Why Choose a Powered Taillight Converter Over a Non-Powered Model
Updated 05/21/2025 | Published 07/01/2020
Question:
What dictates the need between using a powered Tail light convertor Vs a non powered?
asked by: Vincent W
Expert Reply:
There's a couple of factors that determine that. On older vehicles, very few vehicles needed a powered converter, because the vehicle's electrical system used a large enough wire gauge so that there was excess capacity in the vehicle's taillight circuits that could power both the vehicle taillights but also those of the trailer. However, once the vehicle manufacturers started going with smaller gauge wiring to save the cost of the copper plus the weight, many vehicles no longer had sufficient capacity in the taillight wiring system to power the vehicle and the taillight circuits.
Another important reason is that the powered converter provides circuit protection to the vehicle's electrical system. A short circuit in the trailer wiring could feed back into the vehicle's wiring system and possibly damage it. It's much easier and more inexpensive to find the short in the trailer wiring, repair it and replace the powered converter than it is to fix the wiring system of the tow vehicle.
If the option is available to go with a powered converter, I highly recommend going that route over a non-powered one.
Product Page this Question was Asked From
ZCI Circuit Protected Vehicle Wiring Harness w/ 4-Pole Flat Trailer Connector and Installation Kit
- Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring
- Trailer Hitch Wiring
- Vehicle End Connector
- Converter
- Universal Fit
- 4 Flat
- Plug and Lead
- Plug-In
- Hidden
- Tekonsha
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Clay C.
4/21/2025
Is the powered unit more of a desired way to go if the output side is going to all LEDs and will be on all the time?