marker lights to led marker lights

deltabravo wrote:
Easy project, which I documented here when I did this on my Nash 17k

I've done the same upgrade.

The marker lights I used are these

Yes did it on my old Jayco, found everything right here. Lights

poorboy wrote:
has anyone done this, is it a matter of just changing the light fixture

Easy project, which I documented here when I did this on my Nash 17k

Just change the blubs. Auto parts have replacements.

Bumpyroad wrote:
I question if changing the marker lights to brighter ones would have any effect on safety. brake lights possibly but not meaningful for the effort and cost involved.
bumpy

YES, I believe that in broad daylight with the sun shining in the drivers face driving behind my trailer they WILL see my LED tail lights!

For stop/turn I used the Bargman 84 series triples.



Trust me, these things are a wall of bright red light when you are either turning or stopping. They WILL get the drivers attention.

My trailer sits in my yard with tail lights facing the West and when I light them up with the sun shining heavily from either the East or even west you CAN easily see them. Absolutely no excuse for anyone claiming that they didn't see my lights.

But hindsight, for the cost of the LED replacements for these, I should have replaced with incadescent 84 fixtures and then added LED replacement bulbs.. The replacement cost of just one of the modules is an astronomical $50 EACH. I got smart and bought two sets of double fixtures to keep as spares, much cheaper spare parts.

I had to replace the entire fixture due to the originals having broken lenses and were totally obsolete and no replacement lenses available..

I changed out the markers at the same time, I was lucky to find the old style oval type that fit where the original markers were mounted.. And as good fortune smiled on me, the replacement markers had removable lenses and were not sealed when they started to fail.. I was able to remove the lens, grind down the failed LEDs and replace them with BETTER designed LEDs over top of the old ones.. My replacements most likely will outlast my life..

I question if changing the marker lights to brighter ones would have any effect on safety. brake lights possibly but not meaningful for the effort and cost involved.
bumpy

Yes, just swap the fixtures.
However, you may need to change the signal light flasher in your tow vehicle. Some of the older vehicles have flashers that flash very rapidly (like a strobe light almost) when used with LEDs. These are readily available and it's usually a simple un-plug, plug-in swap.

Yes, I have done this by replacing the fixtures.

In hindsight, did not anticipate that the life of the "replacement" LED fixtures was not going to be as long as advertised.. Have had 6 out of 12 fixtures quit after only a couple of yrs. Keeping in mind that I only get to use my RV only 2 weeks a yr, that is a pretty poor life.. Even more irritating was the fact that I spent more than double for the LED fixtures over what new incadescent fixtures cost at the time.

If you already have GOOD fixtures with good lenses, I would highly recommend just replacing the incadescent bulbs with LED bulbs.

Plenty of decent aftermarket LED bulbs to choose from now days and the cost is pretty cheap. Get amber LED bulbs for amber fixtures and red LED bulbs for the red fixtures for the most brightness impact.

I would have to disagree with JIMNLIN, I WANT my RV to be able to be seen from the ISS in space.. There are way too many idiots now days on the road paying more attention and playing with their "iphones". Absolutely no one can say that they "never seen" my rig..

Brighter doesn't necessarily mean safer.
Some LED lights on upfitter beds for our pickups or chassis mounted service beds are too bright.
My local equipment trailer mfg had issues with this and even rear brake lights. The brake lights were so bright it made seeing the turn signals all but impossible so they found a different light supplier.

You can use the same wires for LED transitions. I did this on the back of my blue tractor. The old lights were giving up so went to all LED on the rear. This tractor sees no highway ...just county roads with lots of gulleys.

I’ve changed my TT rear bulbs to LED bulbs and added a strip of LED lights from eTrailer next to the existing fixtures. Not brighter necessarily but more lights. Was easy.