converting 24v truck to 12v trailer

[Big Red Bull]

Hello, I am new to this site. I am having a deuce built for me to pull a business trailer with a 7 pin connector and electric brakes. Does anyone know if there is a converter made to transform the 24v deuce to the 12v 7 pin connector and if so where I can get one? Also I know they make brake controllers from air to electric. Will one of these work for a deuce and a civy trailer.

I have been serching the site for some help but being new I am having trouble navigating the site.

I know I can update my trailer lights to 24v, and it may be cheaper, I don't know. All I know is I need to pull a 12v civy trailer with electric brakes with a 24v deuce and air brakes.

Can anyone HELP!!!!!!!! you can email me a heilb@yahoo.com

 

[Scout]

I have my 5-ton set up for this. I changed all the lights on my trailer to LED's which will accept something like 6 to 36 volts. For now I have a 12v battery under the seat to run the brakes. Triggering the brakes off the pedal was the tricky part, I wired two 12v relays in series to handle the 24v signal to the brake lights. One relay triggers the 12v brake controller, the other does nothing, just adds the necessary resistance to handle 24v. Search this topic, there is a lot of info and experience - some people run 24v to 12v converters, others run a 12v alternator and create a separate 12v electrical system aside from the truck. This may sound like overkill, but the 24-12 converters can get expensive if they are big enough to handle a respectable amperage. My system works well, but I don't use it frequently and I need to charge the battery.

 

[Wrench Wench]

My favourite method for converting 24 VDC to 12 VDC is, and stay with me here, a DC-DC converter.

One that can handle 8 A out is available for about $84 at Mouser.
ULQ-12/8-D24P-C Murata Power Solutions DC/DC Converters & Regulators
I doubt that your electric brakes could over-tax that, even with the brake lights and all of the marker lights blaring, if they're LEDs.

Some of my fave sites are:
http://www.jameco.com/
DigiKey Corp. | Electronic Components Distributor | United States Home Page
Mouser Electronics - Electronic Component Distributor

 

[Scout]

Depends on how many braked axles... an electric brake magnet draws 3 amps. A two axle trailer with brakes on all four wheels is a 12 amp draw (if they are all working). I usually feed power to brake controllers though a 30amp circuit breaker.

I would not trust an 8-amp converter for electric trailer brakes - especially if you are using this thing commercially and on a regular basis. You could power the controller off a 12v battery that is connected to an 8-amp DC-DC converter to keep the battery charged.

I would still recommend the LED lighting, otherwise you will need a series of 24v relays to control everything.

This is all assuming you are towing one specific trailer with the 24v tow vehicle. If you are towing random civvy trailers - then you need to convert everything down to 12v and deal with relays to switch everything.

 

[Blythewoodjoe]

OK Scout , I want to know where you got he LED lights? I saw some for sale a few years ago that were rated for the voltage mentioned above, but I have been looking for any LED lights that are rated at anything other than 12 volts and have not been able to find anything on the web. We have air brakes so the bulbs are the only thing we need.

As for activating your brake box, you might consider putting a air switch in the brake line that is pressurized when you hit the brakes. I looked at some years ago for that purpose and never do anything with it. For that matter, you could install a pressure switch that would close at a low pressure with a resistor that would reduce the voltage to the brakes. I looked into that too, but never found out what was needed at the brakes or what voltage a resistor would effect.

I am interested in the LED's though. I could use some tomorrow. That is what is keeping us from moving our big grinder with the M818.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[Tackettr]

I second that. I bought a cheap set from HF and burned out 1/2 the LEDs in one light after a short tow. I'm hoping it was just the "Made in China" lights. I'm willing to try another set if you've had better luck with a particular brand. Thanks.

 

[jdknech]

i made a set of magnet lights that are 24V, i use them all the time and have no problems! i just bought a set of 12V lights, and put 24V bulbs from napa in them, and now i can tow any trailer

 

[Scout]

I got mine from a trailer dealer - any heavy truck dealer should also have them
Truck-Lite - Catalog Product : Model 60 Stop/Turn/Tail & Front Park and Turn LED Oval Sealed 24 Diode
My stop/turn lights work great - those LED's are super sharp. I did have a couple marker lights that didn't last long - not sure what's up with those.
I use the trailer behind the M813 and the F-450, so I needed to keep the trailer 12v.

