Trailer Stop & Turn Signal Converter

If you ever wondered why your trailer Stop/Turn signal lamps are so dim you are not alone. The answer is simply
that the typical Stop & Turn Signal Converter/adapter drops a whopping 2.5V! This is VERY significant on a 12V
electrical system. This DIY project provides the information you need build a simple, inexpensive converter that
reduces this drop to a mere 0.5V @ 2A, and even has sufficient guts to power a 7.5A load. While this documents
the most common 4 way (4 wire) system, it may be easily incorporated into more complex systems.
Why is a converter required?
Most automobiles manufactured today have separate Stop and Turn signals — the stop signals are Red, while the
Turn signals are Amber. Unfortunately, most trailers do not include the luxury of amber Turn signals, but use the
Stop signal also as a Turn signal. The converter takes both input signals and generates one output signal for the
trailer. The logic for accomplishing this is simple, but tricky—check out the following truth table. Curiously, when
the Stop and Turn signals are simultaneously applied, the trailer Turn signal is “inverted” so that when the vehicle
Turn signal is On, the trailer Turn signal is Off, and vise versa.
Truth Table

Fortunately, it can simply be performed the following circuit:

How it works
Both left and right sides of the circuit are identical. The 12V power from both the Stop and Turn signals are OR
connected by high current schottky diodes (D1 & D2) and fed to the drain of a P-Channel MOSFET (Q1). To turn
Q1 on requires that either the Stop or Turn signal to be off. Zener diodes D3 & D4 (applied as rectifiers) make a
negative OR connection so that whichever lamp is not powered applies essentially zero volts to R2 that in
subsequently applies a negative voltage to the gate of Q1 thus turning it on. When both Stop and Turn signals are
simultaneously powered (high), there is no negative gate drive signal available and Q1 turns off via R1.
Overvoltage protection
Note that the rather unconventional application of zener diodes as low voltage rectifiers. The purpose of this is to
provide transient voltage protection for the Schottky rectifiers.
D9 is a zener that protects the MOSFET gate from overvoltage transients — its low cost is essentially an insurance
policy in protecting against potential MOSFET failure. Automotive electrical systems can be very “dirty” when it
comes to generating transients — e.g. what happens when you have your foot on the brake when you start the
engine? The starter current is not the problem, but the termination of starter current can generate high transient
voltages due to the series inductance of the starter wiring.
Failure modes
While I believe that the potential for circuit failure is low, it is important to recognize the symptoms. Otherwise,
even a very experienced mechanic may have difficulty making an accurate diagnosis. The symptom for D1 or D2
failure is “crosstalk” between the vehicle Stop and Turn signal lights. In other words, when the brake pedal is
pressed, both Turn signal and Stop signals light simultaneously; or when the Turn signal is activated, both Turn and
Stop signals light simultaneously. This will occur with or without the trailer connected.
MOSFET failure is indicated by absence of the trailer Turn signal when the brake is pressed.
Feasibility prototype
I did not build the complete assembly — that will come later — what I tested was a feasibility prototype that I
“haywired” together — see photo. This provided all the information needed to demonstrate feasibility and
performance. At 2A, the MOSFET ran cool — no heatsink required.
7.5A Stretch version
If applied at 7.5A, the MOSFET power dissipation (Rdson = 0.07Ω) calculates to 4W. At this power level, a small
heat sink is required. I recommend a heat sink with a thermal resistance of about 10°C/W. If the assembly is potted,
flat pieces of aluminum may be used to spread the heat evenly throughout the assembly. The diodes may also
require some heat sinking as the power dissipation calculates to 3.3W — the cathodes of each pair of Schottky
rectifiers could be soldered to a common sheet of copper.
On second thought, while 7.5A may be possible, I do not think I would push it beyond about 4 to 6A.

Test data
Bill of Materials

trailer stop & turn converter data.xls

Link for useful information regarding trailer wiring and connectors etc.
http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx
Why is the existing technology so poor?
The standard circuit that is available from numerous vendors including U-Hall is similar in topology except that it
uses standard silicon rectifiers and PNP Darlington transistors. The Darlington transistor accounts for most of the
voltage drop because Darlingtons saturate poorly. All components are assembled into a potted assembly. Reliability
is poor. I did not know that mine had failed until I rented a trailer from U-Hall and found that the lights did not
function. As a result, I was forced to purchase a new U-Hall converter unit that they expertly installed for me. At
$17, they did not overcharge for the item. On the negative side, the convenient LED indicators that were molded
into the trailer connector failed within a few months.
Typical specifications for existing technology
Stop/Turn signal current is limited to 2.1A (one standard lamp)
Tail/Clearance lights is limited by the connector and/or wiring to 7.5A.