Jetskilopnik Tip: LED Trailer Lights. 

"Upshift" (Upshift) 04/20/2015 at 11:13 • Filed to: Jetskilopnik, trailer, lights, LED, Upgrade

4

4

Tired of replacing your trailer’s brake light bulbs multiple times a season? Tired of cleaning up massively corroded bulb sockets because the housing isn’t watertight? Want to just be able to hook up your trailer to your tow vehicle and head to the water, worry free? Then upgrade your trailer lights to LEDs.

The fact that LEDs last a ridiculous amount of time compared to incandescent bulbs means that manufacturers don’t have to make housings designed to allow frequent bulb replacements. This means the housing is waterproof/submersible. Plus, even if it weren’t watertight, you wouldn’t shatter a bulb due to thermal shock because LEDs produce almost no heat. Bonus: lower power draw as well.

The downside is that when your LEDs do die out, you have to replace the whole housing. However, you have multiple LEDs per housing (like a dozen) and the circuit boards are so simple they are extremely unlikely to prematurely die. You can kee motoring if you just lose a couple of LEDs as you have many more left to do the job. So while the initial purchase cost is quite high, you will get your money’s worth in longevity and trouble saved.

Plus, if you can wire that light fixture in your kitchen, you can wire a set of trailer lights. Just make sure you at least electrical tape up the spliced wires real good if you go that route.

Pixel > Upshift 04/20/2015 at 11:54

1

I did that with my little utility trailer. Made a world of difference.

Upshift > Pixel 04/20/2015 at 12:16

0

It’s great! Because troubleshooting trailer lighting sucks. Wortg the trouble and expense every time.

McMike > Upshift 04/20/2015 at 12:45

1

Shhhhh. Wiring trailers is how we get invited to spend weekends with my buddy at his in-law’s river house. I need these to rust away.

Upshift > McMike 04/20/2015 at 13:14

0

Just tell him to solder the wires but keep them exposed. Say that water helps coat the copper and solder in electrolites helping conductivity (or some Bs of the sort). Yeahh that will do!