Trailer Lights How Many?

MarkLeininger · Mar 28, 2009

A few years ago before LEDs were available I bought a new horse trailer that had so many lights on it I had to add a separate circuit to my SUV to get the turn signals to work and to keep from blowing the fuse. I bought one of these gizmos to solve the problem.

pat32rf · Mar 30, 2009

I've always wondered why #14 wire is only rated to handle 15amps when used on a stationary project (buildings or machinery), but when you stick it in a vehicle suddenly it can carry a lot more?? Ohms law still applies weither its 12volt or 600volt.
It may run cooler when hanging under a trailer but the voltage drop (resistance) is the same.

Scooby074 · Mar 30, 2009

pat32rf said:
I've always wondered why #14 wire is only rated to handle 15amps when used on a stationary project (buildings or machinery), but when you stick it in a vehicle suddenly it can carry a lot more?? Ohms law still applies weither its 12volt or 600volt.
It may run cooler when hanging under a trailer but the voltage drop (resistance) is the same.

My understanding of the difference is due to the increased safety factor of building wiring and the fact that the wire is in free air. The NEC really errs on the side of caution. Even 32 A+(in automotive) on a 14Ga is still underrated.

American Wire Gauge table and AWG Electrical Current Load Limits

KrisNMo · Apr 3, 2009

Well finally finished the taillights, they should work nice having the backup lights and extra support. Also added a spare tire mount on the side since I had the steel laying around, new tires/wheels and all this started because I was only going to replace the wood decking.

Diamondpilot · Apr 3, 2009

That is the way it always works.

Nice job.

Chris

radioman · Apr 3, 2009

Very nice restoration. I esp. like the spare tire mount. I gotta admit that i wished I did that when my tire blew out at one time and it was on a sunday afternoon, no stores open, fully loaded trailer in the middle of no where.

Needless to say, I did what i had to do with a wrong type of tire and hobbled home with the single axel trailer. Now you have refreshed my memory and reinstate my old resolve to put a spare tire on my other trailers as well.