RV Running Lights Hack
Use this simple running lights hack to light up your RV at night.
Have you ever seen an RV exterior running lights on an unhitched trailer at night? Do you wonder how they have the lights on without running down a battery? Use these quick running lights hack to make it happen.
When we were staying at Wyalusing State Park we became friends with a camping neighbor named Juan. We were sitting around his campfire and when it started to get dark he went over and turned his RV running lights on. We were wondering how he did this.
Juan told us about how he was at another Wisconsin State Park and most of the campers had their running lights on and it looked cool. He inquired how it was done and tested it out for himself.
Juan shared how he did this to us and now we are sharing it with you.
Trailer Running Lights Stay On Hack
Here is a look at Juan’s 7-way hitch receiver plug with a fuse plugged in to it.
This trailer lights hack involves putting a fuse into your hitch plug. You need a 10 amp or a 15 amp fuse.
Juan used a 15 amp for his trailer’s 7-pin connector plug. Stick the fuse into two adjacent slots at a time until the running lights come on.
That is it! You might need to test different slots for it to work. We cannot guarantee that this will work for all campers.
If you are plugged into an electrical pole, you will not draw from the battery with this mod. If you are not plugged in, you will draw from the battery.
Not all people are fans of RV lights being on all night. Please be a good neighbor and remove the fuse before bed.
Thank you to Juan for sharing this simple RV hack. We enjoyed meeting Juan, Jessie, Vinny, and Alex. We are camping friends for life and they are official members of the Let’s Camp S’more Mod Squad. May our paths cross again sometime in the near future!
Do you have a hack, mod, recipe, or anything camping-related that you would like featured here at Let’s Camp S’more? Read how you can join the Mod Squad and get your own Let’s Camp S’more sticker for your RV.
Other RV camper mods submitted to us to feature include Grace’s Dinette Tabletop Replacement, Ken’s Extra Storage Tongue Mod, and Steve’s Awning Bag Hack.
Thinking about doing this at a loves truck stop this summer when I stop over night on a long drive, I have 2 6V batteries how quickly will this drain them? I’ll probably be running my generator till about 11 or 12 before going to bed so a few hours of it will be powered from that and not my batteries
I’m sorry, but I do not know with the batteries. Good luck, Chris.
I did something very similar to this idea, but I included a motion sensor and relays to allow for the motion sensor to sense motion and then turn on the lights. This is all houses in a weatherproof box and a male vehicle plug. I just unhitch the trailer, pull my “box” out and plug it in. People always come by and say your marker lights are one, wait, your marker lights are on and you’re not plugged in?
looking to fined a way to hook my boat trailer to my travel trailer so the lights work when towing
Sorry, no experience with this.
just turn them off when you go to sleep. I have a camper with a large back window and the red glow from the camper in the next row lit up our camper very nicely.
agreed
Viper made a 7 pin timer switch. When you turn it on it will come on that time every night and turn off 4 hours later.
cool
@Walter, do you have a link to that?
Tried it on mine lights came on went to work that night came back next morning they were off the 15 amp fuse won’t burned. Is there a fuse in the trailer that needs to be replaced?
probably, check your fuse box in the camper
Make sure to put in line fuse in
I just did this but a different way I hooked to the battery in camper and put a toggle switch in hooked up to marker lite inside of where propane tank is on my fifth wheel now I just open door and flip the switch
@Keith, explain more. I’m interested in wiring the same set up.
will the hack for running lights remaining on, work if RV is plugged into AC power?
Yes, it should.
@Kris Nordstrom, Yes it does.
OK, kind of neat WHEN in city settings or commerial campgrounds that are already well lit. However this may impact neighboring campers enjoyment when camping in natural settings such as state/national parks that are located in scenic areas. I go to these parks to get away from the urban/suburban setting (street lights, shopping centers, etc.) and yet newer campers are loading up on led’s that people leave on all the time.
Thanks for being considerate of your surroundings when using lights, outdoor entertainment, etc.
We agree, GW!
Worked great! Thx.
Like this hack! I am looking to be able to power my rear camera which is tied in to one of my running lights when disconnected from my tow vehicle. That said I would need to do this without the outside lights on. Using it as a security camera. Any info on this? Thanks!
Shawn, This hack was submitted from a camping friend so we do not know. Sorry!
@Shawn, I think you would have to rewire the camera to a 12v power source with a toggle switch. Flip the switch on when driving or keep it on when you want to use it as a security camera.
how do I do this on a mh for inside show room
Sorry, Bill. I have no idea.
Hmmmm. Didn’t work for my trailer. I’m full time in it in a monthly site. Trailer is plugged into power. All lights work when plugged into my truck. Used a 15amp fuse
You may have to find out which holes are actually ground and which are power on your plug.
I have wanted to do this mod, and actually just came in from trying it, but I don’t have power at the trailer plug for me to cross over to the park light circuit. When I got this camper, a lot of the trailer wiring was a mess. Crushed plug and badly kinked trailer cord. When investigating how to do the repair, I noticed all the wires ran up into a trailer compartment where everything was wire nutted together, and then back out the same hole and ran along the frame to their destinations. I didn’t like this. I did a little research and found a complete power cord that goes into a distribution box with each function having their own screw on post. Mounted it on the back side of the front cross member. Much cleaner and easy to work on if needed. Also sealed the hole in the floor where rodents could enter. To the best of my knowledge, the battery is being maintained when in tow, and is fully charged right now. ( I disconnect it and put a tender on it when not in use ). I took pictures of all old connections before disconnecting anything and put them back together on the corresponding studs. I will have to check them ALL again to see where I screwed up. All the lights work fine, it’s just the one hot circuit on the trailer.
If you’re not familiar with the wiring on the plugs, the easiest way to get it right, is to connect a test box to the RV connection Or, remove the wires from the RV plug, plug it in to the tow vehicle and then using a test light, turn on, say, the parking lights, find the terminal that’s now lit up on the tester and install the wire for the parking/clearance lights, then go to the next set of lights and so on.
The test box is a little expensive – it’s a Croft TTB01
Thank you for this help!
If you really want to be different with your lights on try using a 2 prong automotive flasher for your connection and ALL your lights will blink on and off like a turn signal. This does work. I’ve seen it and done it.
Fun idea!
@Wayne,
I bought a truck plug & mounted to the camper. Then wired this to truck plug: iMBAPrice 12V, 15 Amps, Heavy Duty Boat and Car Universal Remote Control Kit
That way my trailer plug is always plugged in & out of weather. And I have that remote switch that I can turn my running lights off & on with.
@Wayne, A flasher does work I have done it many times
@Jerrad, after reading your comment the other day I did the same thing, but instead of the remote, I added a on/off switch (and an in-line fuse) to the truck type receiver bracket I mounted on the trailer A-frame. I really like the idea of keeping the trailer plug safe. Thanks!
Super simple hack! You can also use this for a quick light check when your not hooked up.
Thanks for posting.
Yes! Thanks for stopping by, Jim!
I have seen this hack before with relays. This is super simple. Great info.
Thanks, Lou.
How can I do this on a 4 pin trailer ?
I don’t believe it’s possible on a 4-pin because there is no hot lead.
@letscampsmore,
Yes it is. I have done it with a 4 pole blade male. It uses the bare negative and the one next to it. Still has to be attached to the battery.
Thanks for sharing!