Reverse lights.
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7457
Printed Date: 01 May 2024 at 9:13pm
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Topic: Reverse lights.
Posted By: howmanyds
Subject: Reverse lights.
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2016 at 4:57pm
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I'm planning to mod my 4-pin trailer connection into a 7-pin connection before going to pick up my R-pod from the dealer. Are there reverse lights on rpods?
Thanks! |
Replies:
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2016 at 5:48pm
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No reverse lights. Only running, brake, and turn.
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: howmanyds
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2016 at 5:52pm
| Thanks. So, are R-pods configured to use that 7th pin with some other auxiliary function? |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2016 at 6:20pm
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7 pin wiring is standard thru out the industry.. if there are back up lights, there is no other configuration.
------------- |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2016 at 7:01pm
The pod is wired for backup lights, all you have to do is put in backup lights and hook them up.
 ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2016 at 7:16pm
As part of that modification, you are installing a brake controller, right? ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: howmanyds
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2016 at 7:33pm
| Yes, I'm most likely getting a Tekonsha P3 electronic brake controller. I found some wiring instructions at etrailer.com. |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2016 at 8:20pm
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I have been very happy with the Hopkins InSIGHT Flex-Mount controller: https://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Hopkins/HM47297.html - https://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Hopkins/HM47297.html I like having the display on top of the dash where I can see it and the control where I can easily reach it. The Smart Box is the only part that has to be in a certain position so the inertial sensors work properly. The other two parts can mount in any location that works for the person who will use it. It is also significantly lower in price than the Tekonsha P3. Installation was not too hard. I did not have the connections in my 2016 Escape (with factory tow package pre-wired with a 4 pin connector), so I had to run wiring from back to front for the electronic brake controller and 12V for battery charging. I had to use the universal ETBC7 kit to install this. If your TV has the connectors built-in, you may be able to use a vehicle specific wiring kit, which would certainly be simpler. You would have the same issue even if you did go with the P3 controller. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2016 at 9:29pm
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Interesting, hadn't seen that controller before. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: frogpod
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2016 at 10:10pm
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You are on the right track....Etrailer is a great place to get the stuff you need. Fantastic service and good stuff. Dealt with them maybe four times over the years and never a problem. Directions are excellent to allow easy DIY and they also have excellent knowledgeable staff that actually are available to answer questions. They put everything you need in the box including the connectors, wires and even zip ties. The Hopkins controller is something I never knew about. Having three pieces allows putting what you need to see easy to see and what you need to touch easy to touch. Great idea. I think it also is cheaper than the Tekonsha. Check the reviews on it and if it works as advertised I would go with it. ------------- Leo and Tami with Coltrane the Jack Russell Terrier 2010 Rpod 171 2003 Toyota Tacoma TRD |
Posted By: howmanyds
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2016 at 10:11pm
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That's an interesting unit.
I guess since I haven't ever used a brake controller I don't know how often I'll be adjusting it. Is this something you do often while driving? |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2016 at 10:39pm
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It is something that needs to be done depending on the driving. Lower speeds in cities is different than higher speeds on Interstate highways. The latter requires a higher setting. Having the controller in easy reach makes this a simple task. Having the display in eyesight while driving means you won't have to take your eyes off the road to see your adjustments. I can do the buttons by touch, but I don't want to be looking down toward my feet to see if I hit the right ones. A setting that is good for high speeds may be too aggressive for city driving. If you feel the trailer jerk when you brake, it is easy to adjust it for the current conditions. I have been very pleased with the Hopkins unit. I don't have any experience with other ones to compare though. I kind of wish I could do a side-by-side comparison. If I remember correctly, the Tekonsha P3 has a more informative display, but it is on the unit which is likely to be mounted where it can't be as easily seen or reached while driving. The Hopkins display is more basic (red dot so show the cable is connected and the unit is active and numbers to show braking level when brakes are applied. The harder the brakes are applied, the higher the number. When the settings are changed (sensitivity and/or braking force), the display will show that and then go back to the red dot until the brakes are applied or another button is pressed. When the trailer is disconnected, the display is blank. The controller has a red LED that is on all the time (verifies power to the unit). eTrailer's info states that it draws only milliamps, so won't drain the battery unless the TV is left for months. In that case, other electronics in modern vehicles would also run the battery down, probably before the controller would. These are my opinions based on my experience. I'll try to get some pictures of my installation tomorrow when it is light. It is too late tonight to go out and shoot some. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2016 at 4:01pm
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Here is a link to pictures of my controller installation. Some of them are of the wire running from the back connector to the front. Some are of the under-dash wiring, one is of the under-hood connections to the breakers, and some are of the visible components inside the vehicle. https://spideroak.com/browse/share/Shared_Files_from_Stephen/Hopkins-controller - https://spideroak.com/browse/share/Shared_Files_from_Stephen/Hopkins-controller When it asks for the room key, it is "Hopkins-controller." (without the quotes) ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2016 at 6:30pm
