Simon119 Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 Evening all, am hoping the collective brains of the forum can help. I have just changed the lights on my local scout group trailer to led units, the lights work perfectly but the dash tell-tale no longer flashes. Am assuming this is a resistance problem, like when fitting led indicators to vehicle. Can anyone confirm this is the case? And if so any help on fixing the issue would be great. Am thinking either a different flasher relay if one even exists for this application, or adding a resistor to each side of the trailer. If it makes any difference the vehicle still has filament indicators and I have no plans to change to led anytime soon. Any thoughts greatly appreciated. Cheers Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjan Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 Yes - the LED's confuse the trailer indicator light. We have added a conventional sidelight in parallel with the indicator LED on the trailer and the green light is back again.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 I have the same on my trailer after swapping all it's lighting to led. either as Arjan has done or a suitable resistor in the trailer indicator wiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon119 Posted June 21, 2017 Author Share Posted June 21, 2017 Thank you gents. Hadn't thought of using a bulb as a resistor. If I go down the resistor route does anyone know what rating and resistance I will need?? Am guessing it's the same as the resistance through a bulb if I measure that with the meter?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 You can buy the resistors from durite to wire in parralell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 Load resistors are available at many places, for example: http://www.trailertek.com/trailer-parts/lighting/led-lights?p=2 Could no doubt be had cheaper from RS or other electronics outlets. My concern would be where to mount it, needs to be somewhere metal for heat dissipation and ideally not exposed to the elements. I would be interested to hear how the LED units are working and which ones you are using? I'm sick of having to fiddle with the rubbish light units on my old Ifor Williams every time I want to use it and so want to swap them for something that will just work ad infinitum (or at least for a good while!). Being sealed and 'solid-state', as it were, LEDs would seem to fit the bill. However I am also wondering if a decent quality set of normal units would also do the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 I have two different types of cheap generic Ebay purchased LED trailer lights on my beavertail trailer and much abused tipping trailer. Been on both trailers for about 18 months now and not had a single problem. They are also much brighter and easier to see than those rubbish square standard lights. Wish I had done this years ago! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon119 Posted June 22, 2017 Author Share Posted June 22, 2017 The lights I used are in the link below https://www.dun-bri.com/Brands/LED-Autolamps/Commercial-Vehicle-Lighting/150-Series-Compact-LED-Combination-Lamp-309150 I think retail is about £15 +vat each. I have also used front and side marker lights from the same range. I don't know how this compares price wise to the ebay special units, The MD of the company is a fellow scout leader so a deal was done. They haven't been on there long but only time will tell how they hold up. As to whether a descent filament unit will work as well and be maintenance free I couldn't say, but for what I paid LED units were a no brainer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 I bought these recently, they are excellent for the price, and waterproof to boot: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271640424393 Got fed up of dealing with rusted up bulb holders.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 46 minutes ago, Bowie69 said: I bought these recently, they are excellent for the price, and waterproof to boot: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271640424393 Got fed up of dealing with rusted up bulb holders.... I just purchased a pair for my tipping Ifor. As an aside my 2016 Ranger has no trailer tell tail lamp in the dash at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynic-al Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 (edited) I put LED reverse and numberplate lights on mine, haven't got around to the light clusters yet. I wen't for ring as they claimed to be E marked, not that it really matters I guess (especially when one of the wheels has fallen off my trailer). They're sealed which is good but only come with a short lead so you have to put an exposed connection somewhere near the light but are still much better than the crummy old lamp. To hack someone elses thread; I was always under the impression a visual or audible warning was a legal requirement on the trailer indicator, when I got my Rodeo with 13pin electrics it had the beeper relay which used to beep all the time with a trailer connected, fine, but it also beeped once without the trailer which was just stupid, the dealer said it is what it is so I took it out and put a normal relay in. I've now got an Amarok which has a factory fitted 13 pin towbar, this doesn't have any visual or audible warning which I think is odd but is it 'illegal'? It also has a permanent live to the towbar but no switched live so I can't run the caravan fridge or charge the caravan battery. The VW official line is they don't offer full electric functionality on the Amarok towbars. I'm looking at fitting it myself at the moment but can't decide if I should fit a switched relay or just piggyback the permanent live and risk flattening the battery or put a second battery in with a split charge feeding the switched pins permanently so that the fridge in the caravan keeps running even when the engine is off - opinions? Edited June 22, 2017 by Cynic-al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honitonhobbit Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 After years of swapping trailer boards around, I bought a set of CE approved LED magnetic trailer lights (and a magnetic number plate). They are brilliant. Solid state, well made, bright... Only 21 quid delivered from China Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 I bought some cheap eBay leds and they are carp, you don't have to spend much to get a decent brand such as led auto lamps above. Britax and durite hamburgers are often cheap but have terminals on the back so can be easily swapped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 I fitted LED lights on my 6x4 some time ago, seemed I was having to change bulbs or rewire it every time I (rarely) used it before...now it works every time. My SIII doesn't have a telltale light though, I fitted a warning beeper in the rear light cluster.....then wrapped it in a rag it was so loud! This never seemed to worry about the difference between the filament bulbs and the LED's. Been a long time now and I don't remember where stuff came from...the beeper was probably eBay, the light's most likely from Trailers and Towing, also eBay....use eBay a lot as I get cashback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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