Trailer lights that last more than one season ??

Don Haraguchi

Don Haraguchi

Active Member
So, admittedly I’ve bought cheap trailer lights in the past. Crappy Tire submersibles, Amazon specials. They never last. My most recent pair lasted 2 trips, and before I installed them I took them apart and smeared every connection and exposed wire, socket, terminal with dialectic grease. To no avail. Harness is solid, grounds are good, connections are all soldered and adhesive heat shrunk. It’s the fixtures that fail.

Who’s got some good, dependable trailer lights they can recommend ?

Thanks all.
 
I bought a set of wirless magnetic lights. They were pretty affordable and i use them between 3 trailers regularly. Worth every penny!
 
YachtMech said:
Sealed LED, they are available now through quite a few places, they are a bit pricy but they last
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You get what you pay for, I guess.
Just the thought of spending $100 or more on trailer lights bothers me. I guess I’ll just have to get it into my head that they won’t fail prematurely on me. Hopefully.
 
The standard waterproof lights that came with my 2003 Shorland'r lasted until 4 years ago when they got hit by other trailers, cracking them so they leaked. I just bought similar from Princess Auto and they are working fine. I pull the insert out each spring and use dielectric grease on the sockets and spray bare connections with LP3. All the side clearance lights are still the original to the trailer and all work.
 
Ah but what kind of LED? Beware the cheapie sets that just use replaceable LED bulbs - the sockets will trap water and corrode. Proper LED boards rated for submersion is what is needed.

The other issue with trailer lighting is grounding. Most of those connections to trailer frame go underwater too, and are therefore subject to corrosion and a potential failure point.

IMHO it's worth running individual ground wires back to a bus bar up near the hitch and making a single connection to vehicle ground there. If you're running a new wire harness anyway then why not run ground wires at the same time? Blue Seas makes a good selection of bus bars and covers.
 
Those submersible LED lights go on sale regularly at Princess Auto. Just keep an eye for them on their online flyer. I had them on my previous boat for 4 seasons with no issues.
 
Whatever LED’s Roadrunner now put on their trailers are incredible. 9 years not one problem with current trailer. Roadrunner will sell them to you but I’m sure they’re a standard supplier. My previous Roadrunner with old incandescents had problems every other time I took out the boat. LED is the game changer.
 
I gave up on trailer mounted lights a while ago as they always eventually failed (either bulbs, connections or wiring, etc.).

Over 15 years ago I mounted some LED lights on a 8 foot 2x4 that I hang off the back of my boat and take them and the wiring off the trailer every time I launch. The lights and wiring never touch saltwater and always work!

This method can also reduce breakage as the lights are up high on the boat when mounted, or in the back of the truck when the boat is in the water. Many times trailer lights are broken on a parked empty trailer. I know as I have broken or have had mine broken this way in the past.
 
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I have LED's that came with my EZloader trailer. Not sure of the brand name. I had to replace 1 of the clearance lights but that's it in 7 years and I'm in and out of the water at least 70-80 times a year so I've been happy with them.
 
sealed LEDs. buy from amazon and i normally 3M 5200 every connection liberally after soldering/heatshrink/multiple wraps.
 
I have found the ground to the trailer causes problems.
Not sure if there is a long term fix. I just do my annual 'cleaning of the grounds'.
 
Gong Show said:
I have found the ground to the trailer causes problems.
Not sure if there is a long term fix. I just do my annual 'cleaning of the grounds'.
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We take great care to seal each connection to the trailer harness, but the ground connections to the frame are exposed all the time. Stainless screw to galvanised frame results in mild galvanic corrosion. See my post #8 in this thread, wire the grounds all the way back to a bus bar at the hitch and seal the connections as you would with the hots.
 
Liquid Electrical Tape...
Weatherproof protectant for wiring and electrical connections. Goes on as a liquid and dries to a vinyl polymer that resists dirt, dust, chemicals, moisture, ensuring that connections stay intact. Brush-top applicator allows coverage without gaps and enables access to tight spaces that roll tape and shrink tubing can't get to.

 
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