Need help sorting out trigger issues with dual Spod’s and Baja Designs RTL-S

[Bronson90]

I’m having some issues with my Spod and Baja Designs RTL-S setup in my 392 and hopefully someone with some insight can shed some light on this for me. Both spod’s are setup for positive triggers and here’s my current setup.

Spod #1 Touch Screen (under hood)
Channel 1: Linkable XL Light Bar
Channel 2: XL 80’s A-Pillar Lights
Channel 3: Squadron Fog Lights (Trigger 3: Fog Light Harness)
Channel 4: S2’s Right Scene Lights
Channel 5: S2’s Left Scene Lights
Channel 6: S8 Amber Bumper
Channel 7: Squadron Rear Bumper Lights
Channel 8: S1’s Rear Scene Lights

Spod #2 HD Panel (rear)
Channel 1: RTL-S Brake Lights (Trigger 1: none connected)
Channel 2: RTL-S White Light (Trigger 2: Tow Harness Reverse)
Channel 3: RTL-S Right Amber Light (Trigger 3: Tow Harness Right Turn Signal)
Channel 4: RTL-S Left Amber Light (Trigger 4: Tow Harness Left Turn Signal)
Channel 5: Unused
Channel 6: Unused
Channel 7: Unused
Channel 8: RTL-S Running Lights (Trigger 8: Tow Harness 12V Ignition)

All 8 channels on Spod #1 work without any issues from the touch screen, hd panel and iOS app. Channels 1, 2, 3, 4 & 8 work without any issues from the touch screen, hd panel and iOS app. Note channels 5, 6 & 7 are unused and there is no trigger wire identified for the channel 1 (brake lights) at this time.

Tow Breakout Harness
Red - Reverse
Green - Right Turn Signal
Yellow - Left Turn Signal
Brown - +12V Ignition
Black - +12V Battery
White - Ground
Blue - Unused

When it is started the running lights (channel 8) come on without any issues. The white light (channel 2) comes on without any issues when shifted into reverse. The left amber (channel 4) and right amber (channel 3) lights come on without any issues when using the left and right turn signals. Here’s where I’m at a loss, when I push the brake pedal, both left and right amber lights come on. When I turn on the hazard button both the left and right amber lights simultaneously flash.

I need help first identifying what to use as the channel 1 trigger for the brake lights. Second, I need to sort out the amber lights coming on when the brakes are pushed. When I look at the schematics it shows the turn signals and brake being used by the same wire so that has me thinking it’s some type of pulse, etc. Surely someone else has installed the RTL-S in their JL and figured this all out!

Thanks in advance and any help will be greatly appreciated!!!

Bronson

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[BajaDesigns]

I’m having some issues with my Spod and Baja Designs RTL-S setup in my 392 and hopefully someone with some insight can shed some light on this for me. Both spod’s are setup for positive triggers and here’s my current setup.

Spod #1 Touch Screen (under hood)
Channel 1: Linkable XL Light Bar
Channel 2: XL 80’s A-Pillar Lights
Channel 3: Squadron Fog Lights (Trigger 3: Fog Light Harness)
Channel 4: S2’s Right Scene Lights
Channel 5: S2’s Left Scene Lights
Channel 6: S8 Amber Bumper
Channel 7: Squadron Rear Bumper Lights
Channel 8: S1’s Rear Scene Lights

Spod #2 HD Panel (rear)
Channel 1: RTL-S Brake Lights (Trigger 1: none connected)
Channel 2: RTL-S White Light (Trigger 2: Tow Harness Reverse)
Channel 3: RTL-S Right Amber Light (Trigger 3: Tow Harness Right Turn Signal)
Channel 4: RTL-S Left Amber Light (Trigger 4: Tow Harness Left Turn Signal)
Channel 5: Unused
Channel 6: Unused
Channel 7: Unused
Channel 8: RTL-S Running Lights (Trigger 8: Tow Harness 12V Ignition)

All 8 channels on Spod #1 work without any issues from the touch screen, hd panel and iOS app. Channels 1, 2, 3, 4 & 8 work without any issues from the touch screen, hd panel and iOS app. Note channels 5, 6 & 7 are unused and there is no trigger wire identified for the channel 1 (brake lights) at this time.

