Trailer lighting question

[bigegg]

I'm currently rebuilding a "tow-a-van" type box trailer.
(A 1994ish lynton "load runner 2.5" if that makes a difference).

It is 1.6m wide (nearer 2.1m to outside of wheels), so requires "front marker lights".


My question: do these lights need to be permanently illuminated? Or just when car headlights are illuminated?

Ta.

 

[Mick Annick]

Should be wired in with the car sidelights / headlights.

 

[bigegg]

Should be wired in with the car sidelights / headlights.

Ta very much.

 

[Bullet2012]

Only need to be illuminated when car lights are on, should come on with sidelights .

beaten to it by @Mick Annick

 

[sako243]

Just double check what you need in terms of reflectors as well.

 

[James1979]

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1100596/individual-vehicle-approval-inspection-manual-trailers.pdf

If there’s anything odd, double check C&U as sometimes they contradict.

Run of the mill stuff like lights, dimensions etc should all be in the IVA book

Edit - yours is an O2

 

[8ob]

This is also useful. https://quickparts.mobi/blog/installation-of-lights-all-trailer/

Bob

 

[James1979]

The one I really wanted to link is a pdf by Hella. The light people.

It’s on my Mac which has **** itself but I cannot find it via Google.

 

[8ob]

The one I really wanted to link is a pdf by Hella. The light people.

It’s on my Mac which has **** itself but I cannot find it via Google.

There is a really good one in the Indespension catalogue but I cant find it online.

Bob

 

[Agroshield]

...I cannot find it via Google.

Try 'hella trailer light regulations' as your search term. The first seven hits for me are pdfs but I do not know which one, if any, is the correct one.

 

[James1979]

Try 'hella trailer light regulations' as your search term. The first seven hits for me are pdfs but I do not know which one, if any, is the correct one.

Good man. This is the one I was thinking of but re reading it, it’s the EU Reg 48 one so now we are out there maybe some discrepancies.

IVA is probably the way forward to be fair, or Bobs one above was in depth

https://www.hella.com/hella-si/assets/media_global/673_Legal_Requirements_Brochure_HELLA_EN.pdf

 

[bigegg]

Good man. This is the one I was thinking of but re reading it, it’s the EU Reg 48 one so now we are out there maybe some discrepancies.

IVA is probably the way forward to be fair, or Bobs one above was in depth

https://www.hella.com/hella-si/assets/media_global/673_Legal_Requirements_Brochure_HELLA_EN.pdf

Already got that one - and the IVA manual.

Just needed to double check for the front lights, because it wasn't clear (to me).

Although, thinking about it, all the other specs for lights (eg, fog lights) uses the same wording; I guess it would specify "permanently illuminated" or some such?

 

[James1979]

Already got that one - and the IVA manual.

Just needed to double check for the front lights, because it wasn't clear (to me).

Although, thinking about it, all the other specs for lights (eg, fog lights) uses the same wording; I guess it would specify "permanently illuminated" or some such?

Possibly but that would be an absolute pain in the **** to achieve because you don’t have a permanent live on a 12N connection.

Switching on / off with sidelights is fine.

 

[bigegg]

Possibly but that would be an absolute pain in the **** to achieve because you don’t have a permanent live on a 12N connection.

Switching on / off with sidelights is fine.

The lighting cables had all been cut off, so I wasn't sure if it was supposed to have possibly a 13-pin or 2-plug connection.

 

[Rrobson]

Are you recommissioning this or is it going to be a newly registered “new build”? Reason I ask is when I was looking into the trailer regs a while back because mine needed rewiring and new lights installing the advice at the time was if it’s an already registered trailer, it only needs items fitting that we’re fitted at the time of manufacture. Meaning if it didn’t have marker lights when it was new it doesn’t need them retrofitting at a later date. If it’s going to be a “new” trailer then obviously it needs to meet all the current regs.

 

[bigegg]

Are you recommissioning this or is it going to be a newly registered “new build”? Reason I ask is when I was looking into the trailer regs a while back because mine needed rewiring and new lights installing the advice at the time was if it’s an already registered trailer, it only needs items fitting that we’re fitted at the time of manufacture. Meaning if it didn’t have marker lights when it was new it doesn’t need them retrofitting at a later date. If it’s going to be a “new” trailer then obviously it needs to meet all the current regs.

Recommissioning
It has white front marker lights installed.
But the cabling has all been removed, so it's more just a matter of knowing how to rewire it, than what lights/reflectors are needed.

 

[8ob]

Recommissioning
It has white front marker lights installed.
But the cabling has all been removed, so it's more just a matter of knowing how to rewire it, than what lights/reflectors are needed.

In which case you will need two 7 way waterproof junction boxes, one near the front and one at the rear. front marker lights and lead terminate in the front box, one seven core to the rear box and all the rear lights/side markers are fed from that.

Bob

This sort of thing

 

[James1979]

the other thing if you’re rewiring it, is I’d put a socket on the front of the trailer and make up a suzie lead with a plug on each end to connect it to the vehicle.

Reason being it’s usually the vehicle end that gets damaged or goes faulty so if you have a lead it’s easier to replace than messing about with putting a new plug on the trailer.

 

[James1979]

The lighting cables had all been cut off, so I wasn't sure if it was supposed to have possibly a 13-pin or 2-plug connection.

You can use either a 13 or two 7 pins, whatever suits your needs, but the only pin you’ll use on the 12S is reverse and I can’t remember if you are required to have one on that.

 

[bigegg]

You can use either a 13 or two 7 pins, whatever suits your needs, but the only pin you’ll use on the 12S is reverse and I can’t remember if you are required to have one on that.

Yep.
Need reversing light on an O2 (751-3500kg) trailer

<Edit: this is only true for IVA. not required on my trailer. Not sure when it changed, but presumably when IVAs for trailers was introduced>

<2nd edit: trailers after 2012>