 

[Recovry4x4]

As far as lights you can always do what the military did with the 12 Ton trailers. 2 sets of lights with 2 separate wiring harnesses and 2 different plugs at the front of the trailer.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Or...
Military Lighting adapter, 24vdc to 12vdc Brand new in the box - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

 

[Big Red Bull]

This is proving to be quite a challenge. As an ex commercial electrician it seems to me someone; Mack, Freighliner, Volvo, someone has had to do this before. So I would think there would be some sort of wiring harness out there with a convertor built in. However this doesn't mean it's cheaper than just putting in 24v LED's on the trailer. I have found a brake controller that goes from air to electric ( I believe!!!!!) I emailed the company to see if this is true but no reply yet.

I am only towing one tandem axle 4 wheel brake trailer with the deuce however I want to tow it with my F450 as well. I just can't figure this one out unless I put a voltage regulator on each circuit for the 7 pin connector.

What about some of these Toy Haulers...Aren't some of them 24v? or motorhomes? and I see them pullinb boats, tow dollys, small Haulmark trailers, etc.



I like these little guys you can take a bit of frustration out with them...doesn't really work but it's fun adding them!!!

 

[Big Red Bull]

Oh by the way, I'm bobbing the deuce, keeping duel wheels, removing the bed, and adding a 12 foot box that will be converted into a camper. I'm not sure how to add pics but I'll add a pic of my trailer until the deuce is built.

Brad

 

[davidkroberts]

anyone have a picture of a seperate 12v altenator setup. I have an idea of how it would work just want to see the mount and pulley setup. This seems by far the easiest solution.

 

[Big Red Bull]

OK it looks as if I am getting closer to what I am looking for. here is a link to an adapter. Just make sure you save me one until I can purchase it.

Military Lighting adapter, 24vdc to 12vdc Brand new in the box - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

 

[thehaas]

install light from duece on trailer then company in austailia rediarc makes controller for brake part

 

[Big Red Bull]

Ok I'm still trying to find an easy way to do this so that everything I use in my regular truck will work on my M5. What if I bought to deep cycle batteries, took the red from one of the 2 12 volts I have for the 24v to the red for 1 of the 12v. Took the black from the same 12v battery for the 24v to the black on the 12v and then did the exact same thing to the other 12/24 to the 12. This way the draw is not unequal and the 2 seperate 12v batteries stay charged while the draw from the 2 12/24 is equal.

Does anyone see something wrong with this idea?. I am going to test the voltage coming out of one of the 12/24 volt batteries tomorrow. If I have 13-15 volts I don't see a problem.

I know there are smarter people out there than me but this makes sense to me. If anyone see's a problem with it PLEASE tell me.

Brad

 

[Unforgiven]

What if I bought to deep cycle batteries, took the red from one of the 2 12 volts I have for the 24v to the red for 1 of the 12v. Took the black from the same 12v battery for the 24v to the black on the 12v and then did the exact same thing to the other 12/24 to the 12.

All this accomplishes is making a higher amperage 24 volt system (you've basically doubled the amperage of each 12 volt battery by adding a 2nd one in parallel). You would have the same result by replacing the 2 existing batteries with larger batteries.

Once you start tapping off of one of the 12v batteries, the other battery will overcharge from the 24v generator. Not good for a large amp draw such as electrical brakes.

 

[trukhead]

24 volts t 12 volts

Why not try a resistor bank from a CUCV glow plug circuit to operate your brake controller? I would run ground through the connector as well. I run a ground from the battery neg to the connector and connector the the chassis on the tow vehicle. The electric brakes I have hooked up worked perfectly rain or shine and the lights don't flicker by virtue of very rigorous grounding. I would try running smaller resistors in the lighting circuit as well.

 

[Big Red Bull]

I get what you are saying that it is adding more amperage to the 2 12v/24v batteries but if I'm pulling the 2 seperate 12v from each individual 12/24 what harm would it do? I have a 2 axle trailer with 1 axle having electric disc brakes. I could also run a 12v cigarette lighter to power my phone charger and GPS as well as hooking up a radio.

As I said I'm not saying I know what I'm talking about. I'm just trying to figure it out.

While I have you can you tell me where I can get a muffler for this truck. I can handle short rides with it but I plan on using it as a pull truck for my business and turning the 12 foot box into a camper. 100 mile rides and longer are gonna drive me nuts

 

[Big Red Bull]

What is a CUCV? and where can I find one. I get the rest of what you are saying