LED trailer lights

[reddog]

Need to replace the modules on my trailer, and was looking at sporting goods store yesterday. The LED lights are like $31 per side, and the regular bulb modules are $14.

Are the LEDs worth the extra coin? What are the advantages/disadvatages.

TIA.

R

[nytelyter]

yes they are worth it no replaceing bulbs. just be sure to coat and seal all connections with shrink tube. and ill bet you willl find a better price at your local parts store or somewhere like northern. i will be replaceing the markers on my boat trailer this year with led and be totally done with it. ... paul

[JimBuck]

I picked up a pair last spring.....one of the best investments I've made for my trailer. No more hassles with bulbs and trailer wiring. These things are BRIGHT as well so if your trailering at night you can be seen/see easily. They also look nice and clean.

As for disadvantages, I have yet to find any issue with LED technology. One of the finest inventions of man (besides the Sham-Wow!)

[BobT]

LED lights consume far less energy and have far greater life expectancy under similar conditions.

They cost a bit more up front but save you more in the long haul. You'll be replacing bulbs less often and putting less load on your automobile's electrical system, which means less wear and tear there.

Bob

[reddog]

Thanks guuys, thats what I wanted to hear.

[deadeye]

Ya, I have converted one trailer over and am going to be doing it to all of them. BobT nailed it on this one. They are much less strain on the electrical system and the life of the unit is a lot longer too.

I would head to a auto parts store or maybe fleet farm and see what they got for a kit. I picked the whole kit for 40 bucks with all the wiring. its nice to have the wiring for repairs and the kit is cheaper than buying the lights individually anyway.

[DTro]

I bought a pair at Northern for approx $50, yes they are worth it, especially if you need to buy a new one anyways.

[aanderud]

I would be willing to bet almost any amount of money that you will NOT notice the lower power consumption or the reduced strain on the electrical system. I'm not saying that they don't draw less power, I just don't think you'd notice it or that it'll pay for itself.

The lights will, however, be much less hassle due to the bulbs not burning out or shattering when they go through extreme temperature changes. I got a set for $27 including shipping at my local amazon website, and they were shipped in two couple days directly to my door. Can't get much more convenient than that, and while you might be able to find incandescent lights for cheaper, these were cheap enough that any potential cost savings didn't seem worth it to me.

[harvey lee]

My newest trailer is 3 years old and I have yet to fix anything. My non LED are being worked on all the time.

A no-brainer for me to switch to the LEd's.

[Dozer]

I just built a new trailer and put all Leds on it. Everything we have at work gets Leds put on right away. They last forever and look alot better!

[hanson]

LEDs are great!!

I'd also recommend extending the white ground wire(s) back to the lights themselves while you are at to eliminate any problems grounding through the trailer. Typical trailers terminate the white ground wire on the tongue of the trailer and the ground from the lights is either attached directly to the trailer frame or utilizes the mounting bolts to ground to the frame.

Those 2 things will eliminate pretty much every trailer light nightmare you can think of.

[Dozer]

LEDs are great!!

I'd also recommend extending the white ground wire(s) back to the lights themselves while you are at to eliminate any problems grounding through the trailer. Typical trailers terminate the white ground wire on the tongue of the trailer and the ground from the lights is either attached directly to the trailer frame or utilizes the mounting bolts to ground to the frame.

Those 2 things will eliminate pretty much every trailer light nightmare you can think of.

I would definetly agree! Every trailer Ive built has had ground wires run all the way to the lights. Most trailer light problems people have are due to bad grounds.

[BobT]

I would be willing to bet almost any amount of money that you will NOT notice the lower power consumption or the reduced strain on the electrical system. I'm not saying that they don't draw less power, I just don't think you'd notice it or that it'll pay for itself.

The lights will, however, be much less hassle due to the bulbs not burning out or shattering when they go through extreme temperature changes. I got a set for $27 including shipping at my local amazon website, and they were shipped in two couple days directly to my door. Can't get much more convenient than that, and while you might be able to find incandescent lights for cheaper, these were cheap enough that any potential cost savings didn't seem worth it to me.

The lights on our vehicles are probably one of the highest energy hogs we have. Reducing the power consumption requirements of the lights will allow reducing the size and rating of the charging systems. LED trailer lights consume roughly 10% of the power that the typical 1157 bulbs they replace making them roughly 1000 times more efficient than incandescent.

LED lights do not use the brittle and delicate filament but instead are solid state devices that are far more durable than incandescent bulbs.

LED lights produce no heat.

LED lights have an average life expectancy of approximately 100,000 hours compared to the 3,000 hours for incandescent. Typically they could be expected to last over 20 years.

LED lights also meet or exceed the requirements of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 requiring an increased lighting efficiency of 25% by 2014 and 200% by 2020.

I think it can be noticed big time.

Bob

[sweso]

can the led be submerged when still plugged in?? or do you have to unplug them >>?? thanks

[Ralph Wiggum]

Do you guys replace your side marker lights with LEDs, too? Most kits I've seen are only the rear lights, but it makes sense to me to do them all.

My incandescents are working fine, but once they start acting up, I will be relacing with LED, for sure!

[BobT]

can the led be submerged when still plugged in?? or do you have to unplug them >>?? thanks

Don't know for sure but my guess is it shouldn't matter. The reason incandescents need to be protected from the lake is the heat. The bulb is hot and a sudden submersion cools them too quickly and the bulb breaks. Since LEDs don't produce excess heat, there shouldn't be any problem that I can think of.

Bob

[hanson]

Do you guys replace your side marker lights with LEDs, too? Most kits I've seen are only the rear lights, but it makes sense to me to do them all.

I did. They are like $10 a piece at Northern, Fleet, etc.

I made sure the side markers I bought had a white ground wire so I could splice into my white ground wires I ran back to the taillights. Not all side markers I looked at had the white ground wire meaning they ground through the mounting bolts to the frame.

LEDs are perfectly fine to submerge.

[harvey lee]

can the led be submerged when still plugged in?? or do you have to unplug them >>?? thanks

I have been putting mine in the water for 3 years with no ill effects to date.

[deadeye]

Im glad im not the only one that did it. I have always left them plugged in and have never had a problem. The old incandescent ones always seemed to pop when the hot glass hit the water.

[Sandmannd]

I replaced all of my lights with LED last summer. Airjer has a great post on wiring. Follow that and solder them together. Takes more time but lasts longer. I got LED light set for $25 or $30 at Harbor Freight Tool. Great lights.

[The_Duckslayer]

LED lights produce no heat.

Bob

I love LED lights as well. They will also indicate your intent to turn or brake sooner as they light istanataniously. However I noticed this winter when following a semi with LED's on the trailer that the snow did in fact block out some of the lights because there is no heat to keep the lense snow free. Noticed it when the snow was very light and blowing if you know what I mean. I just bouught a used trailer the other day and when the time comes I will be putting LED's on it. However the lights all work at the moment so in keeping with my motto I won't fix it if it ain't broke. Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo