Submersible trailer lights

[CaptnKingfisher]

One of my trailer lights is bad, the wiring inside the socket is intermittently making a connection and so I was gonna replace the whole thing. I started looking on Amazon but the reviews are making me afraid to buy anything. Even though many of the products average 4.5 stars most the reviews complain the lights aren't watertight and stop working after a few trips. I really wanna avoid buying junk if I can.. I did a brief search on the forum and couldn't find any recommendations.

Anyone have experience on a trustworthy brand I can try? Thanks

 

[mike_i]

I have no idea if there are any better brands but this is what I have. I installed them about a year ago and have had no issues, they are a lot brighter than the old incandescent lights.

Amazon.com

 

[dingbat]

The problem you run into with on-line reviews is the people tend to “cheap out” when it comes to lighting.

Any of the “better” offerings of the name brand light suppliers are good. I’m running top of the line Optronics “over 80” lights.

Swapped out all the running and clearance lights to encapsulated LED.

https://www.amazon.com/Amber-Surfac...ocphy=9008036&hvtargid=pla-699612086327&psc=1

 

[JASinIL2006]

I just went to O'Reilly's Auto Parts and bought some LED replacement fixtures. They were listed as submersible and I've had no problems for several years. I probably could have found cheaper sets on Amazon, but for something like this, I'd rather be able lay eyes on it before buying.

 

[CaptnKingfisher]

Thanks everyone for your input, I like the lifetime warranty on the optronics. Gonna place an order

 

[JGator]

Thanks everyone for your input, I like the lifetime warranty on the optronics. Gonna place an order

I too need to replace my pontoon boat trailer lights. Which Optronics kit did you go with?

 

[robert graham]

A good idea is to unplug trailer lights before dunking trailer with hot bulbs in cold water…also a coating of grease on bulb bases can help keep water out….but that said, I believe that trailer lights are destined to failure due to the nature of their usage…especially salt water trailers…

 

[jasper60103]

A good idea is to unplug trailer lights before dunking trailer with hot bulbs in cold water…also a coating of grease on bulb bases can help keep water out….but that said, I believe that trailer lights are destined to failure due to the nature of their usage…especially salt water trailers…

Agreed.
I had a set of new LED sealed submersible trailer lights that started leaking and take on water. Unfortunately the water didn’t drain. One trailer light failed after one season usage. The manufacturer replaced both lights under warranty but I’m thinking it will be an ongoing replacement item.

 

[Lou C]

the best lights I found are the LED ones made by Tec Niq

TecNiq | Truck & Trailer

The most cost efficient light on the market, period. This is what we strive to provide for our Light and Heavy-Duty Trailer products. Backed by the industry's leading Lifetime Warranty.

tecniqinc.com

I installed these about 6 years ago and have not had to touch them. Bright and reliable. Before this I was fooling with the trailer lights every year.

 

[jasper60103]

the best lights I found are the LED ones made by Tec Niq

TecNiq | Truck & Trailer

The most cost efficient light on the market, period. This is what we strive to provide for our Light and Heavy-Duty Trailer products. Backed by the industry's leading Lifetime Warranty.

tecniqinc.com

I installed these about 6 years ago and have not had to touch them. Bright and reliable. Before this I was fooling with the trailer lights every year.

Thanks. Will keep this brand in mind.

 

[Omineca]

I believe you are best off buying the type of trailer light unit that is open-bottomed and that drains, rather than the so-called sealed type. Salt water is tougher on trailer lights, but rinse them off after each immersion when you rinse the boat and trailer.

Cheap or expensive, five years seems to be about how long they last for me, by which time wire, fasteners, grounds and joints all need replacing anyway, and a complete harness from trailer plug to light units costs $40 to $80 just about anywhere and takes an hour or so to fit.

I will refund the 2¢ if proven wrong.

 

[jasper60103]

I believe you are best off buying the type of trailer light unit that is open-bottomed and that drains, rather than the so-called sealed type. Salt water is tougher on trailer lights, but rinse them off after each immersion when you rinse the boat and trailer.

Cheap or expensive, five years seems to be about how long they last for me, by which time wire, fasteners, grounds and joints all need replacing anyway, and a complete harness from trailer plug to light units costs $40 to $80 just about anywhere and takes an hour or so to fit.

I will refund the 2¢ if proven wrong.

Yes, will keep this in mind. I had the open type submersible bulb tail lights on my old trailer. I liked being able to change out a bad bulb as opposed to the entire light.
The new style Optronics LED lights came with my current setup. Again, the manufacturer replaced them under warranty when they leaked and failed after one season. And no salt water here.
If they leak again I’ll try something else. Thanks.

 

[Searay205]

I had trailer lights last in excess of 20 years submerged 20 times a year. They looked like regular trailer lights BUT the bulb was enclosed in a capsule. Cant find anymore, looks LED is your only option

 

[roscoe]

When I was younger, I had a set of trailer lights that were great.
4" diameter glass tube, about 5' long.
It was strapped to the frame rail on each side.
A lit candle was placed on the forward end of the tube
When the horse slowed up, the candle would tip forward and light a second candle, creating a brighter "Brake light". There were no turn signals, but people generally steered clear of me.

When, more like IF, you could get the horse to back down the boat ramp, the tube was on an angle and water only came up the tube a few inches before it stopped ( upside-down jar principle), so the candle remained lit.
You had to launch or load quickly, or the candle would go out due to lack of oxygen.

Probably wouldn't be legal now a days cause the flame wasn't red, and as I mentioned earlier, no turn signals.

It worked pretty well though. Better than when we put my navy veteran son in the boat with a set of maritime signaling flags.

 

[Omineca]

Very good system Roscoe. We had much the same, but our horse had air brakes: probably just a more advanced Canadian system.

 

[dwco5051]

Actually the Amish in my area have all gone to LED's for increased battery life.

 

[Omineca]

Can Boat Trailer Lights Get Wet? Boat trailer lights can get wet, and you can submerge them completely in the water if you are using waterproof and submersible lights. Otherwise, they will fail if they are submerged in water at the boat ramp, and you'll be left without any lights, putting your safety at risk.

Twenty years of experience with getting non-sealed trailer lights wet without any consequent failures causes me to say that you are not correct. I never even unplug the trailer from the vehicle. The reason is that we are dealing with a low voltage in a closed system. The current in the system will not flow to "ground" in the water, because its ground is in the trailer and vehicle frames. Freshwater is a poor conductor of electricity, and although saltwater is a better one the low voltage and small wire size makes any short unlikely.

However, playing your electric guitar in the bath is a bad idea. Higher voltage, big wires, and the water in the bathtub is the ground.

 

[Horigan]

Actually, if the amp is out of the tub, you would be good. The guitar generates a very small voltage.

Back on topic, I'm happy with my Optronic lights.

 

[Omineca]

Actually, if the amp is out of the tub, you would be good. The guitar generates a very small voltage.

Back on topic, I'm happy with my Optronic lights.

The Yardbirds’ guitarist Keith Relf found out otherwise in 1976. Of course household voltage in UK is 240, and that kicks as I can testify.

 

[mike_i]

It's not the amount of current flow that cause the unsealed bulbs to fail. It's the thermo shock. Hot bulb glass + cold water = failure.