Tow Breakout Harness
Red - Reverse
Green - Right Turn Signal
Yellow - Left Turn Signal
Brown - +12V Ignition
Black - +12V Battery
White - Ground
Blue - Unused

When it is started the running lights (channel 8) come on without any issues. The white light (channel 2) comes on without any issues when shifted into reverse. The left amber (channel 4) and right amber (channel 3) lights come on without any issues when using the left and right turn signals. Here’s where I’m at a loss, when I push the brake pedal, both left and right amber lights come on. When I turn on the hazard button both the left and right amber lights simultaneously flash.

I need help first identifying what to use as the channel 1 trigger for the brake lights. Second, I need to sort out the amber lights coming on when the brakes are pushed. When I look at the schematics it shows the turn signals and brake being used by the same wire so that has me thinking it’s some type of pulse, etc. Surely someone else has installed the RTL-S in their JL and figured this all out!

Thanks in advance and any help will be greatly appreciated!!!

Bronson

Hey @Bronson90, I would suggest reaching out to the Tech side of SPOD. Baja Designs and SPOD are under the same roof so with the combined knowledge we can get this figured out. Send an email with what's going on and photos of the wiring setup you are using to [email protected] and we can get you squared away.
Best,
Brandon

 

[Bronson90]

Hey @Bronson90, I would suggest reaching out to the Tech side of SPOD. Baja Designs and SPOD are under the same roof so with the combined knowledge we can get this figured out. Send an email with what's going on and photos of the wiring setup you are using to [email protected] and we can get you squared away.
Best,
Brandon

Thanks Brandon, I actually have been working with Andrew H. on this issue. I was hoping for insight from another JL owner that has the RTL-S installed.

 

[GATORB8]

To confirm, you're using the tow hitch harness to fire the lights? To my knowledge, trailer tails are fed a combination signal that supplies turn and brake at the same time.

 

[GATORB8]

FYI, looks like the stock tail lights use the same combination stop/turn signal:

 

[GATORB8]

Didn’t think of it earlier. Tap the third brake light for the signal. It goes through the rear gate into the right/passenger inner panel.

Note, this won’t fix your issue with the ambers. You’ll have to switch to a front input for the turns.

 

[Bronson90]

To confirm, you're using the tow hitch harness to fire the lights? To my knowledge, trailer tails are fed a combination signal that supplies turn and brake at the same time.

FYI, looks like the stock tail lights use the same combination stop/turn signal:

Didn’t think of it earlier. Tap the third brake light for the signal. It goes through the rear gate into the right/passenger inner panel.

Note, this won’t fix your issue with the ambers. You’ll have to switch to a front input for the turns.

Matt, thanks for all the insight! I ended up abandoning the idea of running the RTL-S through the rear Spod. Once I got the triggers all figured out I ended up having a noticeable trigger delay, meaning the RTL-S turn signal did not flash in sync with the vehicle turn signal. Same thing was true for the brake and reverse lights, they were both delayed as well. The delay was such that sometimes when you would unlock the vehicle the RTL-S running lights would not flash at all, this was especially true if the vehicle had been sitting and the Spod had gone to sleep. As much as I wanted it work through the Spod, frankly I was tired of messing with it, so I just rewired it directly to the sources listed below and it works perfectly without any delays.

Left Fender White/Green	RTL-S Left Turn Signal
Right Fender White/Beige	RTL-S Right Turn Signal
CHMSL White/Dark Green (from swing gate)	RTL-S Brake Lights
Left Backup Lamp Driver White/Beige	RTL-S White Reverse Light
G919A Ground	RTL-S Ground
D-Pillar 12V Outlet Pink/Dark Green*	RTL-S Running

*Note: requires fuse to be in position 45

I had an extra Quadratec 12V Power Adapter (96080-9804) laying around, so I used that to tap the d-pillar 12v outlet for my accessory power source. I de-pinned the blue wire from the harness and moved the fuse to position 45 for it to be accessory power controlled. These are designed to be used on the dash 12v outlet, where the blue wire is required. I used the American Adventure Lab Auxiliary Lighting Harness (JL-1203) to tap the front fender wiring. I was going to be using them anyways next week when I installed my Nemesis Fenders that are currently being paint matched). Since I already had it, I used the Oracle Lighting JL Reverse Light Wiring Adapter (5879-504) to tap the left rear taillight reverse wire. I removed the CHMSL white/dark green and black/yellow wires entirely from the swing gate harness and wrapped it all up with the G919A ground.

Thanks again Matt and hopefully this information serves as a guide for future quick reference so someone doesn't spend the stupid amount of time that I did trying to make all of this work.

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