REPLACEMENT LED LIGHTS FOR TRAILERS

[escavader]

ANY advantages? Bulbs last longer?
My big tex ,has a 3 running light bar on back with irreplaceable bulbs.I blew one last year,replaced the whole bar,another is blown NOW .Was thinking on getting different set up.Also broke two marker lights on sides hitting trees The leds look cool,but are pricy,so whats the deal?
ALAN

 

[MrJimi]

They do last longer and use less amps and brighter but cost lots more?
Jim

 

[Reg]

ANY advantages? Bulbs last longer?
My big tex ,has a 3 running light bar on back with irreplaceable bulbs.I blew one last year,replaced the whole bar,another is blown NOW .Was thinking on getting different set up.Also broke two marker lights on sides hitting trees The leds look cool,but are pricy,so whats the deal?
ALAN

They last longer, cost more, blow one or two individual LEDS after a year or three, but it doesn't matter.

I did both horse trailers, then I did the truck.
Now the truck does the rapid flash trick to indicate a blown bulb due to the low turn signal current they draw. I hacked up an old trailer plug to put two of the old stop/tail lights back on when the trailers are off, I just plug it in to provide the "expected" electrical load. Crude, but effective.

Prices have come down a LOT since then, it is probably a lot more worthwhile now.

 

[kenmac]

ANY advantages? Bulbs last longer?
My big tex ,has a 3 running light bar on back with irreplaceable bulbs.I blew one last year,replaced the whole bar,another is blown NOW .Was thinking on getting different set up.Also broke two marker lights on sides hitting trees The leds look cool,but are pricy,so whats the deal?
ALAN

I added a set to both of my trailers (tail lights no light bar). I got tired of corrosion problems with bulb type. Have had them for several years now with no problems. Every time I hook up my trailer they work & are brighter.Bought mine from academy sports & outdoors

 

[kennyd]

There is some good reading about them HERE.
But note that they won't help with the tree problem

 

[Tig]

I just bought a pair of 1156 LED bulbs ($9 each) to replace the headlight bulbs on my B7100. That will save enough power for my alternator to run a rear work light. Should last longer too.

 

[MrJimi]

Super Bright LEDs - Car Bulbs

Jim

 

[escavader]

OK heres a stupid question,i was just curious.If leds take alot less juice,and you have alot of lights on your setup,could you actually save fuel,if your alternator isnt peaking out? .TOLD YOU ITS PROBABLY A STUPID QUESTION
ALAN

 

[MrJimi]

OK heres a stupid question,i was just curious.If leds take alot less juice,and you have alot of lights on your setup,could you actually save fuel,if your alternator isnt peaking out? .TOLD YOU ITS PROBABLY A STUPID QUESTION
ALAN

You are very correct but it may take you about 30 years of driving to get the cost of bulbs back in fuel savings
Jim

 

[allenr]

OK Escavader, here's an uneducated answer.

Yes, LEDs should save fuel, I have a three cylinder Fendt which as more lights are switched on, with the engine at idle, you can hear the engine begin to work a little.

So obviously the more Watts being consumed the harder the alternator is to turn.

Having said that, I've never tried LEDs, due to price and the fear of damaging them.

 

[Ductape]

escavader,
I used to run four commercial trucks, and started replacing bulbs with l.e.d.s when they first came onto the market (and the oval taillights were the better part of a hundred bucks/bulb!). In my experience.....the l e ds rarely go out. Buy a decent brand name that stands behind their product, and buy them from someone who stands behind them. Some have a two MILLION hour warranty. When i sold one of my trucks, i robbed the ovals out of the back and hung on to them. I put them in my Bri-Mar dump when i bought it. I have also replaced every bulb on it with l e ds a couple at a time. The second circuit (brake light) went out on one of the taillights..... so i brought it back to Berube's Truck & Travel (Bow, NH) and they replaced it free of charge....no questions asked ! I think it had to be 5-7 years since i bought it, and NO i didn't have a reciept. I do think it would be possible to get a fuel savings running l e ds, but as was mentioned..... it would probably never pay off. My reasoning is more from a reliability standpoint...... getting one ticket for a light out from Mr. D.O.T. would be the equivalent of buying a bunch of l e d bulbs. Buy the l e ds and you will only pay once for the bulbs, ever. There is one slight drawback to them however..... they produce no heat. If you run your trailer in a snowstorm, they can get covered with snow..... potentially making you invisible from the rear. It would be a rare occurance, but still worth mentioning. Get the L.E.D.s !!

 

[escavader]

Thank you for the responses.Iwent to tractor supply today and bought a led light bar,and led side markers for my big tex tandom.What shocked me ,is they have leds for my covered snowmobile trailer[triton]also,the type with the rubberhousing that push into the round hole in the frame.Ithink TSC sells everything!! The light bar i bought was the same as the OEM on the big tex,only in LED.
ALAN

 

[Ductape]

Glad to hear ! I think you will be impressed by them. I call L E Ds money well spent.

 

[coobie]

ANY advantages? Bulbs last longer?
My big tex ,has a 3 running light bar on back with irreplaceable bulbs.I blew one last year,replaced the whole bar,another is blown NOW .Was thinking on getting different set up.Also broke two marker lights on sides hitting trees The leds look cool,but are pricy,so whats the deal?
ALAN

I just changed both of my trailers out to LED,s lights and could not be happier.The package the lights came in said the led,s will last 100,000 hours before they burn out,I hope so.Shop around for price and quality led,s.coobie

 

[john_bud]

There is a 2nd benefit that can save your bumper.

LED's light up in milliseconds where incandesant bulbs take an average of 2/10 of a second. Don't think it's important? 60 mph is 88 ft/second. 0.2 seconds is the same as 17.6 ft. That means the tail-gater behind you may hit the brakes 17 ft sooner and may save your bumper from a whack!

 

[horse7]

Are any of these replacement LED bulbs DOT certified?

I haven't changed any (despite the huge advantage of faster light time) because lack of DOT is a potential wedge for scum lawyers if there is an accident. Lots of other people around here feel the same way.

[I actually designed an LED/bulb variant, all the Lumileds light immediately, then wink out one by one over 400mS leaving the Edison style hot tungsten alloy filament behind. The LEDs can even be splattered all over the back of the vehicle, if you don't mind a lot of holes ]

 

[Rara Avis]

Are any of these replacement LED bulbs DOT certified?

I haven't changed any (despite the huge advantage of faster light time) because lack of DOT is a potential wedge for scum lawyers if there is an accident. Lots of other people around here feel the same way.

[I actually designed an LED/bulb variant, all the Lumileds light immediately, then wink out one by one over 400mS leaving the Edison style hot tungsten alloy filament behind. The LEDs can even be splattered all over the back of the vehicle, if you don't mind a lot of holes ]

Yes....
Led Truck Lights, Led stop lights, Led clearance lights, led Marker lights, Led trailer lights, truck lights, led strobe lights