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You have to re-adjust for different driving conditions? Once the Prodigy is set it is good to go. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: howmanyds
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2016 at 7:02pm
| Cool, thanks! |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2016 at 9:28pm
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I could select a compromise setting and leave it there. I found it better to adjust a little to suit the conditions. Edit: When I am traveling at higher speeds, I want the brakes to be a bit more aggressive as I want the combination of TV and trailer to stop in not much more distance than the TV would if I were not towing. However, when set that high, I noticed that they would want to grab when I was traveling at in-town low speeds. That is why I decided to adjust back for in-town and adjust up for highway speeds. The controller, because of its inertial sensors does apply the brakes harder when I apply them harder. It is still a learning curve for me to figure out if there is a setting which will work well for both city and highway driving. Since there are so many variables in TV and trailer combinations people will use, the manual's instructions are: TESTING / ADJUSTING THE BRAKING RESPONSE: Connect to your trailer and test drive on a dry open area at low speed (20 to 25 mph). Apply vehicle brakes aggressively. 1. If trailer brakes lock-up, adjust down the power setting to just below brake lock-up by pressing the (-) power button. 2. If the braking performance from the trailer feels as if it is pushing the tow vehicle, adjust the power setting higher by pressing the (+) power button. Repeat process until smooth braking is obtained I need to do this again once I get the trailer back and when I have it loaded for travel. Adjusting before loading would have them set too light for when it is loaded, which is why I was adjusting while traveling. I should have done this when the trailer was loaded.Additional edit: I called Hopkins to clarify the settings. The reason I was experiencing the jerking at slow speeds is that the sensitivity (speed at which brakes are applied) was too high for my TV/trailer combination. The proper thing is what I discovered by playing with the settings was to lower the sensitivity until the brakes applied smoothly. The second setting is the brake force adjustment. The technician recommended having that set high and let the proportional controller work. Again, that is what I was trying for with my adjusting. That is somewhat dependent on how much of a load is being carried. An unloaded, close to dry weight R-Pod will not require as much braking force to stop as one that is fully loaded. This would apply to any controller, not just the InSIGHT. If one is towing with an F350, it would be different than my towing with an Escape. I also requested that information be added to the installation instructions and/or the product web site to explain the sensitivity settings better. The instructions only covered braking power, not sensitivity. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2016 at 7:39pm
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Sounds like the sensitivity setting is the same as the boost setting on the Prodigy - increasing the initial amount of brake applied. I was going to ask if it had something like that. Hopefully that helps long-term for you. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2016 at 9:41pm
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The additional information will definitely help. I have been very pleased with it. Knowing what I now know, I should like it even more.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2016 at 1:24pm
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I've used my Prodigy with 3 different campers and 2 different TVs over the last 10-11 years. The boost setting I've preferred changed from rig to rig, so it just takes a little experimentation. The total weight actually didn't matter. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: howmanyds
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2016 at 6:18am
| Marwayne, can you explain what you mean by the Rpod being pre-wired for reverse lights? Where would I find the wires if I were to install some reverse lights? |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2016 at 12:13pm
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Drivers side front corner under the trailer there is a yellow wire that is caped off that is your power source for backup lights. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: howmanyds
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2016 at 1:04pm
| Thanks! So do you just run it under the trailer and tack it up for stability? I have some of that ridged black wiring harness material I could use. |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2016 at 3:46pm
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Yes I did ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: WalksInDarkness
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2016 at 7:50pm
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Hi guys. Noob here. Does the rear light control harness have a common ground? ------------- |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2016 at 12:54am
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The whole frame is your ground even the aluminum studs in the walls. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: WalksInDarkness
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2016 at 7:54am
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Cool. That is what I was hoping. It's been over 20 years since I have run any vehicle wiring, time to get back in the saddle and bust up those knuckles! I'm taking delivery of our 2016 171 in two weeks, and I am going to do this mod before our first trip mid-April. This mod is a must have for me, I'm only 47yo and I swear my ability to see in the dark is starting to decline. Thanks! ------------- |
Posted By: howmanyds
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2016 at 1:08pm
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Which lights did you decide on and with what placement? I am thinking of installing oval shaped backup lights diagonally down and in from the brake lights.
OR These would replace the brake lights and look great: Maxxima M85415R Hybrid Series Red/White Round LED Stop/Tail/Rear Turn and Back-Up Light https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FS84P5U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_TQf5wb7RTRT9P |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2016 at 1:44pm
I didn't buy any lights, I made my own LED lights.
 ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2016 at 1:57pm
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Nice!
------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |