7-way wiring for a trailer

[trailhead]

new to this website, just bought my first explorer last week. sold my 2000 ranger and got an '01 limited pearl white with the 5.0V8 AWD. but we have a popup trailer with a 7-way bargman plug. i bought a hoppy 4-way to a 7way/4way plug. it just plugs into the existing 4-way wiring that i found in the jack compartment. BUT this new 7 way has 4 extra wires on it one is white for the ground which i will ground to the frame, one is blue which will go to a future brake controller if i need one with the new expl. (3500# trailer), a black which gets connected to 12v power, and a purple wire for the reverse lights on my trailer. i dont know where to go to hook up my 12v wire and the reverse wire, is it safe to splice into the rev. bulb pigtail wire in the rear tailamp, its only two bulbs on the trailer so it should not draw that much power to overload it or will it. and is it safe to run the black 12v wire to the pos post on the battery. i just dont know where the safest way to splice these two wires are. i have a class IV h/h receiver on the way also. also would an 01 limited v8 be prewired for a brake controller with a pigtail hanging somewhere or is that only in the 02+'s. sorry for the lenghy post but i just want to give all the info i could.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

No gen II Explorers were wired for a brake controller under the dash. I just got done putting on a brake controller and plug- I had to wire it all from the front to the back. You can wire a relay to power your reverse lights if you don't feel that your stock wiring will do. I think it should work though. Run the power wire to your battery post or to one of the posts on your power distribution box. Be sure to fuse it with a 30 amp fuse or circuit breaker. I had to get creative on where to put my plug because it was so big, so I cut a hole in my bumper by the step part to mount it. My bumper is charcoal grey so it dosent look bad.

 

[DBray6]

I did the same with mine. I drilled through the bumper to the left of the step. Mine is also black and it looks very nice. The 12volt I wiired directly to the battery with a 30 amp fuse. If you have amber turn signals on the rear you will need a special adapter for the lights. I also installed my brake controller and had to drill through the firewall to hook up the wiring. It's an easy job once you get the correct parts. I used alot of zip ties and the black flexible wiring covering going from the front to back.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I believe his EB has a factory wired four flat plug. I understand all V8's came with the "towing package", which was a tranny cooler and a four flat connector. You can run wires through the firewall at the hole where the hood pop cable comes through. Just stay clear of the steering shaft.

 

[trailhead]

thank you guys so much. i will run the 12v power from the battery with a 30amp fuse and run the rev. from the tail lamp. if it draws too much from the lamp it will just blow the fuse right? do i need to fuse the reverse lamp wire? i like the location selection of the box but i have pearl white bumpers cause of the limited series so i will go there at last resort. thanks again.
bret