marker lights to led marker lights

[poorboy]

would like to change the marker lights and tail lights on the trailer to LED marker lights. has anyone done this, is it a matter of just changing the light fixture or is there more involved like changing the wiring. the LED lights are much brighter and therefore safer.

[deltabravo]

JIMNLIN wrote:
However some LED brake lights are so bright they make turn signals almost impossible to see depending on the where the turn signals are located w/i the fixture.

Certain years of of the Ford Explorer are like that. And not all the lights are LED.

[JIMNLIN]

I'm 80 years old and wear glasses. I have no problems seeing regular brake/clearance lights.
However some LED brake lights are so bright they make turn signals almost impossible to see depending on the where the turn signals are located w/i the fixture.

[CharlesinGA]

Durb wrote:
My post is perfectly clear to anyone except those that choose to be only argumentative. I offered information to the OP that I thought was pertinent to his post. Trying to translate my comment on brake light illumination times to marker lights is just childish.

Time for some numbers in an ongoing effort to help the OP which some have no interest in doing. Delphi estimates 37% to 74% of rear end accidents could be eliminated with a 500 millisecond early warning. LEDs light up 200ms faster than incandescent. This translates to 19.1 feet at 65 MPH. I'll take a truck's length safety margin by changing lights to LEDs every time.

Makes sense to me. Other thing that helps for vehicles with a high center mounted brake light is a rapid flash device that inserts in the wiring to it. I do not have one, but have seen them (lots of motorcycles use them) and they really do grab the attention of drivers behind. Many are programmed to flash three or four times quickly and then stay on steady.

I do understand this thread is about marker lights, but the other info is useful also.

I am huge on rear visibility. I have an old '91 Ranger pickup. For years it was my primary vehicle and I found that going to work on the interstate in the mornings before daylight, people would run up on me like they didn't see me (new bulbs, clean lenses and all). The Ranger has taillights but not the best I suppose. I finally added some DOT tape to the rear bumper and the difference was amazing. Good DOT tape is worth every cent. There is some not so good out there too.

On the Back of my Bigfoot trailer I replaced the Bargman backup light/reflector with their 13 LED replacement, great light for backing into a site after dark (never do that, but be prepared) and in doing so I lost the rear reflectors that were combined with the backup light. So I added DOT tape to the bumper and also some Grote rectangular reflectors under the taillights.

If I get a chance I will post a couple of pics.

Charles

[CharlesinGA]

Marker lights on a Thor I have sitting in my shop had #194 lamps in it. I ended up using bulbs from SuperbrightLED to replace them.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/boat-miniature-wedge-bulbs/194-led-boat-and-rv-light-bulb-5...



They worked well for the purpose. I normally use LED's from M4Products, in fact that is all I use, but I could not find something I liked for the clearance lights and ended up with the SuperbrightLED ones. I tested them by jumpering the power to running light contacts ont he trailer 7 pin connector using a turn signal flasher and let them flash for a couple of days to prove out that they all worked. Each bulb in the link uses 5 LEDs so the light scatter under the lens is good.

Charles

[poorboy]

sorry folks, didn't mean to start all of this. I do agree that the LED lights inside are too bright, I do prefer the softer regular lights for inside (just my preference). As a retired trucker, I would like LEDs outside. Thanks for all the input.

[Bird_Freak]

Changed all mine out. Big improvement.
Amazon!

[Bumpyroad]

I question towing the trailer at 70 mph also.
bumpy

[Durb]

My post is perfectly clear to anyone except those that choose to be only argumentative. I offered information to the OP that I thought was pertinent to his post. Trying to translate my comment on brake light illumination times to marker lights is just childish.

Time for some numbers in an ongoing effort to help the OP which some have no interest in doing. Delphi estimates 37% to 74% of rear end accidents could be eliminated with a 500 millisecond early warning. LEDs light up 200ms faster than incandescent. This translates to 19.1 feet at 65 MPH. I'll take a truck's length safety margin by changing lights to LEDs every time.

[Gdetrailer]

aftermath wrote:


I am glad that you learned your first grade lesson. If you were to have made it to a high school English class you might have also learned that writing should be clear and concise, factual and compelling. There is room for subtly, but that should never be used an informative forum like this.

Well obviously, bumpy didn't understand were the post he reposted was going. I just put that information into order and added some missing info to satisfy and make it clearer to Bumpy.

Obviously, now days one has to be smart enough to "fill in" some skipped portions of missing (INFERRED) information from the entire post using your knowledge and your own brains.

While the text Bumpy quoted was a bit broken up, out of order and perhaps a few parts missing and open to interpretation, Bumpy took it in a literal sense and most likely not in the sense that the poster meant..

Using that text Bumpy quoted then pointing out that the poster he quoted had "flaws" wasn't very nice at all and did not really "contribute"..

Nor does your quote of my text "contribute" and was rather petty and hostile..

No wonder why there are a lot of one and done posters that never come back after asking a legit question..

Now, perhaps move back on subject?

[aftermath]

Gdetrailer, posted this

...
#1Bumpy, I think you are "splitting hairs" AND reading in what you want the poster to say.#1

#2BUT (the poster of the text you quoted said something more like), IF THEY WAS WORRIED ABOUT SOMEONE REAR ENDING THEM, THE POSTER (you quoted) RECOMMENDS UPGRADING TO LED TAIL LIGHTS AND NOT WORRY ABOUT MARKERS.#2

Bumpy, is that "better"? Can you understand the poster of the text you quoted thoughts better? I hope so, nothing like teaching at a first grade level that not everything needs to be taken in a literal sense. Written text (like this forum) sometimes can be tricky to get a point across accurately and not "everyone" must be spoon fed and have every word or though justified and fully explained.

