mattyg_16 Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Hey guys, Looking at changing my standard globe trailer lights over to LEDs, and was pricing a set at around $70-$80. Has anyone ever done this before? Are you able to use the existing cabling and connections or will I have to change it all over including the 5 pin car connector? My trailer is a 4.5 m Dunbier. Cheers Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aussie007 Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Hey guys, Looking at changing my standard globe trailer lights over to LEDs, and was pricing a set at around $70-$80. Has anyone ever done this before? Are you able to use the existing cabling and connections or will I have to change it all over including the 5 pin car connector? My trailer is a 4.5 m Dunbier. Cheers Matt u can find the led lights already connected to 8 meters of cable u just need to bolt them on than connect your plug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasksta Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 I'm in the same boat, pardon the pun. Can anyone recommend a pair with leads and cable that are ADR approved? cheers Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheap charlie Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Would have to agree with Gazza.. Buy the ones already wired with cable. Not a hard job to just put a plug on the end. You would hate to fit nice new lights only to have the connections at the rear of the trailer fail due to water getting into the electrical joints. May cost a bit more but worth the investment If you where to patch a new set of lights into the existing harness, Use a decent length of heat shrink to prevent water ingress. If you do run a new harness, take the extra time to run the harness through the trailer chassis. I use a strip of yellow tongue out of a sheet of flooring. Another option is to just pull the new harness through as you pull the old one out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul.kenny Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 I rewired my old trailer with new LED lights using the existing dunbier harness. I used heat shrink to protect the new connection and it worked a treat....it survived two trips to Central Quensland and many boat launches. Good luck with your fit out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aussie007 Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 I rewired my old trailer with new LED lights using the existing dunbier harness. I used heat shrink to protect the new connection and it worked a treat....it survived two trips to Central Quensland and many boat launches. Good luck with your fit out. do u have a picture of your wire joint? i was looking at some in a shop the other day they looked ok $35 but didnt have a good length of wire attached im in the same boat i wouldnt mind putting a set on my boat trailer so i can remove my plastic board all together also my jetski trailer would be a good one to put them on as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul.kenny Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Hi Gazza, unfortunately I don't have a photo as I sold my boat about a month ago. I just followed the wiring diagram and instructions that came with the LED lighting kit (ARC marine submersible version). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyg_16 Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 Cheers for you help guys, really appreciate it. That's an interesting comment about the low voltage not being picked up at the car. I would probably lean towards buying a set with cables attached, saves a lot of stuffing around. The reason why I want to replace them is the plastic on my current globe lights has turned a nasty yellow colour and is beginning to crack. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Zod Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 I changed my ones. Depending which LED lights you get some come with a connection so you can connect to ur old wire to but you still have to cut and connect the old one first and then you connect/plug it into the new ones. Confused? I'll try and post up what I did and show u which connections I'm talking about. Didn't have to change the 5 pin car connector. And get ones with the number plate light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulau Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 (edited) Cheers for you help guys, really appreciate it. That's an interesting comment about the low voltage not being picked up at the car. I would probably lean towards buying a set with cables attached, saves a lot of stuffing around. The reason why I want to replace them is the plastic on my current globe lights has turned a nasty yellow colour and is beginning to crack. Matt Hi, Done it 3 months ago on my Dunbier. Not hard just need to make such which wires is what ie(left/right indicator, brakes, running light/number plate light). They should be 12volts don't know what low voltage "Burnsy74" is talking about (Electrical Engineer background). I use the existing harness, just cut the cable as close to old lights. Strip back the cable and solder the harness to the LED light cable. Make such you remember to put on the heat shrink tubing first before soldering and put it far away from the soldering point as the cable with heat up and start shrinking the tubing. May have to sand a little off copper cable on the harness end due to oxidation and may not solder properly if there is too much oxidation (important point). Before shrinking the tubing over the solder joint check to see if it works by putting 12volts through the 7 pin connector. I used a 12 volt variable DC power supply (-ve to ground pin and move the +ve on the each of the 6 pin to find which will light up. Once done testing, rub very light grease over the solder point and cover it with heat shrink tubing and start shrinking. This will ensure it keep out any moisture. May also use another heat shrink tubing over all the cable to keep them bundle together, again much put on the tubing before soldering. Hope this help http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx Edited November 13, 2012 by valk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheap charlie Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Of the shelf tail lights these days are plug and play. Burnsy is correct in what he is saying, in the early days of LED becoming mainstream there was issues where they where not directly compatiable. I am no electrical engineer but From memory I recall my old man whio's an auto elec having to add in line resistors or similar to get LED indicators to function on motorbikes. Non of this will how ever be an issue for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Zod Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 Here are the LEDs I changed over to on the trailer. I got the trailer ligts first and found the that my old cord was to short, plus i couldnt bridge them because the connection was different, so I had to run to cords. Easier if u buy the pack which everything comes with it. I paid extra because a brought both items separate. If i knew i would of brought the pack in the first place. Very happy with not having to diconnect the lights anymore at the boat ramp. Hope this helps. ledautolamps.com cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helliconia Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 Nice looking light set. Mine came with LED's new, but they look so much better I might upgrade myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Goldsmith Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 Just a note... Because LEDs are so low voltage some cars won't pick them up ... U may have to put a resistor in line on the trailer....land rovers are one car... It's not all but a few apparently Burnsy74 is correct, My VW touareg wouldn't light up the new LEDS I put on my trailer. The cars sends a "test signal" to every light when you first turn the ign. on, because the leds have very little resistance, it shows a light fault and they just continue to flicker. To fix this you can buy a resistance box or as I took the cheaper way out and went to Jcar and got four 100 OHM ceramic resistors and fitted them between the brake, tail and indicator wires and the earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aussie007 Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 im getting my jetski trailer rego done going for a blue slip i had put a set of LED trailer lights with attached 8 meters of cable on each light on watch i got home at 7:30pm tonight needed to pack the boat away and missed the auction can u believe it the lights sold for $26.99 kicking my self now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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