Problems with LED Trailer lights

[Headwind]

You would think that LED trailer lights would be the answer to our long suffering struggle to keep trailer lights functioning. They are cool, draw little power, are fully sealed, and should last a lifetime. Alas, the LED lights on my current trailer as received from the factory barely lasted a season. One-by-one, the LEDs died. A friend replaced his incandescent trailer lights with LEDs from West marine. One of these lasted less than a season.

Have others had this problem?

Is there any explanation?

[Reelized]

I have a set of LEDs on both of my trailers.They are made by Optronics.Both sets had the right side light lose half of the lights with in a season and a half.Emailed the company and got no response.

[kilowatt]

I have had about the same results with LED trailer lights. I used a set made by Dry Launch they use regular bulbs but have held up for the last 2 seasons and are almost through the 3rd season only had to replace 1 bulb. I still have the LED side marker lights as they have held up well just using the Dry Launch on the tail lights.

[DFreedom]

I have had LED Pipelights for 2+ years now and they are still burning brightly.

[Capt Rick Hiott]

Here ya go Headwind,,,,this is what I did to mine two years ago,,,,There still working fine!

http://www.scgofish.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=261&highlight=trailer+lights

Edited September 15, 2010 by Capt Rick Hiott

[dnk]

I put grommet-mount Peterson Manufacturing "Piranha" LED lights on our trailer five years ago, and they're still going strong. Our Ameratrail trailer wasn't set up for these lights, but I found some stainless steel brackets for them that took about five minutes to bolt on. Best set of lights I've ever had.

[mrrobalo]

Anytime I have a trailer I use a heavy duty extrication cords for the wiring and also mount them high on the uprights. The ground is 99% the problem most of the time so I use a wire brush on the ground wire area and put the bare wire (I strip about a 1/2 inch of the ground wires and twist together to go on the brushed metal) and use a large S/S washer and bolt. Then continue to the multi plug. I also solder all the ends and use heat shrink barrel splices and eyes connectors. I haven't used LED's yet but will do it once my boats makeover is finished. I have yet a problem doing it this way. I also had a portable set with a 25 foot cords with lights but my son borrowed them once and he sold a boat with them left on.

[ChrisF]

I went through a bunch of LED lights until I made the following changes:

1) Be careful not to torque down the mounting screws too tightly. It's very easy put a crack in the plastic housing that will let water in and short out your light.

2) Don't use crimp connectors on the wires. Water can get into the crimp, and run through the wire, and short out your lights. I now sodder the wires together, cover with shrink wrap tubing, and then seal with some electrical tape. This seems to do a much better job of keeping the water out.

3) Stop buying lights from West Marine. They're crap. I've had very good luck with Optronics. They're more expensive, but they seem to last longer.

I've been running on the same set of lights for over 3 years now with no issues.

[Capt Rick Hiott]

I always run a separate ground wire, and there are no splices that go under water.

[M&M]

I just return 2 like this because the inside light casing is attache to the outside casing with a little phillips screw and everything is in plastic so it take a little vibration to brake the plastic around the screw so the inside felt on the street.

http://www.optronics...truck3-new.html

Edited October 3, 2010 by M&M