DOT regs

[Sideoftheroad]

Anyone know DOT regs for side marker lights on trailers? Do they have to be running lights? I was checking it out on my trailer this past weekend because they weren't lighting up and I thought they might be broken. Ends up they only light up when I hit the brake.

[RandyR]

Anyone know DOT regs for side marker lights on trailers? Do they have to be running lights? I was checking it out on my trailer this past weekend because they weren't lighting up and I thought they might be broken. Ends up they only light up when I hit the brake.

 

sounds to me like the side lights are wired wrong, and should be on all the time like the tail lights.

[Sideoftheroad]

Not sure sure the brake lights are constant on too unless it is just hard to see. I will have to hook it back up to verify.

[MiCarl]

Don't know what DOT regulations are but they should be on with the running lights. They're not brake lights.

 

How about the rear lights? The brake light should be much brighter than the running lights. Don't have the running and brake/signal lights switched do you?

[Snaggletooth]

Ok......digging back into what I remember on trailer lights under D.O.T. regs.......any light installed on a trailer must be operational at all times, as in 1/2 hour after sunset anyway. (If an LEO is having a bad day they can ticket you for a nonoperational light, even if there are dozen more in view.)

 

All trailer lights should be red only, no amber required as on the front of a motor vehicle.

 

Running and/or marker lights must operate independently of the brake lights. Brake lights can be on/off function only if there are running light on the back of the trailer in working order and indicate the width of the trailer. Most trailers run the dual function running/brake lights installed at the widest point.

 

Some of the stuff from 13 years in transportion safety stuck anyway.

[Flyinfool]

All trailer lights should be red only, no amber required as on the front of a motor vehicle.

 

Every factory made trailer that I have seen has amber on the front half and red on the back half.

[Snaggletooth]

Your right. Back in the day the only thing that was an issue on trailers as far as color was the upper front clearance lights. They had to be amber as they were visable from the front. The lower lights were red in most cases.

 

This link should help on current light requirements.

 

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/standards/conspicuity/trlrpstr.html

[RedRaptor22]

Varies from state to state, here in LA under a certain length your only required to have reflectors up front, and the tail lights have to also function as running lights.

[Condor]

Here's a site that may help....??

 

http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx

[Sideoftheroad]

Figured out why the marker lights aren't a constant on. On the bike I have a 5 pin flat plug. On the trailer, I have a 4 pin flat plug. Pulled out the tester light and sure enough the unused plug on the 5 pin plug is the constant light on.

 

Unfortunately Hopkins p/n 47515 won't solve the issue as the 5 pin side needs to have 4 male plugs and 1 female plug and the 4 pin side needs to be 3 female plugs and 1 male plug in order to connect up to what I have.

 

I should be able to connect the 2 marker light wires together to make it a single wire and on the end of the wire connect a male plug there.

[BradT]

Your right. Back in the day the only thing that was an issue on trailers as far as color was the upper front clearance lights. They had to be amber as they were visable from the front. The lower lights were red in most cases.

 

This link should help on current light requirements.

 

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/standards/conspicuity/trlrpstr.html

 

Nice link, I like that one, and can use that one at work. Just remember these are federal rules and regulations. State and provincial rules may be different and also are applicable.

 

Brad

[wes0778]

Figured out why the marker lights aren't a constant on. On the bike I have a 5 pin flat plug. On the trailer, I have a 4 pin flat plug. Pulled out the tester light and sure enough the unused plug on the 5 pin plug is the constant light on.

 

Unfortunately Hopkins p/n 47515 won't solve the issue as the 5 pin side needs to have 4 male plugs and 1 female plug and the 4 pin side needs to be 3 female plugs and 1 male plug in order to connect up to what I have.

 

I should be able to connect the 2 marker light wires together to make it a single wire and on the end of the wire connect a male plug there.

 

My thoughts are the marker lights should be on the same circuit as the tail lights.

Don't know how your trailer is wired, but in my experience when the markers come on when the brake is pushed, there is an insufficient or missing ground. This will sometimes resolve itself after you ride a bit and the hitch finally makes good electrical contact with the ball.