LED trailer boards on a canbus van: do you need a converter relay kit?

[Bertilak]

Just a thought, but if you've got a trailer board with extra low wattage bulbs, can you attach them to your std back-end lighting without the system throwing a wobbly? I.e. does the computer notice the extra load of the leds?

I'm thinking more for bike racks than trailers, so the need to "suit any trailer" isn't there.

 

[Landy Andy]

You need a towing relay bypass doofa otherwise it will throw a wobbler

 

[Bertilak]

Ok; thanks,
I'm just being too hopeful then!

 

[pappajohn]

Plug it in and see..... Worst it will do is throw up a dashboard fault.

 

[Bertilak]

Plug it in and see..... Worst it will do is throw up a dashboard fault.

sorry, the whole point is that I haven't got any trailer wiring yet...

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[the1andonly]

If its euro6 or later then you will definitely need canbus doofer stuff.
and likely if earlier.
probably a doofa if early

 

[rod_vw]

You don't say what your vehicle is but most modern vans require the correct tow-bar module and wiring loom. You need to disable reversing sensors, confirm to the driver that the rear flashers on the trailer are working (light in the dash) and disable fog light on the towing vehicle but still activate the one(s) on the trailer to name just a few of the electronic communications necessary to be legal. Such a system usually interface with the vehicle CAN Bus to manage all of this.
Useful reading and source of equipment is PF Jones.

 

[Gaston aires]

I had a trailer board on our tow bar bike rack which worked perfectly through Canbus wiring with no ill effects. Euro 5
Phil

 

[Bertilak]

thanks: the van is a 2016 Ducato, Eu5, and the proposed trailer board is primarily for a bike rack, so reversing sensors etc are barely an issue.
I understand the point that I might be illegal for not sensing bulb failure, though with c10 orange LEDs that is most unlikely, even if the indicator "audible" repeater is a useful confirmation that the whole thing is connected...
I feel the pukka PF Jones system (at £190) to be rather OTT to connect a £25 lighting board, if there is an alternative.
*** BUT Phil's answer that "it does work" is what I was looking for; many thanks.

 

[Speve]

Ok; thanks,
I'm just being too hopeful then!

It will throw a wobbly I had a problem with trailer lights in Portugal and tried a temporary solution wiring to rear end light clusters and it would not work just get a fault on dash

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[Landy Andy]

I just have a relay type thing wired into my towbar electrics. Cost very little, and I got it from PF Jones, but can’t find it on their site quickly. But the same as this. At £19.

Smart 7-way Multiplex / Can-bus Relay For Towing Electrics

Control unit for towing electrics installation to eliminate relay chatter on vehicles which utilise a pulsed feed system to the lighting circuit

www.towsure.com