Lighting Requirements - PA

[tinyejp]

I've acquired a 2004 Arctic Fox 806 in need of some somewhat extensive rot repair. The skirts were pretty much gone, and much of the wood at the corners and base of the camper body needed sections replaced. My solution was to remove the skirts and reprofile the back of the camper to retain the hatches for plumbing and sewer hose access, which necessitated the removal of the rear signal lights.

Does anyone know if there is a requirement for these lights to be in place? With the skirts gone, my truck's tail lights are now completely visible, so it seems redundant to me. I just wanted to check and see if anyone has already crossed this bridge before needlessly rebuilding it.

Much appreciated!

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

If it's over 30" wide it needs lighting. Whatever was there I'd consider to be the minimum the trailer required at the date of manufacture.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2004-title49-vol5/xml/CFR-2004-title49-vol5-sec571-108.xml

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[tinyejp]

Thank you, Mark!

For clarification, this is a truck camper, not a trailer. I'm not sure the above mentioned regulations apply, as in PA truck campers are considered cargo rather than stand-alone units.

 

[Utclmjmpr]

Any extra lighting in adverse conditions is a plus..>>>Dan

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Totally missed that and agree, though I'd check to see if the profile of the vehicle might still require marker/clearance lights.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The general "rule" for vehicle add-ons is that they must provide a substitute for the federally-required vehicle lighting if the already-approved vehicle lighting is in any way obscured. That sometimes ends up being a LEO judgment call, but in general it's OK as long as the truck's standard lighting is readily visible.

Chances are the trucks Center High-Mounted brake light is obscured and also the cab clearance marker lights (assuming the truck GVWR required them). You may be OK on the normal rear stop/turn/tail lights, though.

 

[Rene T]

A picture of the back would help us emensle

 

[tinyejp]

Ask and ye shall receive! I can't get a great angle on it as it is backed up close to my popup.

 

[tinyejp]

Ask and ye shall receive! I can't get a great angle on it as it is backed up close to my popup.

And yes, I am horrible at caulking...lol

 

[John From Detroit]

Any extra lighting in adverse conditions is a plus..>>>Dan

I will second that. Additional lighting. and perhaps a bit higher and lower both than the Truck's lights can't hurt. Take a look at a 1990's Chevy Lumina APV or the Olds equivalent. (I had a Chevy only the door switches lit up blue... since they were from an olds)
I think it had 4 lights on each side one above the other Lots of LUMENS.

Did not always help as some drivers are well I can't find it but someone once posted a photo of a sign "Parking for Blind Only" (one hopes the blind person was riding ..er.. Shotgun, not driving).
Got stopped by an accident.. Now remember I'm in a lumina.. Waiting for traffic to clear so I can move right and continue to work... Three alphabet cars (like a K car) One zips by in the next lane. then the 2nd then the third CRASH he hits the van that was sideways in the 2nd left lane in front of me it lands on the left shoulder and he hits the right wall... Did not appear injured so I called the office (They were watching on the remote camera behind me) and continued on to work.

 

[John From Detroit]

If that sits where I think it sits then your trucks tail lights will be in the now open Corners" and should meet all requirements.. Can you back under it and re-snap photo to be sure?

 

[Rene T]

I take it that the back of the camper is even with the back of the truck without the tailgate.

 

[Rene T]

In case you don’t know it but the way you have your blocks set up is an accident waiting to happen. You should roll them 90*so that the holes in the blocks are vertical. Just put a piece of 2X 6 on top of the block. The way you have then now it would be easy for the jack to break through the thin layer of concrete. Just trying to help.

 

[tinyejp]

Thanks all for the thoughts and recommendations. I mounted the camper earlier this week, and the lights are ALMOST completely visible. That's not good enough for me. Following everyone's line of thought, I ordered an LED strip tail light that plugs into the trailer wiring to add supplementary tail, stop, turn, and reverse lights. More is better!

Rene; Noted, thank you for the tip! Living on a mountainside is the worst! Love my house and location, hate my property.

 

[CharlesinGA]

The general "rule" for vehicle add-ons is that they must provide a substitute for the federally-required vehicle lighting if the already-approved vehicle lighting is in any way obscured. That sometimes ends up being a LEO judgment call, but in general it's OK as long as the truck's standard lighting is readily visible.

Chances are the trucks Center High-Mounted brake light is obscured and also the cab clearance marker lights (assuming the truck GVWR required them). You may be OK on the normal rear stop/turn/tail lights, though.

Which begs the question, why do RV's not have a High Center Brake light? Some simple electronics will allow it to be wired from the existing lights or a current transducer from the electric brake wire (for those of you who are going to jump in and claim you cannot tape into or interfere with the electric brake circuit, the tranducer is an induction coil the brake wire passes thru to sense current flow WITHOUT any physical connection to the circuit)

I do know that Texas will cite pickup drivers who have bed toppers (Leer, ARE, Century, etc) who do not have the third brake light connected.

Ford, GMC/Chevy, Dodge/RAM all have a wire in the rear harness you tap onto just for this purpose.

I'm surprised the government has not made this an issue. I have been pondering for some time the best way to make this happen on my trailer.

How to Wire a Third Brake Light on Trailer

Wire harness and connector for Leer topper high center brake light and dome light

Instructions for above kit

Newer trucks have connectors plugged off under the LH aft side that you can buy a plug/harness to connect to for the third brake light. My old RAM only had a single wire poking out of the harness about an inch and covered in heat shrink, to splice on to.

Charles

 

[Tulecreeper]

Which begs the question, why do RV's not have a High Center Brake light? Some simple electronics will allow it to be wired from the existing lights or a current transducer from the electric brake wire (for those of you who are going to jump in and claim you cannot tape into or interfere with the electric brake circuit, the tranducer is an induction coil the brake wire passes thru to sense current flow WITHOUT any physical connection to the circuit)

I've done it several times. Never gave it a thought.

I do know that Texas will cite pickup drivers who have bed toppers (Leer, ARE, Century, etc) who do not have the third brake light connected.

The 3rd brake light on my 2000 LEER shell never was connected from the day I bought it in Apr 2000. I drove that thing all over the country and no one ever called me on it.

 

[Lou Schneider]

Vehicles over 80" wide do not require a center mounted brake light. It's superceded by the 1-3-1 clearance lights on the back.

It's width, not GVWR that determines the need for the 1-3-1 clearance lights. The bulge of the dually fenders makes the truck wider than 80", triggering the requirement.

 

[gwinger]

Which begs the question, why do RV's not have a High Center Brake light? Some simple electronics will allow it to be wired from the existing lights or a current transducer from the electric brake wire (for those of you who are going to jump in and claim you cannot tape into or interfere with the electric brake circuit, the tranducer is an induction coil the brake wire passes thru to sense current flow WITHOUT any physical connection to the circuit)

I do know that Texas will cite pickup drivers who have bed toppers (Leer, ARE, Century, etc) who do not have the third brake light connected.

Ford, GMC/Chevy, Dodge/RAM all have a wire in the rear harness you tap onto just for this purpose.

I'm surprised the government has not made this an issue. I have been pondering for some time the best way to make this happen on my trailer.

How to Wire a Third Brake Light on Trailer

Wire harness and connector for Leer topper high center brake light and dome light

Instructions for above kit

Newer trucks have connectors plugged off under the LH aft side that you can buy a plug/harness to connect to for the third brake light. My old RAM only had a single wire poking out of the harness about an inch and covered in heat shrink, to splice on to.

Charles

I have to agree with you on the lack of lighting on the rear. Mine only has a 3X6 light on either side. There should be another set of lights higher up.