PIP trailer wiring different from other GenIII?

i'm interested in where you're going with this. i have been considering a small utility trailer to haul leaves to recycling. what are you using? hard to believe a couple brake/tail lights are going to matter.

 

you couldn't get away without lights around here. are you just going to tap into the tail light wiring and run it out the bottom somehow?

 

thanks! good idea under the hatch. can i ask what specific trailer you bought, or is it just something you've had a long time? will you attempt all ev, or only hybrid running?

 

nice looking unit, but probably more than i need for hauling leaves.

 

The standard size Prius has three different connector families with which a company, such as Curt, must deal with.

The PiP is certainly different, as is, I believe, the v.

The c uses the same connector family as the v, but the "wire list" (i.e, the interconnections) is different.

So, with all of these challenges, it is perhaps no wonder that Curt, and perhaps others, are "choosing their battles" carefully, and are sticking with the Prius hatchback, and are only begrudgingly looking at the v and c (apparently in that order), and are leaving the PiP for last.

Looks like a "business decision" to me.

 

As long as the connectors match, you can usually just swap pins on an existing kit to get everything working.

Prius Trailer Wiring

 

Yes ... and a very good "how to", too.


The way Curt, and perhaps others, designs their T-connectors, the white leads are simply passed-through the T-connectors and the colored leads are "taps" into the various Prius lighting circuits.

Usually one side has a single "tap", while the other side has three "taps".

The "tapped" circuits go off to the control box where the circuits are sensed at very low current, and thereafter control +12 volts and ground at considerably higher current, thereby placing almost no load on the Prius circuits themselves. This is a significant advantage of the T-connector concept.

The appropriate logic is provided to convert the various Prius circuits to a generic 4-position trailer circuit.

Toyota is using three completely different connector families for its rear lighting circuits, and the method described in the link is not necessarily applicable to other connector families.

 

maybe the new tgna will solve that going down the road.

 

I'm thinking about installing a hitch to haul bikes and occasionally a jetski, and I'll need lights for the trailer. Has anyone come up with a T harness that will work on the PiP without splicing?

My plan is to forgo the controller box and just power LED lights off the existing Prius circuits. This should keep cost and complexity down.

 

A major problem with that strategy, although Curt and others do offer such "direct" kits, is the wire gauge of the Prius lights is very small (possibly as small as 22 ga.), whereas the wire gauge of Curt (and other) "direct" kits is comparatively large (possibly as large as 16 ga.).

At least with a proper T-connector, you are not placing extra stress on the very small Prius wiring harnesses.

That, plus a proper T-connector has an isolation function which thereby makes the connection "indirect".

 

I just measured the LED lights I have at 80 mA each for continuous on, and 340 mA for brake. That shouldn't put much stress on the Prius wiring. It won't even know I added anything.

 

The issue is not the current but the significant differences in wire gauge (AWG), and which can and will place excessive stress on the OEM wiring.

 

I made up my own system for the gen2 Prius using 4 Omeron 12v relays one for each, side lights, stop, and, indicators left and, right. The relays draw only 10 ma extra from each circuit, and have there own fly back diodes built in. The relay switching contacts are fed from the 12 volt battery that is conveniently in the rear via a 10 amp fuse.
The relays are fitted in a small plastic box behind the carpeting covering the drivers rear light (UK). The size of the relays (each) is about 1x1x1/2 inch, so the 4 relays stacked measure 1x1x2 inches. The contacts are rated at 10 amps at 30 VDC. This system also has the advantage of not altering the indicator flash rate so no need to fit a special flasher relay.

John.