If your brake and turn signals are combined (not separate lights), I would just use some simple relays from Walmart and connect them into the light circuits to drive the trailer lights. If your bus is 12 volts, you don't need a fancy converter. if your brake and turn signals are separate, you can use DPDT relays to combine them into a single output (see example schematic on my website).Doesn't your bus have a junction panel you can run your wires from?
FWIW - you asked for opinions - I would run all the trailer lights through relays. The relays are cheap and simple and they will avoid any possibility of overloading a coach circuit.
Legally, I could get by with no lights on the trailer, but I don't want someone to not see the trailer at night and hit it.
And if the trailer has a gross weight exceeding 3000 lbs or greater, you're supposed to have brakes on it, too.
While you may get away with not having lights on the trailer in MN , I guarantee you won't get through WY at night without having lights on the trailer.
I thought the law was that if you could see the towing vehicle's lights when the trailer is attached that you didn't need lights on the trailer?
Yes, I have safety chains. The trailer weighs well under 1,000 lbs so it should be exempt from brakes in all states as far as I know.
Quote from: belfert on September 22, 2006, 09:12:32 AMYes, I have safety chains. The trailer weighs well under 1,000 lbs so it should be exempt from brakes in all states as far as I know.Has nothing to do with the weight of the trailer. It's based on the GVW. There's a difference. I suspect that trailer is rated at between 4000 and 6000 lbs. I didn't see if it had one or two axles. It should say what the GVW is on the mfg data plate.
The trailer you saw yesterday is just one of the two in the yard. The other one is behind that one and is a little 5x8 utility type trailer. That is the trailer that will be towed behind the bus. The utility trailer weighs under 1000 lbs loaded. The enclosed trailer has a GVWR of 2990 lbs so that it doesn't need brakes in many states. The enclosed trailer weighs about 1000 lbs empty.