Is it possible...

[Jim Bennett]

I don't think there is a junction box in my trailer, at least not under a dinette seat, though none of my wiring is there like in newer trailers. I am putting one in that Trillium I am rebuilding right now.

[dfandrews]

Is it possible to get a wire run from the porch light to one of the markers. Then you could use the porch light switch. Just put a Diode in series just before the connection at the porch light, so the porch light doesn't come on when you're driving with the lights on. We are, of course, assuming that the tow vehicle umbilical is unplugged when you're parked.

[Parker]

I suggest that whatever you do, use a fused lead as Don suggests several posts back. The exterior lights get their fuse protection from the tow vehicle. A simple jumper across the umbilical or elsewhere sets up an un-fused circuit.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I don't think there is a junction box in my trailer, at least not under a dinette seat, though none of my wiring is there like in newer trailers. I am putting one in that Trillium I am rebuilding right now.

Maybe the older Escapes didn't use them. Certainly other brands didn't always. One of the things about my Scamp that I didn't like was that they didn't use a junction box to make the connections in. All the connections were exposed Marrette twist on connectors on the floor of the locker Not something I'd do.

Ron

[santacruzer]

Okay, so here's another thought. A lot of folks like to secure their trailer plug by use of one of those devices specific to that, keeping it off the ground, etc. Why not mount a female plug permanently into, say, the storage box, then run the appropriate wires into the trailer with a switch. The switch would be inside, and it wouldn't matter if one forgot to switch it off, since pulling the plug to reconnect to the tow vehicle would essentially do the same thing.

[cpaharley2008]

I like that idea, just plug in the cord and throw a switch from inside. Simple, thanks for the suggestion, Bob......

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by santacruzer

Okay, so here's another thought. A lot of folks like to secure their trailer plug by use of one of those devices specific to that, keeping it off the ground, etc. Why not mount a female plug permanently into, say, the storage box, then run the appropriate wires into the trailer with a switch. The switch would be inside, and it wouldn't matter if one forgot to switch it off, since pulling the plug to reconnect to the tow vehicle would essentially do the same thing.

Sounds like the perfect solution to me. And it only took 25 posts to get there, with no food news on the way.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by dfandrews

Sounds like the perfect solution to me. And it only took 25 posts to get there, with no food news on the way.

Hi: dfandrews... Here's some food for thought... Another plug for the 5.0TA. The umbilical cord from the tow plug in goes to a junction box beside the pin box. Access to the power wires would be available in there. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by santacruzer

Okay, so here's another thought. A lot of folks like to secure their trailer plug by use of one of those devices specific to that, keeping it off the ground, etc. Why not mount a female plug permanently into, say, the storage box, then run the appropriate wires into the trailer with a switch. The switch would be inside, and it wouldn't matter if one forgot to switch it off, since pulling the plug to reconnect to the tow vehicle would essentially do the same thing.

Originally Posted by dfandrews

Sounds like the perfect solution to me. And it only took 25 posts to get there, with no food news on the way.

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Why not do a setup like Don shows, and add a switch on long leads to it, which you could bring inside after pluggingg it in?

My voice again goes unheard.... LOL

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: dfandrews... Here's some food for thought... Another plug for the 5.0TA. The umbilical cord from the tow plug in goes to a junction box beside the pin box. Access to the power wires would be available in there. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Alf,
It is a good access point for the wires, but then we're back to the issue of forgetting to throw the switch, when we hook up to the TV. With SantaCruzer's solution: "and it wouldn't matter if one forgot to switch it off, since pulling the plug to reconnect to the tow vehicle would essentially do the same thing", there's no forgetting, no protection diodes, no tags on the steering wheel, etc.

[cpaharley2008]

Found it at Amazon
Amazon.com: Curt Manufacturing 58150 7 Pole Plastic Connector, Car End, Bulk: Curt: Automotive

[cpaharley2008]

Actually I'll not need a switch, I'll just jump the 2 connectors in this item and when I plug it in, Viola.. and unplug, everything is hunky dory.........

[dfandrews]

Jim,
Eureka! Add a fuse holder, an SPST switch, wire, drill a hole for the switch, and then contortion of the back to run the wire, and: Done.

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Actually I'll not need a switch, I'll just jump the 2 connectors in this item and when I plug it in, Viola.. and unplug, everything is hunky dory.........

But, I thought you wanted the switch inside, for the option of turning on the lights or not, without having to go outside to face inclement weather, or bears, or security guards, or... ??

Edit:
Oh, and remember the fuse, always the fuse!

[santacruzer]

After all this, however, I would argue that if all one needs is to have the trailer lights on during a SHORT cat nap, per the original post, the easiest solution by far is to simply leave the trailer plugged into the tow vehicle, and turn on the parking lights. With everything being LED these days, there's little risk of draining the battery, unless one is running the refrigerator.

[dfandrews]

Now, that was just too easy. We had to work out the possibilities for complexity of solution.

(Unless, of course, your TV has a computer like in our Accord, which automatically turns the parking lights off after a few minutes, unless you leave the driver's door open. Honda engineers must think that N. American drivers have no common sense. (Humm?)

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by dfandrews

(Unless, of course, your TV has a computer like in our Accord, which automatically turns the parking lights off after a few minutes, unless you leave the driver's door open. Honda engineers must think that N. American drivers have no common sense. (Humm?)

Fascinating. That wouldn't even be a legal configuration in Europe, where I understand parking lights are so commonly required that vehicles are even designed so that you can leave on the parking lights for only the traffic side of the car (by leaving the turn signal lever on in the desired direction) while parked at the roadside - with the engine off, of course.

It seems that the fundamental purpose of parking lights - and the reason that Jim wants to light them up - has been forgotten by most drivers and even manufacturers.

If the tug's lighting controls haven't been corrupted like that Honda, I agree with this:

Originally Posted by santacruzer

After all this, however, I would argue that if all one needs is to have the trailer lights on during a SHORT cat nap, per the original post, the easiest solution by far is to simply leave the trailer plugged into the tow vehicle, and turn on the parking lights.