Slightly Twisted's new project

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by Redloon

If you're having problems with your trailer lights, get a set of LED submersible lights. I also run a third dedicated ground wire from each light up to the connector. I find using the trailer frame as the ground is not always reliable.

Agreed on the LED's. Brighter, safer, easier to be seen and more reliable. Less likely to have the police pull you over for lights being out. Harbor Freight sells them for under $40 for a complete kit.... lights, wires, license plate holder, instructions. Anytime you have a connection, it's a potential source for corrosion, be that the trailer frame or a joining of two or more wires. However, when you join two wires you can take additional steps to insure a long life without corrosion. First, make sure the wires are shiny bright copper. (Blackened copper already has corrosion setting in... replace them if possible) Second, use special electrical grease on the wires before joining them together. Third, use heat shrink butt connectors that advertise as being watertight. (Again you can buy them relatively inexpensively at Harbor Freight) They have a special coating inside that seals the connector as it shrinks, making the connection far less likely to corrode. And finally if you really want to be fastidious, use some liquid brush on electrical tape (sealer) to coat each connection after it it cools. As long as you do these things you can be assured of many, many years of trouble free trailer lights.

To recap: LED's, bright copper, electrical grease, watertight connectors, liquid sealer = hassle free trailering. You'll sleep better at night.

[GregV20]

Originally Posted by Destroyer

Agreed on the LED's. Brighter, safer, easier to be seen and more reliable. Less likely to have the police pull you over for lights being out. Harbor Freight sells them for under $40 for a complete kit...

I've had good luck with the HF LED trailer lights, both the boat trailer kit and the round snap-into-a-rubber-gasket units (like the ones on semi trailers)

Originally Posted by Destroyer

Second, use special electrical grease on the wires before joining them together.

Permatex dielectric grease - good stuff - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AL8VD2/

[Slightly_Twisted]

Thanks guys!! I don't have any problems as of yet, it just seems every few years with my old boat I would have to mess with the trailer lights.

So I had my first day off since Aug it was sooooo nice. Had some time so I worked on the boat. Got a lot done, replaced the thermostats, disabled the VRO (after making sure the mixed gas was being burned), finished painting the rod boxs, got the reg numbers on. Over all a good day!

[phatdaddy]

If you only have to mess with them every few years, your ahead of the game. I have 5 trailers, 3 boat & 2 utility, i tried about 4 sets of the led and went back to bulbs. I trailer a lot and I think the vibration takes its toll on the led lights. I run 3 wires from each light to the pigtail. And when i put a new bulb in, i use the dielectric grease on it.

I know how to work on a bulb set up, led's, you just throw away and go buy more.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by phatdaddy

If you only have to mess with them every few years, your ahead of the game. I have 5 trailers, 3 boat & 2 utility, i tried about 4 sets of the led and went back to bulbs. I trailer a lot and I think the vibration takes its toll on the led lights. I run 3 wires from each light to the pigtail. And when i put a new bulb in, i use the dielectric grease on it.

I know how to work on a bulb set up, led's, you just throw away and go buy more.

Phat, I totally agree that bulbs are far easier than LED's to work on, but remember that LED's are far less likely to be effected by water or vibration. Most times when an LED trailer light stops working it's a bad wire someplace. The LED's themselves are totally encased in glass or plastic and are immune to water... however the wires going from the bulbs to the PC board can corrode at the connections on the board. Next time you have one fail, open the light housing, carefully remove the LED strips and the PC board and take a soldering iron and remelt every connection where the bulb(s) are soldered to the PC board. I've successfully repaired several lights that way.

[SkunkBoat]

my favorite subject

I have had sections of LED lights corrode in the second season and the "sealing" plastic made them impossble to repair. China can make things that look like lights...

I will add that you should make sure your trailer plug has a white wire connected to chassis ground on BOTH the car and trailer. Some cheap plugs don't do this and rely on the connection of the trailer, ball which just plain sucks.

[bradford]

Saltwater trailers should be exempt from any electrical requirements.

My last set of lights didn't work for about 8 or 9 years.