Marker lights?

pods8

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Anyone know what the deal on marker lights is? From what I'm reading it seems over 80" wide requires them, my 2000 FWC Hawk is 80.5" on the camper and 81" on the roof and just has a couple reflectors. Looks like some of the newest FWCs have marker lights now but for years there was nothing. Looking at the Alaskan gallery they seem to have them. ATC and XP don't from what I've seen. Is there a certain overall height if you stay under that removes the width consideration? Obviously if it is required it's not readily enforced since none of us have ran into issues but is besides the point.

This is all coming up because I'm trying to figure out what to do with my build.
 
Anyone know what the deal on marker lights is? From what I'm reading it seems over 80" wide requires them, my 2000 FWC Hawk is 80.5" on the camper and 81" on the roof and just has a couple reflectors. Looks like some of the newest FWCs have marker lights now but for years there was nothing. Looking at the Alaskan gallery they seem to have them. ATC and XP don't from what I've seen. Is there a certain overall height if you stay under that removes the width consideration? Obviously if it is required it's not readily enforced since none of us have ran into issues but is besides the point.

This is all coming up because I'm trying to figure out what to do with my build.


Whether they are required or not I think you should just add them. Marker lights will only make you more visible to other drivers and that's always a good thing. The marker lights FWC is using look nice.

My 3/4 ton Ford does not have marker lights on the cab....but I purchased a set from Ford and will be installing them soon. The wiring is in place...just need to drill mounting holes for mounting the lights and hook them up.
 
Based on the construction method it's sorta a pain to add any extra lighting since I need to embed conduit in the core. Thus I'm ideally trying to limit the required lighting on the camper itself. I don't mind doing clearance lights on the cab top and back/sides of the flatbed though (actually a truck I'm pondering trading out my truck for already has clearance lights on the cab :) ).
 
ATC Has always installed marker lights on all of our Panther and Cougar campers.


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Looking at chnlisle's new cougar I see one yellow on front of the side and one red on the back of the side in pics (but I thought they were reflectors rather than lights rather than lights previously, my mistake). I don't see triple reds in the center of the back with another red on each side of the back, and the same setup on the front with amber.

Like on this alaskan:
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That is what I'm worried is required, and I see some FWC have the reds on the back wall (haven't noticed if they're doing all the ambers on the front too or not). I'd love to reduce the markers to what you're doing if I can (do they definately have to be lights or are reflectors okay?, when does the 1-3-1 reds in the rear come into play?).
 
Here is the WA State RCW on Required Lighting;

RCW 46.37.090
Additional equipment required on certain vehicles.


In addition to other equipment required in RCW 46.37.040, 46.37.050, 46.37.060, and 46.37.070, the following vehicles shall be equipped as herein stated under the conditions stated in RCW 46.37.080, and in addition, the reflectors elsewhere enumerated for such vehicles shall conform to the requirements of RCW 46.37.120(1).

(1) Buses, trucks, motor homes, and motor vehicles with mounted campers eighty inches or more in over-all width:

(a) On the front, two clearance lamps, one at each side, and on vehicles manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1964, three identification lamps meeting the specifications of subdivision (6) [(7)] of this section;

(:cool: On the rear, two clearance lamps, one at each side, and after January 1, 1964, three identification lamps meeting the specifications of subdivision (6) [(7)] of this section;

(c) On each side, two side marker lamps, one at or near the front and one at or near the rear;

(d) On each side, two reflectors, one at or near the front and one at or near the rear.

(2) Trailers and semitrailers eighty inches or more in over-all width:

(a) On the front, two clearance lamps, one at each side;

(:cool: On the rear, two clearance lamps, one at each side, and after January 1, 1964, three identification lamps meeting the specifications of subdivision (6) [(7)] of this section;

(c) On each side, two side marker lamps, one at or near the front and one at or near the rear;

(d) On each side, two reflectors, one at or near the front and one at or near the rear: PROVIDED, That a mobile home as defined by RCW 46.04.302 need not be equipped with two side marker lamps or two side reflectors as required by subsection (2) (c) and (d) of this section while operated under the terms of a special permit authorized by RCW 46.44.090.

(3) Truck tractors:

On the front, two cab clearance lamps, one at each side, and on vehicles manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1964, three identification lamps meeting the specifications of subdivision (6) [(7)] of this section.

(4) Trailers, semitrailers, and pole trailers thirty feet or more in over-all length:

On each side, one amber side marker lamp and one amber reflector, centrally located with respect to the length of the vehicle: PROVIDED, That a mobile home as defined by RCW 46.04.302 need not be equipped with such side marker lamp or reflector while operated under the terms of a special permit authorized by RCW 46.44.090.

(5) Pole trailers:

(a) On each side, one amber side marker lamp at or near the front of the load;

(:cool: One amber reflector at or near the front of the load;

(c) On the rearmost support for the load, one combination marker lamp showing amber to the front and red to the rear and side, mounted to indicate maximum width of the pole trailer.

(6) Boat trailers eighty inches or more in overall width:

(a) One on each side, at or near the midpoint, one clearance lamp performing the function of both a front and rear clearance lamp;

(:cool: On the rear, after June 1, 1978, three identification lamps meeting the specifications of subsection (7) of this section;

(c) One on each side, two side marker lamps, one at or near the front and one at or near the rear;

(d) On each side, two reflectors, one at or near the front and one at or near the rear.

(7) Whenever required or permitted by this chapter, identification lamps shall be grouped in a horizontal row, with lamp centers spaced not less than six nor more than twelve inches apart, and mounted on the permanent structure of the vehicle as close as practicable to the vertical centerline: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That where the cab of a vehicle is not more than forty-two inches wide at the front roof line, a single identification lamp at the center of the cab shall be deemed to comply with the requirements for front identification lamps.
 
Here is the WA State RCW on Required Lighting;



Well I'm trying to stay towards DOT compliance in general not just WA but those regs seem to match what I'm seeing elsewhere. It doesn't seem to necessarily require them at the top of the load (which in my case is the camper) verse lower down (ie on my truck/flatbed since the flatbed would also be over 80").

It does seem to imply that front/rear clearance lights are actually required. It looks like Alaskan is doing front/rears on the pics I can see but that is about it other than a couple pics of FWC's with rears (not sure if they have fronts) but it doesn't look consistent. It sounds like the front/rears aren't height specific though, are the manufacturers silently assuming we're going to have these lights on our rigs instead? Although this thread started due to the camper I'm building I am also wondering for the 2000 FWC Hawk I own which would also seemingly fall into these requirements since they appear to have been in effect since 1964...
 
http://glo-brite.com/application_info/dot_requirements.cfm

I can't find the info on using the reflective tape you see on big rigs instead of lights but I know that that is legal too.
 

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