Unhook lights????

[mrcool]

I have new LED lights on my trailer, and have been told I should unhook the lighting harness from my truck before backing into the water, so as not to burn the lamps out. I've also been told there's no need to, so don't bother because they are waterproof and many people forget to reconnect them at the ramp. I've done both with no problems either way. What is your thoughts on the subject??

[Kenny1970]

I un plug mine because I have fuses on my truck that are just for the trailer plug and I have blow a couple of fuses before and have not sence I have been unpluging the trailer

[mthieme]

Trailer lights SHOULD BE waterproof.
If so, you should have no problem.

Just speculating from here...
Obviously, LEDs are cooler than high intensity bulbs which would bust as soon as the relatively cool water hits them. I would not expect the same issue from LEDs. Of course ,you'll still have wiring issues without waterproof housings.

[Gary H NC]

The LED lights are usually sealed in epoxy.I have never unplugged mine and have not had a problem.
I guess it depends on what brand and type you have.

[tashasdaddy]

leds, are the only true sealed lights, all the rest leak. leds are fine in the water, incandescent, unplug and let them cool. solution mount lights on the guideons, and keep them dry.

[dingbat]

Put me down as one who doesn't think that the solution to an oil leak is to carry a gallon of oil around in your trunk.

If you're blowing lamps because of a damaged housing or problems in the wiring fix the problem.

FWIW: I have a backing solenoid so unhooking the trailer at the ramp isn't an option. I have submersible lights on my trailer. I've only had to replaced one lamp in the last 4 years and that was because of a broken filament.

[MrBigStuff]

I've gotten into the habit of disconnecting the lighting harness from the truck from two bad experiences in my life. The first one happened when I loaded after dark and although the lamps had always been sealed tight, one failed and took out the fuse. No spare, driving home at night without trailer lights is not fun. Many years pass and I get out of the habit and leave them connected. Then someone steals my adaptor. Now, I always disconnect and stash the adaptor in the truck.

[KeyWestBoater]

I have a 2008 Caravan trailer with LEDs. The shop that installed the hitch and harness said to unplug the harness before backing in. Twice I forgot and blew the adapter module that's part of the hitch harness (about $25.). It's not because of the bulbs, it's the module. In case you're wondering, where my harness plugs to the trailer does not go underwater. I was told aftermarket harnesses on later model vehicles require this module. If it's an OEM harness then it's not supposed to be a problem. Just my experience. Don't know if it applies to your situation.

[mthieme]

leds, are the only true sealed lights, all the rest leak. leds are fine in the water, incandescent, unplug and let them cool. solution mount lights on the guideons, and keep them dry.

Huh?
None of mine leak.

[Shizzy]

I unhook mine. the main reason is because I have the cheap $20 lights on my trailer. the secondary reason is it puts me right at the hitch when putting in and taking out. this is when I double check everything is right. Hitch, chains, lights, bow chain, transom straps, etc. Its gets me out of the truck which always puts me in the "double check" mindset.

even if I had LED's I would still unplug.

[Benny1963]

i have leds and bad memory,
so i never unhook have had my set for 5 years came with good warranty to.
piranaha i love em

[reelfishin]

I rarely remember and haven't ever had a problem with either style. Usually is takes long enough from the time I get in line to when I back down the ramp for the bulbs to cool down enough not to pop. Most of my trailers now have LED lights but a few smaller ones still have old fashioned incandescent bulbs. I think I've only had one or two bulbs pop in about 20 or so years, and that was on a really old trailer which really didn't have marine duty tail lights.

Water gets in just about any older style housing, I have brand new Peterson lights on my one trailer and they will drip water out of the lense for a block or two after loading my boat. The lenses are only glued on and the entire bottom of the light is open, it's supposed to work much like a glass full of water set upside down on a table with water in it. They don't work perfect, especially in rough water. They are fine if the water is glass smooth but when the waves are crashing over the ramp and it looks more like a washing machine than a river, the lights do not stay dry, but I've never had a problem other than long term corrosion of the hardware inside. (Lots of grease on the connections and socket helps prolong their life.
On my LED lights, they never have leaked, the oldest ones have about 3 years of use on them so far.

[bhile]

I have never unhooked mine and don't have problems. (both type). But I do keep them in good condition.

