Wiring Uni-Lite Mini LED Side Marker/Clearance Lights as Turn Signals Only on a Trailer

Updated 05/05/2014 | Published 04/30/2014

Products Featured in This Question

Uni-Lite LED Clearance and Side Marker Light w Grommet - Submersible - 2 Diodes - Clear Lens - Amber

(806)

$12.15

2-to-3 Tail Light Converter for Towed Vehicles w/ Incandescent Tail Lights

(172)

$38.24

Question:

I am thinking of mounting the amber Uni-lite side marker light on the side of my enclosed trailer above the fenders and hooking them to the turn signals for each respective side. The way the light is designed light shines straight out and at 90 degrees forward and back I would be able to see it from the tow vehicle and any vehicle that was driving next to me would see it as well. Do you see any issues with my using these lights for this purpose?

asked by: Tod M

Expert Reply:

The only issue you are going to have with using the Uni-Lite Mini LED Side Marker/Clearance Light # MCL11CAKB is that on a trailer, the brake lights and turn signals are combined on the same circuit. So when you step on the brakes these lights will light up as well.

In order to prevent that from happening you will need to use a special converter to separate out the brake light and turn signals.

You would split off the turn signal and brake wire to go to each new light. You would attach those wires to the input side of the converter, # 118158. So you would have a combined left turn and brake light wire that would attach to the yellow input wire of the converter and and combined right turn and brake light wire that would go to the green input wire on the converter.

On the output side of the converter the yellow wire would then be left turn only and the green wire would be right turn only. The red wire would be brake lights only which you could cap off or use as a center mount third brake light if you wanted.

I have included a diagram of how this would wire up. The white wire on the converter would ground to the trailer frame.

expert reply by: Michael H