Recommended Gauge of Wiring for Trailer Lights

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Question:

I am building a tiny house on a trailer that is 10foot x 35. I am a little confused about the lighting requirements. It seems that I can put one assembly in the middle of the trailer, on the rear, and then some lights on the side of the trailer, at their widest points. is that correct? What gauge of wire do I need? I am going to buy the components separately because there is not enough wiring in your kits for such a long trailer.

asked by: Tom

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Expert Reply:

Trailer wiring generally uses 16 gauge wire, part # 16-1-1. However, with a long trailer like yours you may want to go with a larger like 14 gauge # DW07550-1 or even 12 gauge # 12-1-1.

Each size is sold by the foot.

You will need to have the lights at the rear of the trailer of brakes and turn signals. Also since the trailer will be 10 feet wide you need clearance lights on each side.

expert reply by: Charles S

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Answer 1

Typically 4-way wiring consists of 18 and 16 gauge wires. For a 4-way that has all 16 gauge wire you would want the Wesbar 4-Pole Flat Connector #W787264. The part #HM38138 uses 18 gauge for all wires but the white that uses 16 gauge.

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Answer 2

Hi Robert! We have a couple options for a 25' long 4 flat. Our site can be weird sometimes, but not sure why it isn't showing you more options. Anyway, the Mighty Cord 4-Way Flat Trailer Connector - Wishbone Style - Trailer End - 25' Long…

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Answer 3

Yes, 14 gauge wire seems too small. I would go with 10 or 12 gauge. For 10 gauge you can use #10-1-1 and for 12 gauge use #12-1-1. These wires are sold in increments of 1 foot. So if you needed 20 feet of wire you would enter 20 in the quantity box.…

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Answer 4

Even thought that is a quite a few LED lights on your trailer the amount of amperage draw total for all circuit would be 3.35 amps. That's well below what standard lights would draw on trailers with just a handful of incandescent lights. You…

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Answer 5

That's a very good question, we tend to be extra cautious and say to use 10 gauge wire because that would be more than enough. When you get into longer trailers that will end up using a lot of wire the heavier gauge wire becomes more necessary.…

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Answer 6

We don't have the 72 inch version but for a longer option we do have the part #HM38136 which is 25 foot long and could be cut down shorter if needed.

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Answer 7

Your 4-pin/5-wire wiring harness is what is called a "wishbone" type which simply means that there are two separate running light wires, one brown and one pink. This allows a separate running light wire for each side of the trailer which…

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Answer 8

A trailer that is over 80 inches wide is required by DOT regulations to have rear clearance lights. An over 80 inch taillight kit, like part #TL16RK, will have the side clearance light built into it. An under 80 inch taillight does not have the…

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Answer 9

Aluminum trailer frames or bodies can cause grounding issues so I suggest using a separate ground wire that runs from the rear of the trailer up to the main ground post in the junction box like #38656. You can join the ground wires for the individual…

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Answer 10

Either option will work fine. If it was my decision to make I would ground the trailer wiring on the frame near the coupler since that's easiest and just as effective, but if you had an aluminum frame trailer or a dump trailer you'd have to…

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Answer 11

There are many ways you can secure wires to a trailer. I would not recommend the use of tape as it will wear out quickly when exposed to the elements. Soldering is also not recommended because it is a more permanent method and you may need to change…

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Answer 12

Thank you for all of that information, it really helps boil down what you're needing. If you're wanting to replace the entire hub and drum assembly then you can use part #8-219-4UC3 for a standard spindle or part #8-219-4UC3-EZ if you have an…

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Recommended Gauge of Wiring for Trailer Lights

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