LED trailer lights

[Wayne Kerr]

Has anybody replaced the "as fitted" items on the trailer lighting board with LED units?
As I understand it, there may be a problem with the sensor that recognise's there is an external load connected & sounds the turn bleeper.
This may be true as LED's consume less current than the standard lamp.
Anybody know if other work is required when LED units are installed?

[gar163y]

I have replaced all the bulbs in my lighting boards and side marker lights with LED's and since then they have been 100% reliable. I have not replaced the indicator bulbs because of the associated problems. LED's are not affected by a bad earth which is the main problem with any boat trailer lighting. I also replaced all the running and marker lights on my RV at the same time because I realised towing my boat with the side lights on I was running 38 bulbs!

[Wayne Kerr]

Originally Posted by gar163y

I have not replaced the indicator bulbs because of the associated problems.

Are you saying that the units I'm looking at (Stop/Tail/Indicator) may cause a problem?
I've searched & found that a resistor in the indicator circuit will resolve the problem, what do you know?

[gar163y]

I didn't see any advantage in replacing the indicator bulbs in a boat trailer board. They may react faster but at the speeds I tow that won't matter and it will only momentarily reduce the current draw. I didn't want to risk the reliability of the extra complication of resistors in the circuit and so I only replaced the individual bulbs with LED's and not the whole light units. My trailer side markers are separate potted LED units.

[Wayne Kerr]

Not clear about that, I'll get back to this subject in the morning as my fingers are now pissed.
Thanks

[glen76]

sensing circuits tend to use resistance!!! or if the impedance of the bulb forms part of the circuit it could cause the flash to speed up (such as motorbikes) but a resister with a rating simlilar to the bulbs in series will correct that........


depends what ya want the led replacements for!!

[Burty]

scotts got led markers on his trailer and they are wicked!!

[Wayne Kerr]

Originally Posted by glen76

depends what ya want the led replacements for!!

As a complete replacement for the lot on the lighting board.
Fed-up cleaning contacts & the like.

LED's fit & forget is the way it looks to me.

[glen76]

Originally Posted by Wayne Kerr

As a complete replacement for the lot on the lighting board.
Fed-up cleaning contacts & the like.

LED's fit & forget is the way it looks to me.

Leds will only not corrode if the connections are above waterline! Some of the yankee trailers have resin filled led trailer lights, they look awsome. But leds are still suseptable to corrosion if the connection is exposed just like any other electrical connection and they are also fragile with excess heat too(can cause them to blow)

what lights you planning on fitting id be interested in em too if they are fit and forget

[Wayne Kerr]

Originally Posted by glen76

what lights you planning on fitting id be interested in em too if they are fit and forget

There's some on ebay, but a seach tells me their overpriced!
I've found a couple of sites www.westerntowing.co.uk & www.towingandtrailers.co.uk
The fit & forget bit is my theory as my lighting board has to be removed before I can launch.

[Wayne Kerr]

Transpires that if the wiring to the trailer plug is attached directly to the wiring of the car, LED's will work fine.
If the wiring for the trailer plug is via a OEM socket (within the boot area), LED's may have a problem. This (as I understand it) is because the OEM provided socket is part of the lamp fail system which sends pulses to check the lamps. Low resistance LED's will flash!

Mine has the cut-&-shut wiring, LED's are being ordered.

[iandl]

I am about to change to LED as well and modify trailer to get rid of trailer board..... sorry about the long link i dont know how to make it shorter
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PAIR-12V-LED-B...QQcmdZViewItem

Ian

[Wayne Kerr]

Not a bad price for the goods Ian. Didn't find out what the shipping was to be.

Do you reliase their 8" tall

[iandl]

Originally Posted by Wayne Kerr

Not a bad price for the goods Ian. Didn't find out what the shipping was to be.

Do you reliase their 8" tall

there 8" wide ...almost 4" tall ...shipping to the UK is 26 au dollars ....they are on ebay UK

cheers

Ian

[Wayne Kerr]

The number plate lights are along the 8" section!
How do you plan on siting them

[iandl]

Originally Posted by Wayne Kerr

The number plate lights are along the 8" section!
How do you plan on siting them

I'll be mounting my lights outboard of my main chassis members ....i will use a square numberplate like what i have on my discovery mounted just below the no plate lights. most horseboxs are this style

did that make sense

cheers

Ian

[Wayne Kerr]

I guess you can make sence of it, I just can't picture a Discovery rear hatch on the back of a boat trailer.

[iandl]

Originally Posted by Wayne Kerr

I guess you can make sence of it, I just can't picture a Discovery rear hatch on the back of a boat trailer.

thought i hadnt said that clearly .....discovery as in land rover

click on the guys other items for sale he has many different types and seperate no plate lights as well

I

[Wayne Kerr]

Roger I. Discovery is a Land Rover then! Blow me down.
I'll have a butchers.

[Chris1573]

I have a pair of these they are waterproof and get dunked everytime I launch with no ill effects so far...

Trailer LEDs

I got a pair of brackets fabricated up that are just 1" box section with a square plate welded flat on the end that just slide into where the old light board bars fitted.

I have the number plate hung off the transom and its not lit I have yet to have any problems with the police and I have done plenty of night towing.

The best bit is not having to take a trailer board off when I launch and no dirty cables in the back of the car.