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Tailgate Light Bar From OPT-7 How I Made it Work For The Ranger

Big Blue

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You are correct on specifics - yes, the prewired 4-Pin is the Lightbar
The loose wire inputs are red for brake lights, green for right turn, yellow for right turn, brown for tailights and white for ground. There is also a black for 12 VDC from the battery. Wonder how he hooked that up. The module uses the 12 VDC to supply the output power, so there is no additional load on the inputs. That's how it isolates the input from the output. Since the module he called out was a 3 wire to 2 wire converter, and it's specs say it can't be used on a 2 wire input, where he was getting a 3 wire input, if he wasn't splicing into the tailights.

I understand using the T-harness to get the reverse lights from the 7 pin truck harness without tapping into the OEM harness. This makes sense.

I understand the need for the Teknosha module, Just too many questions about how the it is tied in.

What I don't understand is the OPs reluctance to provide us a simple diagram, or simply ask for some time to provide one. The somewhat rude answers I received baffled me, when he originally posted that he had a solution to a problem that has baffled many people trying to hook up tailgate bars.
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airline tech

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The loose wire inputs are red for brake lights, green for right turn, yellow for right turn, brown for tailights and white for ground. There is also a black for 12 VDC from the battery. Wonder how he hooked that up. The module uses the 12 VDC to supply the output power, so there is no additional load on the inputs. That's how it isolates the input from the output. Since the module he called out was a 3 wire to 2 wire converter, and it's specs say it can't be used on a 2 wire input, where he was getting a 3 wire input, if he wasn't splicing into the tailights.

I understand using the T-harness to get the reverse lights from the 7 pin truck harness without tapping into the OEM harness. This makes sense.

I understand the need for the Teknosha module, Just too many questions about how the it is tied in.

What I don't understand is the OPs reluctance to provide us a simple diagram, or simply ask for some time to provide one. The somewhat rude answers I received baffled me, when he originally posted that he had a solution to a problem that has baffled many people trying to hook up tailgate bars.
From what I see - the ZCI has the (Black) wire for battery power the 119178 does not connect to the battery - it only uses the power from the lighting circuit
 

Big Blue

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From what I see - the ZCI has the (Black) wire for battery power the 119178 does not connect to the battery - it only uses the power from the lighting circuit
I stand corrected. I finally found an actual wiring diagram for that Tekonsha unit. It is a discontinued item by the way. Wonder how it actually isolates the truck from seeing a load on the output by using the power from the TRM.

Not sure what you are referring to by the ZCI. The TRM will not provide 12 volt charging power to the 7 pin until a trailer is detected.

One other thing of note:. One my 2019 XLT it seems like the trailer is actually detected by the truck after plugging it in, when the brake is pressed. Them all the notifications appear on the dash. I will grant this when plugging in with truck idling after backing up and hitching the trailer.
 

DukeCanBuildit

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I’m glad I’m not going through all this BS for something that has “Bro Truck“ written all over it. :rolleyes: YMMV
 

airline tech

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I stand corrected. I finally found an actual wiring diagram for that Tekonsha unit. It is a discontinued item by the way. Wonder how it actually isolates the truck from seeing a load on the output by using the power from the TRM.

Not sure what you are referring to by the ZCI. The TRM will not provide 12 volt charging power to the 7 pin until a trailer is detected.

One other thing of note:. One my 2019 XLT it seems like the trailer is actually detected by the truck after plugging it in, when the brake is pressed. Them all the notifications appear on the dash. I will grant this when plugging in with truck idling after backing up and hitching the trailer.
Yes, as the TRM is detecting a load from the Stop / Turn circuit, I suspect it may generate with a Turn Signal as well - Triggers the - Trailer Connected

The reason I stated that the (ZCI) sense wires must be connected to (Actual Circuits) is that yes, you have voltage on the TRM feeds to the trailer connector, but you are lacking current flow, to be the trigger for the lightbar.

As far as the (Charge Line) on the 7-Pin - I cannot find any specific information on what opens the circuit (Other than Brake Application) Trailer Connected - so do not know for sure if it's looking for anything else
 


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OCL

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I’m glad I’m not going through all this BS for something that has “Bro Truck“ written all over it. :rolleyes: YMMV
I'm sure your Raptor Grille, blacked out wheels, and wide fender flares doesn't look anything like a Bro Truck.
 

DukeCanBuildit

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I'm sure your Raptor Grille, blacked out wheels, and wide fender flares doesn't look anything like a Bro Truck.
IMG_6519.webp
 
 








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