trailer lights

Wingnut · Sep 17, 2002

I'm sure that most (or all) of you, like me, do the "light walk" whenever you're taking your trailer anywhere (you know, walking around and making sure all the lights are working). On a long trip, do you do it more often?
On a recent trip from Michigan to Montreal, I rode my motorcycle up there (720 miles) and then loaded the bike on my custom trailer and hauled it back with my repaired motorhome.
I did my normal lightwalk and everything was cool. Made it about 300 miles and got into a severe traffic jam due to a bad accident .... took 2 hours to go about 2 miles. In other words, lots of stop, creep, stop, etc.
Once I got through that, I made another 100 miles and got into stop-and-go traffic on the freeway through Toronto.
Anyway, the point of that preamble is that I was on the brakes an awful lot .... lots more than I usually would in a month of Sundays! And I was apprehensive about some drivers always seeming to get way too close to the trailer (I had a $17k bike on it, so it worried me). I guess I thought they were trying to get a good look at the bike (and maybe they were, it's an unusual Pearl Orange color) .... but after I got home and checked my fuses (looking for blown fan fuse for the a/c) ... the only bad fuse .... was the brake light circuit.
The reason people were getting too close to the trailer was that all that braking had blown the fuse ... and I neither had brake lights on the trailer NOR the motorhome.
Had I done a lightwalk after any gas fill, I might well have saved myself some sweat and other drivers from heart failure.
New item on my flight check list now! When I check the tie-downs, I will also check the lights ... all of them!

cj7 · Sep 17, 2002

Seems like you can never check too often..

cj7 · Sep 17, 2002

You may want to look into the new LED lights. Brighter and last longer. I also read that they respond faster than regular lamps. Giving drivers up to 16 more feet of stopping distance. Of course they have to be paying attention. They may pull less curreent to. Some units are still a little pricy but are coming down. May be worth it if you tow a lot.

I added reflective tape for extra night visiblity.

Wingnut · Sep 17, 2002

I've become quite interested in the LEDs. The GL1800 Goldwing group is always discussing them as bikes need even more visibility (even big as Wings are ...) and quite a few aftermarket companies are now adding LEDs instead of regular incandescent lights.
I have seen them lately as running and brake lights on semi-trailers and they are amazing.
I think that's an excellant idea ... more light, less juice .... and I'll see if I can locate an aftermarket trailer light kit that uses them. It would be ideal for my motorcycle trailer as the wiring on the Winnie motorhome seems to be pretty puny. Prarbably would also be good for the horse trailer and the heavy hauler.

GaryM · Sep 17, 2002

AWDirect has LED lights on their web site:
http://www.awdirect.com/awdirect/catalog.cfm?dest=dir&linkid=96&linkon=subsection

I don't see any specifically for trailers, but some look as if they might be suitable.

Wingnut · Sep 18, 2002

Thanks Gary .... they do look easily adaptible. Now to check out my circuit board on the fuse panel to see if the flasher is truly electronic (site notes that you need electronic flashers as LEDs draw low amps)
Since I was about to rebuild the trailer anyway ... this is good stuff! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

BHarrison · Sep 18, 2002

I have a set of LED lights on my trailer. They are made by Seasense, and they are made for trailers. They even have they LEDs on the sides for side markers and the left one has white LEDs pointing down for the liscense plate. I bought the set at Kmart for $50.00. I am trying to find them on Kmarts website, but not having much luck.
... Here they are
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.foreandaftmarine.com/SS-50050270.htm>http://www.foreandaftmarine.com/SS-50050270.htm</A>

Try looking in the boating section at your local Kmart. (if you still have one)

Wingnut · Sep 18, 2002

still have a KMart, Ben .... thanks, I'll give them a looksee before they go and close it up on me /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

BHarrison · Sep 18, 2002

Now understand that the geek at the counter IS NOT going to know what LED trailer lights are, and WILL promptly tell you that "we don't have that." Your best bet is to find the standard trailer lights, and look for either the seasense package, or SKU/Price on the shelf. These LED units will stand out since they cost about twice as much as incandescent lights.
I had to really hunt at a couple of Kmarts to find them.
I asked one kid if he could look in his computer and tell me if that was a "normal stock" item for them, and he told me that they did not have a computer system. The inventory was done on paper, and the guy that drives the clipboard only works 9-5.

And they wonder why they are in the shape they are in.

...Oh yeah, and bring a flashlight. The one's here are only running 1/2 their lighting.