Auto LEDs on Trailer?

[EricU]

I would like to put some LED "Landing" lights on my trailer.

Would this setup work to auto turn them on when backing up the trailer?


If so, any suggestions as to where to get appropriate LED strip lighting for an underwater application?
Would any colors be better than any others? My new boat is mostly red with a red trailer.


http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/vv359/EricUht/Tige/Boat%20Wiring/4c770a45-8511-45b8-be06-d7f899922db3_zps2ed7ec04.jpg

[cornrickey]

I would not recommend leaving your vehicle in reverse while you load your boat on the trailer. I would wire them into your running light circuit with a toggle switch to turn them on and off. Or, and this may blow your mind, mount a bilge floating switch on the trailer were when it's in the water it turns on the light. That would be cool.

[MLA]

To do this without requiring an additional connection between the truck and trailer, as in those trailers with either a 4 or 5 way, just use the brown tail light circuit. Your typical LED trips wont last. They are not very robust and the applied 3M adhesive is not strong enough to last in that application.

[sandm]

call your supreme boat dealer and see if they have one already set up you can look at. they had one at our boat show last year that had this exact setup. float switch on the inside rear of the trailer and led strip tape up the entire trailer. charlie the now ex-supreme rep was there and said it was an option for any trailer for supreme. they didn't do a lot of them as most dealers order ahead of time and didn't see the "value" in adding a few hundred to the price of the boat.

[cornrickey]

[QUOTE=cornrickey;225104]I would not recommend leaving your vehicle in reverse while you load your boat on the trailer. I would wire them into your running light circuit with a toggle switch to turn them on and off. Or, and this may blow your mind, mount a bilge floating switch on the trailer were when it's in the water it turns on the light. That would be cool.[/QUOTE
never mind. I was on my phone when I read your post and didn't see the diagram with the switch. I guess good minds think alike ;)

[EricU]

call your supreme boat dealer and see if they have one already set up you can look at. they had one at our boat show last year that had this exact setup. float switch on the inside rear of the trailer and led strip tape up the entire trailer...

Thanks for the lead, I think our local Tige dealer also carries Supremes, Moomba dealers are far and few around here.

I found the switch while looking for a switch to add an auto bilge for when leaving the boat in a slip or tied to the pontoon overnight and thought it might be a good addition to both trailers.
White on the Pontoon's ridiculously long trailer and either red or blue on the wakeboard boat.

Doesn't look like it will cost that much ($$$Zippp$$$).

I think I will experiment with some different colored lights on the trailer.

And Cornrickey, I am glad you caught the intent of my diagram! Thought I had left something out! Seems simple enough to me.

[cornrickey]

it was late, I had been drinking, yadayadayada...I made a portable mister for my daughter's soccer team and used a float switch to turn the pump off when it ran out of water so it wouldn't burn up the impeller. works great.

[EricU]

it was late, I had been drinking, yadayadayada...

That's how I ended up with a full blown ballast system, stereo, and oh yeah a 24' boat!!!

[NCSUmoomba]

Boatmate sells a kit to install runway lights.

[powerstroke99]

Thanks for the lead, I think our local Tige dealer also carries Supremes, Moomba dealers are far and few around here.

I found the switch while looking for a switch to add an auto bilge for when leaving the boat in a slip or tied to the pontoon overnight and thought it might be a good addition to both trailers.
White on the Pontoon's ridiculously long trailer and either red or blue on the wakeboard boat.

Doesn't look like it will cost that much ($$$Zippp$$$).

I think I will experiment with some different colored lights on the trailer.

And Cornrickey, I am glad you caught the intent of my diagram! Thought I had left something out! Seems simple enough to me.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIVERSAL-12-VOLT-12V-WIRELESS-REMOTE-CONTROL-SWITCH-/380077501530?pt=Home_Automation_Controls_Touchscre ens&hash=item587e626c5a

ever thought about using something like this.. if you have the swingaway tongue maybe hide the module in the frame...
just a idea.. could keep a remote in boat and tow vehicle

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOT5-12V-18W-72LED-1800LM-6000k-White-Light-U-Shape-Light-Bar-Transparent-Cover-/290951073604?pt=US_Light_Bulbs&hash=item43be090f44

these might work for lights too.. i might look into doing this for a winter project

[EricU]

I think I am going to stick with the bilge pump switch that doesn't have any moving parts.

I found some submersible lights (http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/top-emitting/se-wfls-x60-series-60-high-power-led-waterproof-flexible-light-strip/103/) which are kinda pricey but they are rated as ip68 (the IP68 rating must always be better than the IP67 rating, that means that the instrument may be submersed for at least one meter ~3')

I might just order one set of red, one of blue and one white and see what they look like in the water on the trailer.

I am pretty sure that I will use white on the pontoon trailer, but the boat trailer is red and I may go with either the red or the blue?????

[MLA]

Eric,

Those lights are waterproof, but will not last. The silicone encapsulation is not very robust. Also, you would have to attach a retainer every foot or so as the adhesive on the back will not last more then a few weeks in that application.

[EricU]

Eric,

Those lights are waterproof, but will not last. The silicone encapsulation is not very robust. Also, you would have to attach a retainer every foot or so as the adhesive on the back will not last more then a few weeks in that application.

Mike,

That sucks.

You are supposed to post only GOOD posts!!! Not kill my hopes and dreams! (kinda crappy dreams, huh?)

I was going to use a different 3M tape that I have from some R&D work I did a few years back that I know will work as it passed the 500 hour salt spray test among other tests

Any suggestions on appropriate LED strips? I would have thought a meter IP68 strip would work.

[MLA]

Mike,

That sucks.

You are supposed to post only GOOD posts!!! Not kill my hopes and dreams! (kinda crappy dreams, huh?)

I was going to use a different 3M tape that I have from some R&D work I did a few years back that I know will work as it passed the 500 hour salt spray test among other tests

Any suggestions on appropriate LED strips? I would have thought a meter IP68 strip would work.

You are best to go with an LED strip thats rigid as opposed to a flexible strip. 3M body side molding adhesive will hold up much better then the thin layer of adhesive that comes on the back of those strips. But, did you look at the Boatmate Trailer Kit? They use a flush-mount LED pod. They only offer white, but I have found a source for the same lights in other colors.

This kit is going to be a job to do as it will require drilling a hole for each LED, but they are solid lights.

[EricU]

You are best to go with an LED strip thats rigid as opposed to a flexible strip...

Any suggestions?


...But, did you look at the Boatmate Trailer Kit? They use a flush-mount LED pod. They only offer white, but I have found a source for the same lights in other colors.

This kit is going to be a job to do as it will require drilling a hole for each LED, but they are solid lights.

Yeah, I did check out the Boatmate kit, just wasn't too keen on drilling a bunch of holes in my trailer. There has to some decent LED strips out there - maybe I should make my own and put China out of business??

[powerstroke99]

maybe I should make my own and put China out of business??

HAHA.. just came across these while looking for lights.. probly be handy also

http://www.sturdybuiltonline.com/Pipe-Lights-LED-PVC-PAIR-for-Boat-Trailer-Guide-Poles_p_13.html

[mmandley]

I have runway LEDS on my trailer, and to this day i have not got them to work properly.

I had a thread a while back on this due to voltage issue with my trailer, Nothing has ever came of it from the dealer. I think i might look into the Boat Mate kit or something..

If you get something that works id be interested.