@#!!$ LED Trailer Lights

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I am beginning to really hate trailer lights (actually I've hated them for years). The replacement LEDs that EZ Loader sent me are on the fritz. I am not sure if it is a corrosion issue in the wiring since I soldered the lights in, or if the damn things are "ruint".

Regardless, I am going to put a light bar or post together to get the lights out of the water. Does anyone have a good set of photos of their light bars/posts that I could use as food for thought?

Steve

[Catch 22]

i hate trailer lights too, i dont know how many sets ive gone through, when i bought the ones i currently have, before installing them, i sealed the edges and back with black 5200, and ran all the wiring though and old air hose, and sealed the back ends of that too, seems to have worked so far....

my other idea that i started work on a while ago, but never finished, is fiber optic trailer lights, where you would have a little box that mounts well up under the truck, or maybe even inside somewhere, that has LEDs in it and fiber optic cables that run down the trailer instead wire, the idea is that the only thing that would ever get wet is a non-corrosive plastic cable, all electrical and lights would be high and dry, i looked into it a bit and i think its possible, all the components exist, but the challenge would be making them bright enough, the other challenge, price...i bet we will see these one day though, you buy the unit, rout your cables down your trailer, cut them to length and you're done...

[Matt Gurnsey]

EZ Loader has had a problem with their LED lights. The issue has been that the bracket the light mounts to was improperly fashioned, and torqueing the fasteners down on the lights actually cracks the housing.

This, of course, lets water infiltrate the unit, and then FZZZT.

I think a couple of washers used as spacers stops this from happening.

[lloyds]

I too have fought trailer lights all my life. Seems like every couple of trips a different light would be out. But my current EZ Loader has been phenomonal. It is a 2006, prior to LED but those bulbs are exposed to water, salt or fresh, everytime I back down. And they never quit. Can't figure it out. Most bulbs are at least sealed in the fixture but these aren't. There is a large rectangular hole in the bottom of each fixture and they seem to rely on the air in there keeping the water out, and apparently it does.

[colobear]

I had the ez loader problem described and fixed it by using a silicon sealer along every visible seam on the light fixtures and under the fixture where it is bolted to the frame. I also ran a complete new ground system for the lights as many times the problem is a weak ground, especially when the trailer frame itself is used as the ground.

[chromer]

Call the EZ LOADER rep in Woodinville WA. The lights finally were redesigned properly. He sent me the new design, and mine have been dunked 100 times by now, no problem.

I went thru two sets of the original design quickly. The rep seems to be the only guy with the correct lights.

[Sea Wolf]

Here are some of my thoughts from a while back on trailer lights:

[Catch 22]

very good ideas

[journey on]

The E-Z loader trailer under Journey On is now in its 4th year of service. In that time I've replaced 2 LED rear lights and NO marker lights.

The first light died in a couple of months, and I ordered another over the Internet. It's now in the 4th year of service. Sealed it and the connections with RTV.

The second light died about 6 mos ago. Before starting our summer trip I had to fix it. Both the light and the ground connection were bad. Remember, the current has to get back to the truck battery. Removed all the connections, including the bar light, re-did them and ran a dedicated ground wire from the lights to the front of the trailer, tapping into the ground wire from the trailer electrical connector. There is now a continuous ground path, by wire, from the lights to the battery. Sealed everything with RTV and we can only hope for the best. There was a lot of snap connections in the wiring that weren't sealed. they are now.

Boris

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I just spoke with the folks at EZ Loader in Spokane. While they can not cover the lights under warranty, they are offering reduced prices on replacement lights. Something like $42 for both rear lights. They should be here in a couple of days.

John Scribner in the warranty department said that they had changed suppliers, and that the new lights do not suffer from the cracked housing problem. Both of the old lights were cracked and full of water. I am still going to make up a light bar as a safety backup.

Regards to all.
Steve

Edit: When I installed the last set of lights, I made certain not to exert too much torque on the nuts when I tightened things down. My suspicion is that road shock, in combination with the tightened nuts is was cracked the housings...

[chromer]

You will really like the new design. Its just a more quality product, that fits the same mounts. Like I said, i have had no problems in over a 100 dunks now. I did get mine under warranty.

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Today, the new tail lights arrived, as promised by EZ Loader. The mount design is different, and appears to be more substantial. The lights are on, they work, so it's off to Tillamook next week to chase some silvers.

Kudos to EZ Loader.

Steve

[McDory]

I installed a set of Pipe Lights about a year ago and they have worked well so far. I made the connections in the top 12" of the pipes to keep them out of the salt water. I ran all new wires including separate grounds all the way to the front of the trailer and used a cargo trailer junction box mounted on the tonque. Here is the set that I used.

http://www.pipe-light.com/single.php?model=Kit-1020

[Wefings]

We have a great solution here in Franklin County Florida. The cops don't use lights on their personal trailers and they don't give tickets cause that would be hypocrisy and that just aint right. We just don't use em !No Problem!
Marc

[Wandering Sagebrush]