Power for 5th Wheel Side View Camera

[Community Alumni]

Hi,

Hope you can shed some light on this question.

I plan on purchasing a new 5th wheel shortly. I know that most of the new units are wired for a backup cameras. But none of them (other than motorhomes), that I have been looking at, have the setup for side view cameras. I want to use the clearance light as my 12VDC supply. With the clearance light removed from the side of the RV, I want to tap 12VDC off of the power line just before it enters the clearance light fixture.

So I have been doing some research. And of course that research includes RV forums. On one of the forums, somebody stated that you can not add side view cameras to trailers that use LED clearance lights as a power source because of the LEDs requiring a limiting resistor.

So my question is this true or not. Isn’t 12VDC the same for regular bulbs and LEDs?

Thanks,

Steve

[Allworth]

On almost all LEDs designed specifically for automotive use, the resistor is built into the bulb and the supply is standard 12 volt, negative ground.

[F-TROUP]

The only circut that require a limiting resistor is for the turn signals. You should be fine. When I replaced my interior lights with LED's just unplug and plug in new light same concept.