cable that runs from there under the trailer to a new 7 pin trailer plug on the rear of the camper for the bike rack to plug into.
As I have LED lights on the camper and they draw so little current that the car doesn't recognise a trailer is attached, at the same time I wired in two power resistors between right and left indicator circuits and negative so that the car would activate it's towing features.
Here's some pictures to help understand what I did.
Twelve way terminal strip ($15 on Ebay)...
Terminal strip wired up inside camper, one cable in, two out.
Wiring diagram....
New trailer plug on rear of camper for bike rack...
Bike rack in place...
I'm sure you could do something similar with your caravan.
-- Edited by Mamil on Saturday 9th of July 2022 11:45:42 PM
If you can mount a connector strip in a covered area, remembering that you need access to the area to do the wiring, do like as suggested above, BUT:
Get a "chocolate block type: strip from Jaycar, follow the same idea without all of the multiples to keep it simple.
For each function:
Feed in from car, paired with feed out to new rack cluster, on one side.
Feed out to installed van lights , paired with one leg of the load resistor if required, on the other side.
The other ends of the two load resistors go to the earth return - if following the colour code it would be white, along with the returns from each cluster.
Jaycar have various size strip connectors to suit the wiring involved. Just carefully strip 12 - 15mm of insulation from each colour, twist the strands together, and insert. Be sure to screw terminals down firm, but not overtight.
Whole strip needs to be held firm against waving in the breeze going over bumps, and kept dry - so a hidy-hole/ cupboard/ box is needed.
Jaycar can supply a water-proof jiffy box and through box side "cable glands" if required. Otherwise, seal holes with a dollop of silicon once all done, tested. Then mount the box in a stone safe place under the van.
Run any new cable under the van in split conduit, or black poly-pipe to protect it. Be sure to run the conduit/poly in a secure manner. Cable ties do give up. Road grit/stones do take their toll.
At the rear of the van, mount a 7 pin round socket. Then a 7 pin round plug with a shorter fly lead up to the cluster on the rack. Just make sure that the fly lead is not too long/ can get snagged. The plug/socket it to allow for easy removal should there ever be a need.
The trick will be to find enough slack in the original cable to make a loop to allow for the connector strip etc.
Wiring for van interior - lights, fridge, battery, solar, brakes, all go un-touched. It is just the running lights being augmented.
Hi,
We have a bike rack with lights on the back of our caravan and need to know the easiest way to run a line so the lights work on the bike rack.
Drleted
Simplest way would be to wire it into a numberplate light. Drill a small hole into the bottom of the covering to run the wires into it.
Alan
Hi,
Would running wires from number plate let indicators and brake lights work?
Do you actually *need* to wire up the bike rack lights? Does it obscure the vehicle lights?
LED lights use naff all current.
Good point whitebeach, I think you would only have power and probably only when the 'Park/Headlights' are on.
To get brake and indicator lights you will have to tap into the existing wiring harness, maybe like dogbox says, have a seven pin plug at the back of the van and a male plug from the bike rack lights.
Cheers Bob
yes best way but how do I 'tap into wiring harness' and do you mean the wiring harness on the car?
Must be a bloody big bike rack if it needs indicators.
Alan
No the van........Auto electrician will do in no time.
I did what you are asking about on my camper trailer.
I basically took a new branch off the existing trailer light cable for the bike rack.
First I found where the 5 core trailer light cable entered the camper trailer at the front, and cut it. I then wired both ends of the cut cable to a twelve way terminal strip, and added a third cable that runs from there under the trailer to a new 7 pin trailer plug on the rear of the camper for the bike rack to plug into.
As I have LED lights on the camper and they draw so little current that the car doesn't recognise a trailer is attached, at the same time I wired in two power resistors between right and left indicator circuits and negative so that the car would activate it's towing features.
Here's some pictures to help understand what I did.
Twelve way terminal strip ($15 on Ebay)...
Terminal strip wired up inside camper, one cable in, two out.
Wiring diagram....
New trailer plug on rear of camper for bike rack...
Bike rack in place...
I'm sure you could do something similar with your caravan.
-- Edited by Mamil on Saturday 9th of July 2022 11:45:42 PM
Get a "chocolate block type: strip from Jaycar, follow the same idea without all of the multiples to keep it simple.
For each function:
Feed in from car, paired with feed out to new rack cluster, on one side.
Feed out to installed van lights , paired with one leg of the load resistor if required, on the other side.
The other ends of the two load resistors go to the earth return - if following the colour code it would be white, along with the returns from each cluster.
Jaycar have various size strip connectors to suit the wiring involved. Just carefully strip 12 - 15mm of insulation from each colour, twist the strands together, and insert. Be sure to screw terminals down firm, but not overtight.
Whole strip needs to be held firm against waving in the breeze going over bumps, and kept dry - so a hidy-hole/ cupboard/ box is needed.
Jaycar can supply a water-proof jiffy box and through box side "cable glands" if required. Otherwise, seal holes with a dollop of silicon once all done, tested. Then mount the box in a stone safe place under the van.
Run any new cable under the van in split conduit, or black poly-pipe to protect it. Be sure to run the conduit/poly in a secure manner. Cable ties do give up. Road grit/stones do take their toll.
At the rear of the van, mount a 7 pin round socket. Then a 7 pin round plug with a shorter fly lead up to the cluster on the rack. Just make sure that the fly lead is not too long/ can get snagged. The plug/socket it to allow for easy removal should there ever be a need.
The trick will be to find enough slack in the original cable to make a loop to allow for the connector strip etc.
Wiring for van interior - lights, fridge, battery, solar, brakes, all go un-touched. It is just the running lights being augmented.