Online: Humbug

Camper trailers/bike electrics

  • mick44
    mick44
    7 years ago
    Finally decided to buy towbar and camper trailer for bike and your thoughts on a couple issues.
    1: I notice that the rear blinker wiring is feed from the turn signal/security module. So i am a bit concerned about the current rating of the solid state blinker and flasher circuit in the HFSM unit. The rear lights wiring seems extremely light as in current carrying capacity and being 12volts, im not sure that the HFSM unit could handle the extra current carrying capacity by adding the trailers rear blinkers to the HFSM circuit. If the extra load caused the HFSM unit to shit itself, i dont even want to know what they cost. Also, the tail light and brake wires are extremely light in wiring core size so im concerned that the extra current on the bikes wiring in the main loom might heat tail light wiring in the main bike loom to the point a potential melt.

    I thought of installing a bypass relay for the camper trailer lights wiring where a single fused wire from the battery supplies the trailer blinkers, tail and brake light via 4 relays. Which require only spliced wires from the bikes rear harness that simply send a blinker, tail and stop light signal to their respective relay coils. I see Jaycar sells single 10 amp rated little mini relays that draw 0.7 watts. I could easily buy a small square of electronic punch board and little enclosure to make this up for less than 20 bucks.  There are 5 and 7 channel bypass relays on ebay but in skeptical about the current carrying capacity as there very cheap chinese products.

    I wondering if the HFSM unit solid state blinker relays would handle 0.7 watts. Ive rang dealers and they dont know or are willing to give advice.

    2: Buying a tow bar at Classic trailers in Yandina and said im buying a camper trailer and I note that most of the camper trailers in Australia have electric brakes. He advised me not to buy with electric brakes as he said hes being making towbars for bikes for years and considers electric brakes dangerous on bikes. His view was hydraulic overide brakes at the most might be ok but he said he probably wouldnt even have them. He siad something to do with the amount of actual tyre footprint touching the road. All a bit above me as never towed a trailer on a bike before.
    Be interested in your thoughts on this particularly if you have towed a camper trailer or any trailer.
  • Soapbox2627
    Soapbox2627
    7 years ago

    The wife toes her cargo trailer that has no brakes, it is rated for 200kg

    the wiring for the lights picks up off the standard loom to the flat plug (the same as the car), not had any wiring or heat issues when we done a 6500km trip, lights on all the way

  • butch
    butch
    7 years ago
    mick I tow a elite camper weighing about 320kg it has override brakes and I have no issues was towing it with 95 heritage but that was a bit scary braking but with the road king not a drama if you need info on wiring and plug and play harnesses talk to steve at elite campers great bloke cheers
  • Geoff3DMN
    Geoff3DMN
    7 years ago
    I would wire up a relay, feed the relay using the blinker wiring and run a fused wire from the relay to the auxiliary plug near the side cover/battery.
    As for brakes most bike trailer owners don't have them, the one I've got on order doesn't but you need to be careful to do your braking in a straight line else the trailer pushes the bike off line.  The advantage of override brakes is that they allow braking in corners when properly adjusted.

    I wouldn't bother with a lighter trailer but with a heavy camper trailer I'd be thinking about it.
  • mick44
    mick44
    7 years ago
    Appreciate the advice  fellers.
    Cheers

  • tallmac1959
    tallmac1959
    7 years ago
                        I have a 2009/2010 Limited, with a 'Hidden Hitch' from Ryvco (USA) and a plug and play wiring harness from Kuryakn(spelling?).  Even though I don't have a camper, I do tow a small steel trailer (no brakes) that has a bloody big swag on top,  Just went 5,600kms from Melb to Alice for the HOG Rally and had no problems.  About 20% more fuel used though. 
  • STEAMER
    STEAMER
    7 years ago
    I used a Kuryakyn Plug n Play wiring kit. this way no wires cut.