[Silvertip]

I don't understand why this issue gets discussed to the degree it does. If one is concerned about popping trailer lights (LED or incandescent) simply unplug them. I do and I can't tell you the last time I needed to replace a bulb. You walk right past the connector on the way to prep the boat for launch so that 5 second operation is not a major distraction from the routine. It becomes the first step in the launch routine and the last step in the retrieval routine.

[109jb]

All my boat trailers have incandescent lights and I have never had a problem backing into the water with them plugged in. The housings are in good shape and don't leak. The only problem I have ever had was from corrosion on the contacts which is my own fault for not coating them with dielectric grease. As a matter of fact, one trailer has housings that are open on the bottom and I never have problems with those either. The bottom is open for reaching in to change the bulb. Its like pushing an upside down glass under water. I will admit that I only boat in fresh water, so salt water is another story.

[reelfishin]

All my boat trailers have incandescent lights and I have never had a problem backing into the water with them plugged in. The housings are in good shape and don't leak. The only problem I have ever had was from corrosion on the contacts which is my own fault for not coating them with dielectric grease. As a matter of fact, one trailer has housings that are open on the bottom and I never have problems with those either. The bottom is open for reaching in to change the bulb. Its like pushing an upside down glass under water. I will admit that I only boat in fresh water, so salt water is another story.

Try pushing that glass underwater and shaking it around and tilting it at the angle of the boat ramp, it will lose nearly all of it's air.
Salt water gets to everything, it don't even have to be in the water to see corrosion, the humidity in the air near the shore that the trailer is exposed to while you are out on the water does a number on it too. Even my truck is well rusted after only a few years. If you open the hood, every seem and edge of every panel is rusted, all of the aluminum is white with corrosion and any bare steel is scaly brown with rust. I've lived around saltwater nearly all my life, you just get use to the fact that there's little you can do to prevent corrosion other than to wash vehicles often and keep after it as much as you can.

When it comes to lights, it's lots of grease and all connections need to be soldered and sealed with either glue type heat shrink tubing or brush on electrical tape. Bulb sockets rust out in a matter of months if not well coated with grease, (as do lug nuts and any other unprotected metal on the trailer), and the trailer wiring harness will turn green from the inside out and fail regardless what you do to protect it.
Certain things on a trailer become expendable in a saltwater environment, if not the whole trailer itself. Lights and fenders are sacrificial items, they just don't last long in saltwater.

LED lights have been a great improvement, and so far so good, but they still need to be connected to the truck. Just this year alone, two of my four wire plugs corroded off the trailer harness, I replaced two trailer wiring harnesses and two pair of fenders, and one cross member. The next most common item to fail is the rear rocker arms on a roller trailer.
I also had two rims perforated with rust after only 4 years, all were galvanized and brand new in 2004.

Saltwater eats everything, the chrome plating on the boat gets pitted, outdrives suffer damage and things like aluminum rails and plain steel hardware are just a bad idea. If it's not brass or stainless, it won't last.

[109jb]

Try pushing that glass underwater and shaking it around and tilting it at the angle of the boat ramp, it will lose nearly all of it's air.
Salt water gets to everything....

Well, since that one set of lights I mentioned are built that way and are mounted on a boat trailer I HAVE pushed them under water, shaken them around, and tilted them to the angle of the boat ramp and water DOES NOT fill them up. In order to fill them up the air would have to come out. All I was saying is what one set of lights I have is like and that I haven't had any problems with them. That is absolute fact. 10 years and never even changed a bulb on that trailer. Doesn't matter though because that is the only set of lights I've ever seen like that. My other 2 boat trailers have sealed housings. I also said that I launch in fresh water and that salt water was a different story. All I was stating was my experience over the years and that I have never unplugged to back in the water.

[Mark42]

I had regular trailer lights on the LoadRite trailer. After one season, the salt water corroded the sockets so bad I had to replace them. Got LED's, and they leaked water inside. Just drilled a hole to let them drain. Been using them that way for 4 years. Never disconnect.

The Bayliner Escort trailer comes with a big "bell jar" style trailer light. Unlike aftermarket bell jar lights, these are so deep, that water never gets to the light and causes corrosion. The trailer is from 1985 and these are the original Escort trailer lights. I have new LED's to replace them with, but so far they are not affected by water. Never unplugged them either. If all trailer lights worked this well there would be no need for LED lights.