Curt 2 to 3 Wire Tail Light Converter
(74 reviews)
Price: $45.74
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Curt 2 to 3 Wire Tail Light Converter
Part Number: C56196
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$45.74
Retail:$50.31
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- Reviews (74)
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CURT Flat Tow Wiring Harness - C56196
- Tail Light Converter
- Splices into Vehicle Wiring
- Universal
- CURT
Pair this converter with an isolating diode kit to get the signal lights needed for flat towing. Designed for use on towed vehicles with amber turn signals that are being flat towed by a motorhome with combined brake and turn signals.
Features:
- Tail light converter lets you connect your towed vehicle with a 3-wire lighting system to receive signals from your 2-wire motorhome
- Provides independent connections for brake lights and turn signals
- Ensures that your towed car's amber turn signal lights illuminate when you activate the turn signal in your RV
- Easy installation - includes color coded wires with wiring diagram
- Does not require a heavy-duty flasher or direct battery connection
- Surface mount technology (SMT) provides consistent, reliable performance
- Maximizes light yield and intensity while producing minimal heat
- Ensures superior operation in rough road conditions
Specs:
- Application: vehicles with incandescent tail lights
- Max amperage:
- Tail light: 5 amps
- Brake light: 2.1 amps
- Turn signal: 2.1 amps
- 1-Year limited warranty
Note: You will need to install isolating diodes with this tail light converter to prevent electrical feedback when flat towing a vehicle. Vehicles with separate turn signals and brake lights will need a total of 6 diodes.
56196 Curt 2-To-3-Wire Tail Light Converter
Installation Details
California residents: click here
Customer Satisfaction Score:
93% were satisfied with this product
7% of customers were not satisfied
- Wrong item was ordered
- Defective
- Product did not meet expectations
Customer Reviews
Curt 2 to 3 Wire Tail Light Converter - C56196
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (74 Customer Reviews)
Pair this converter with an isolating diode kit to get the signal lights needed for flat towing. Designed for use on towed vehicles with amber turn signals that are being flat towed by a motorhome with combined brake and turn signals.by: Matt06/02/2019
i used this on my trailer so that i was able to use taillights with separate (amber) turn signals, it works like it is supposed to, BUT it doesn't work with LED tails bc it drops the brake wire voltage coming out of the convertor to 10v causing the brake light LEDs to not function properly; i solved this issue with a voltage regulator (10-32v in - 13.8v out) so if you've got a little wiring knowledge or are using incandescent taillights then it will work great for you.
by: wayne b07/07/2014
1 Tail Light Converter - C56196 :
i was a little confused, but finely figured it out.
2 Tail Light Isolating Diodes (Qty 4) - 48955 :
i was told i would need these (their for towing a vehicle, not a trailer)
etrailer salesperson should had known that(they were told)
wasted money, cost to ship back
by: Jeff07/23/2024
Better than Amazon
by: Richard 07/11/2024
fast shipping
by: Jason 09/12/2023
The unit came quickly and was really easy to wire with the instructions.
by: Mark P01/27/2020
I used this product to wire the center, high-mounted brake light on a pickup truck camper shell. I used the wires from the rear brake lights. All I can say is that it works like a charm. It does exactly what it's supposed to do.
Mark P.
1/28/2021
It’s still working like a charm.
by: Jesse 11/18/2020
Works great for stop/turn/ tail lights with yellow signal capability on my sled deck, only issue is when hazards/brake lights activate there is a short flash of yellow before the electronics take over. Great solution for the price.
Jesse
11/19/2021
Still working good, no issues yet!
by: HH08/17/2017
It works as described under normal circumstances, but I have one problem with the hazard flashing.
Using it makes the brake lights light up on my trailer and not the turn signals like on the car.
I still have to do some research on that issue.
Hh
8/17/2018
Hi, Still using it and Im happy with it.
by: Larry 02/04/2024
works perect
by: Scott06/25/2018
This item is exactly as advertised. I use it to convert a U.S. Spec vehicle with red turn signals to pull a E.U. trailer with the yellow turn signals and works like a charm. I have ordered several times from this company and continue to receive excellent service from the ordering processing all the way thru to the delivery.
Would recommend both this product and the company to anyone asking.
Scott
6/25/2019
After one year this is still working strong with no issues. Very good quality.
by: John Matthews08/12/2018
I found a camper shell for my Ranger that had an LED brake light, but it had never been wired up before. Before I found this product I had simply spliced a connection into one of the vehicle's brake light circuits. While this DID work, it also meant that it would flash the turn signal from the side that I wired it into (I used the left side; Ford used amber turn signals on the Ranger from 1993 to 1999, but mine is a 2011). This would have confused anyone behind me whether I was slowing down, turning, or both with too many flashing lights at once. This tail light converter was the solution to this problem. An ordinary converter (3-to-2 wire) will NOT work b/c it can't be wired in backwards (tried it before on a similar project). Same for this one (it even says it on the labeling) except it works in the opposite direction (2-to-3 wire). I wired it in the same way as just the light itself, & nothing happened. Eventually I found out it needed power from the left AND right brake lights for it to function. EUREKA! Everything lit up when I pressed the brake pedal. I also found out that the hazard flashers run through the brake light circuit in the converter after being separated from the turn signals--the brake light still flashed along with them (but ONLY them); the same thing happens with the high-mount stop lamp on my Wells Cargo trailer, so I can live with that. Had to find extra wiring to reach the right side though. Only suggestions are to make the the input wires longer & explain in the instructions that you need the left AND right inputs for the converter to run properly. Otherwise an excellent product!