#1, You claim that he is reading in what you want the poster to say. Wow, go back and read the OP. Bumpy simply restated what the guy ACTUALLY said!

#2, This is an unbelievable statement, especially in light of what you accused Bumpy to have just done. "He said something more like this"? What? He said nothing of the sort. You, on the other hand, just violated the rule that you accused Bumpy of doing. YOU are the one who is "reading in what you want the poster to say". Again, go back and read the actual words he posted. Don't make any up...just read what he said.

I am glad that you learned your first grade lesson. If you were to have made it to a high school English class you might have also learned that writing should be clear and concise, factual and compelling. There is room for subtly, but that should never be used an informative forum like this.

[aftermath]

I am with Bumpy on this. I do not hate LEDs. I am spending money to upgrade my coach to save battery drain. I do not like the "bright" options. My wife says she does not want to deal with gymnasium light intensity inside. I know, there are options and we found some good ones. People like LEDs, I get it. They are expensive in comparison and it is human nature to want to exaggerate their benefits. When the previous poster said they are "milliseconds" faster to come on and somehow that gave a safety advantage I actually snorted in amazement. Good thing I wasn't drinking a milkshake at the time.
As in all things regarding trailers, hitches, tow vehicles and now LED lights, we believe that ours is better. So have at it. I thought Bumpy pointed out the silliness in what was posted. Don't jump on him because you think he didn't intrepret what the poster really meant. If you don't mean it, don't say it.

[Gdetrailer]

Bumpyroad wrote:

deltabravo wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
so your marker lights work as stop lights?

No,Marker lights aren't stop lights. No where in his post did he say anything to that effect.

here
I changed out my marker lights and found nice ones with correct hole spacing on superbrightled.com. I read once about the light-up time of LEDs compared to incandescent; the LEDs were milliseconds quicker which really made a distance difference when going 70 MPH. May keep you from getting hit from the rear as the LEDs light up faster.

I just replaced the cab clearance lights on my truck to LED. They look good and are definitely brighter.

If I was worried about folks rear ending me, I think I would easily install some large LED center and eye level light and not worry about the "marker" lights.
bumpy

:R

Bumpy, why your "hate" on LEDs?

Bumpy, I think you are "splitting hairs" AND reading in what you want the poster to say.

I believe the INTENTION (of the poster that you quoted) was to INDICATE that LEDs ARE faster "TURN ON" but they (the poster of the text you quoted) ONLY changed their "marker lights".

BUT (the poster of the text you quoted said something more like), IF THEY WAS WORRIED ABOUT SOMEONE REAR ENDING THEM, THE POSTER (you quoted) RECOMMENDS UPGRADING TO LED TAIL LIGHTS AND NOT WORRY ABOUT MARKERS.

Bumpy, is that "better"? Can you understand the poster of the text you quoted thoughts better? I hope so, nothing like teaching at a first grade level that not everything needs to be taken in a literal sense. Written text (like this forum) sometimes can be tricky to get a point across accurately and not "everyone" must be spoon fed and have every word or though justified and fully explained.

With that, I do agree (with the poster that you quoted), LED Tailights can be a game changer, markers not so much.

I replaced both because my rig was 30+ yrs old, half the original markers had broken/missing covers and I was hoping to get rid of the incandescent bulb hassle of corroding sockets. Sadly, though, not all LEDs have long lives and I have had to rebuild LED markers and have had to replace 3 out of four Bargman tail lights.

I do agree that LED tail lights are far, far superior in brightness. Have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles commuting to work daily, have seen many, many RVs that the tail lights were extremely difficult to tell if they were lit up during daylight use..

Standard incadescent tail lights are poorly designed with minimal lighting (IE subpar).. But you won't fully understand that until you find yourself clamping the irons on to avoid totaling your own RV and the RV ahead of you..

I wish EVERY RV owner would at least change out the Factory OEM tail lights and opt for much brighter aftermarket LEDs.. Keeps them safer, keeps me safer and keeps YOU much safer if at a min the tail lights can be seen in full bright sunlight.

One word of caution, replacing the incadescent lights in the old fixture may or may not be as good of an upgrade. The optics are different with LEDs since they spread much differently than incadescent so you may need to experiment with different designs of LEDs.

[Bumpyroad]

deltabravo wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
so your marker lights work as stop lights?

No,Marker lights aren't stop lights. No where in his post did he say anything to that effect.

here
I changed out my marker lights and found nice ones with correct hole spacing on superbrightled.com. I read once about the light-up time of LEDs compared to incandescent; the LEDs were milliseconds quicker which really made a distance difference when going 70 MPH. May keep you from getting hit from the rear as the LEDs light up faster.

I just replaced the cab clearance lights on my truck to LED. They look good and are definitely brighter.

If I was worried about folks rear ending me, I think I would easily install some large LED center and eye level light and not worry about the "marker" lights.
bumpy

[deltabravo]

Bumpyroad wrote:
so your marker lights work as stop lights?

No,Marker lights aren't stop lights. No where in his post did he say anything to that effect.