Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

[steelcity]

I kept blowing a fuse on my truck everytime I hooked up my trailer lights, ( Ford Ranger 2000) the fuse is under my hood, it controls the running lights on the trailer....

Anyway I took off the covers on the trailer lights in the back of the trailer and both bulbs have water inside them, I got the bulbs from an auto parts store, my question is there a special bulb I should be buying that's submersible..?

I did find out that before I put the trailer in the water next time,I should disconnect them a little early to let them cool off, but still like to know if I should be using a special bulb

Thanks For Any Info

 

[81_chapparel194]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

No .. you need *special* lights.. you need submersible lights they are sealed to keep water out of the housing and spend the few extra dollars for L.E.D much better unit IMHO.. a bulb as you pictured is a standard 1157 dual element bulb.. its the light housing that should be sealed to keep water out. a descent submersible light kit (led) comes with EVERYTHING including a tag bracket and wiring harness and marker lights can be bought for around 50 bucks at walmart. and even cheaper at harbor freight,. if you can wait the few days for shipping here on iboats the price is pretty competitive..

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

sorta^

a "submersible" light is not necessarily waterproof (though some are sealed)... you can just keep using your current lights and yes unplug before launching but I DO agree that led trailer lights are a very worthwhile upgrade and they do not need to be unplugged


HERE is the kicker... since PA doesn't have saltwater, the water in the bulb is not likely to cause a blown fuse and you probably have a short in the wiring on the trailer.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

I have never seen a bulb fill with water like than, though I have had a bunch of blown bulbs in the past.

I would replace the light housings with LED lights, Best $40 I spent on my jon boat....

 

[Idlespeedonly]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

The bulb was hot when it got dunked. This caused it to crack. Thats when the water enterd.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

I kept blowing a fuse on my truck everytime I hooked up my trailer lights, ( Ford Ranger 2000) the fuse is under my hood, it controls the running lights on the trailer....

Anyway I took off the covers on the trailer lights in the back of the trailer and both bulbs have water inside them, I got the bulbs from an auto parts store, my question is there a special bulb I should be buying that's submersible..?

I did find out that before I put the trailer in the water next time,I should disconnect them a little early to let them cool off, but still like to know if I should be using a special bulb

Thanks For Any Info

Water intrusion in the taillight isn't going to blow the fuse. It might or will blow the bulb because of temp diff but not blow the fuse. If the fuse is blowing when you hook up the lights, you have a bare hot wire going to ground somewhere on the trailer. Where are you located?

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

Years ago people used standard trailer light, you unplug the lights and then do your boat prep before launching and it gives the bulbs time to cool off and it will be fine, just remember to hook them back up before pulling out. Or you can switch to the submersible or LEDS.

 

[Noltz]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

Smoke and lassoo are right, a blown bulb shouldn't take out the fuse. Steelcity there's no special bulb but I regret putting cheap "submersable" lights on my trailer. They're not waterproof and cracked incredibly easily. To do it again I'm going with LED's.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

A blown bulb -- not one just burned out -- can indeed blow a fuse. If one end of the filament lands on any metal that contacts the shell of the bulb you have a short. That can easily happen if the globe is broken. Is it likely? Probably since the problem didn't arise until the trailer was dunked with hot bulbs.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

...... Probably since the problem didn't arise until the trailer was dunked with hot bulbs.

so far we have no way of knowing that

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

Way back when I used to run standard lights, I had to keep extra bulbs and fuses and have changed both before pulling out.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

Many submersible lights use the Bell Jar principal.
The bottom of the housing is open but the other 5 sides are sealed.
Push an inverted drinking glass into a sink of water to demo the principal.

As long as the air bubble stays in the lamp housing, no water will enter and the bulb will survive.
Backing in or pulling out rapidly increases the chance of burping the bubble. Take it slowly.

Note: If you have surge brakes and disconnect the trailer wiring harness,
you might not be able to back up unless you activate the manual brake lockout.

 

[steelcity]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

Thalasso,I'm in Pittsburgh....

 

[steelcity]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

Thanks everyone for the info, I'll keep you updated as I upgrade the lighting on the trailer....

 

[limitout]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

I did find out that before I put the trailer in the water next time,I should disconnect them a little early to let them cool off, but still like to know if I should be using a special bulb

Thanks For Any Info

just replace the bulbs and your fine, the bulbs are "supposed" to be sealed so you just had a cheap one that wasn't sealed as it should be.

unplugging the lights helps because hot bulbs hitting cold water can crack or break the seal and let moisture in them. you see this sometimes when they turn white or frosted on you.

HERE is the kicker... since PA doesn't have saltwater, the water in the bulb is not likely to cause a blown fuse and you probably have a short in the wiring on the trailer.

water in the light bulb can make a direct short to ground and can and often will blow the fuse, if it is fresh or salt water means nothing

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

...You know nothing of electricity to make such a silly untrue comment.

Water in the light bulb can make a direct short to ground and as anyone knows "or can and often will blow the fuse every time, if it is fresh or salt water means nothing

Please direct your comments at the statements and not at the person making the statements. :joyous:

Water does NOT conduct electricity. The dissolved Minerals in the water conduct the electricity.
The more dissolved minerals(Salt) the more the conductivity. Salt water conducts much more than fresh water.
At 12 volts, the amount of current you can push through fresh water is not enough blow the typical fuse used in a trailer lighting circuit. (5-10 amps)
Even salt water will not guarantee enough current to blow the fuse.

Therefor, "Since PA doesn't have saltwater, the water in the bulb is not likely to cause a blown fuse."

 

[limitout]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

Water intrusion in the taillight isn't going to blow the fuse. It might or will blow the bulb because of temp diff but not blow the fuse. If the fuse is blowing when you hook up the lights, you have a bare hot wire going to ground somewhere on the trailer. Where are you located?

I agree with this statement because the gap between the filaments is wide enough but water inside the bulb is a different matter and can blow the fuse, fresh or saltwater but its not an absolute certainty it will depending on the size fuse you have

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/In_ohms_what_is_the_electrical_resistance_of_water

and lake water has much less resistance then drinking water

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

Thalasso,I'm in Pittsburgh....

Where at? (area of PGH)

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

you know nothing of electricity to make such a silly untrue comment.

water in the light bulb can make a direct short to ground and as anyone knows "or can and often will blow the fuse every time, if it is fresh or salt water means nothing

I read every one of your posts the last time you decided to attack my advice... you seem to mean well but your desire to attack good advice given by others is baffling...

 

[steelcity]

Re: Special Trailer Light Bulbs..?

Beaver County...(Rochester)