by: Steve B.05/09/2019
Used it to wire up a third single brake light bar on a teardrop trailer. Works well. OEM trailer lights are LED which necessitated the choice of this controller over the standard controller. Written and graphic wiring instructions posted by etrailer were easily followed, and so far, after a year of use, no issues. Thanks.
by: Mike06/05/2017
Does what it says it does. Internally, it uses a relay that triggers when both turn signal inputs are activated, so there is a pulse on the output when hitting the brakes, or when the cautions are activated.
I used this to install turn signal / marker light combos on my trailer. This stops the brake light functionality from lighting up the turn signal portion of the marker lights, but there is still a brief pulse or strobe when the brakes are hit, or the cautions are activated.
I would have personally used a mosfet in this unit instead of a relay, as the switching and signal processing would be orders of magnitude faster with no pulse or strobe effect.
So, it does separate out the brake lights from the turn signals, but not 100%, more like 95%
by: Michael B09/24/2020
The tail light converter works as it should - make sure that the ground wire is connected solidly then you'll be fine . Specially on boat trailers that could cause issues.
The ground wire is the first to corrode and suddenly nothing is working any more.
I greased all the ground wire connectors- also on the vehicle side ....
by: Larry 11/24/2023
Worked perfect
by: Brandon09/30/2019
Purchased a set of European style taillights for a trailer rewire I was doing. Got everything wired in and couldn't get the taillights to work properly due to they had a 5 wire configuration, after some research found that over seas the turn signal and brake signals are separated on trailers, in the states ours are combined on one signal wire, thus they're wasd no way to make these lights work, until I stumbled upon a forum and there was a link to etrailer and what do you know here's this little black box that does what I need. I ordered it but yet was hesitant cause I really didn't think it would work. Once installed all works perfect. I stil got to use my taillights I wanted on my rewire and everything works just as normal.
by: Steve M.09/13/2016
Does exactly what it says, converts from combined turn signal/brake light to separate turn signal and brake light circuits. I am using it to pull a Bushtec motorcycle trailer (with separate brake light circuits, 6-conductor flat connector) with a motorcycle (with combined signal and brake light circuits). I just hooked it up in conjunction with a circuit isolator I already had wired in to a 4-condoctor flat harness tonight and it works. So now I have the 4-conductor connector for a rack I use instead of a trailer sometimes and the 6-conductor connector for the Bushtec trailer. The only drawback I have found is the third brake light on the spoiler of my trailer dims if I am braking and signaling a turn at the same time. It does this each time the signal flashes. But for the price, I'm happy with it.
by: Frank 12/17/2022
This item was the perfect solution to a recent situation where a manufacturer changed a trailer plug. This adapter allows us to now pull there trailers with brake lights
by: Nat B03/25/2020
Worked great, used to convert trailer plug into a workable connection for the third light on my camper shell and with a y connection I can still attach trailer wiring. Thanks
by: Rick04/13/2017
The product worked very well. Was able to adapt the trailer wiring to the motorcycle wiring very easily.
Rick
4/13/2018
both units still working and I am very happy with them.
by: Brian A.05/19/2015
This convertor did exactly what I wanted it to do. The wires were clearly marked which made for easy installation. I rewired my trailer and wanted to put yellow turn signals on along with the red brake lights. I was able to use a standard 4 wire plug to my vehicle and the convertor did the rest.
by: Ea06/05/2016
The purchase was very easy. After the post office did not deliver my first order I reordered and paid extra for UPS shipping. UPS left the package at my door and everything is good.
Earl
6/12/2017
Installed on my Yamaha Venture. Everything is working after the first year.
by: Gerald08/29/2019
The CURT 2-to-3 wire conversion kit was easy to mount and install.
Upon fist glance, there seemed to be an issue with the quality of the plastic box, and where the seems did not meet. However, the longevity of the part is yet to be seen. The converter was marked clearly, and instructions were good.
I used the converter for a Swedish boatwashing machine that was imported into the USA. The European style connector was removed, and the CURT conversion kit was wired in. After wiring up the inputs and outputs as labeled on the part itself all lights worked independently just as they should. Great product with ez to understand instructions and works as it should.
by: Jerry04/18/2015
I recently purchased a new CanAm Spyder and had a trailer hitch installed to pull my small camping trailer. The Spyder output cable has combined brake and turn signal connections while my trailer has a separate turn signal and brake hookup. After calling Etrailer and speaking with Rick about my problem he suggested I use the C56196 converter. This small unit was exactly what I needed and it works perfectly.
by: Mike08/17/2016
I needed to wire my camper to my GMC Terrain. The wiring harness I bought works perfectly. Now I have brake lights, running lights and turn signals.
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Expert Research:
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Adam R
Expert Research:
Jeffrey L
Installed by:
Jeff D
Updated by:
Wilson B
Updated by:
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Matt M.
6/3/2020
so far its still working just like it did since day one, no complaints so far.