Backup lights

Huntindave McCann

Huntindave McCann

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Finally got off my duff and upgraded my equipment. After years of backing up blind, I added a set of backup lights to my trailer.

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These are 5/8 inch wide and 6 inches long. They are attached using 3M tape. The trailer is about ten feet from the front of my garage.

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No worries now, when I get back to my campsite and have to back in between a tree and a power pole. :>) :>)
 
Nice job Dave. How about some specifics? I have added back up lights to my trailers for probably 15 years but never been completely satisfied with them. How'd you wire them? Did you integrate them with your reverse lights on your rig or separately?
 
Brad,

Bought the lights off Ebay for 3 dollars per set. LED on Ebay They are supposed to be completely waterproof, guess I'll find out over time. I used one set (a pair) per side and wired them to the backup lights on my tow vehicle. This meant I had to switch from a four pin plug to the 7 pin plug.

I actually bought several sets thinking I may find other uses for them.
 
Good morning, Dave~

Great idea - well-executed!

Question- to help me with my World of Sneakboxes Learning Curve: What vessel is that on your trailer?

All the best,

SJS
 
Nice looking set up. I like that these sit high, should stay out of the water and makes seeing them over the back of the truck easier.
I took a completely different approach. I put a receiver on the front of my truck. It work great I have my headlight to load and launch with, and I find it more maneuverable, but I do need to switch ends once I hit the launch parking.
 
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I like that these sit high, should stay out of the water and makes seeing them over the back of the truck easier.
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David,

There are three different lights on each guide pole. At the very top is a two color marker light (yellow to the front and amber to the rear). In the middle is the combo tail/brake light. At the bottom is the LED backup lights. I fully expect the backup lights to be submerged at times depending on each particular launch ramp.

I can see the upper marker lights both backing up and going down the road. All the lights are LED bulb and much brighter than an incandescent lamp.

Poor tail light and marker lighting on trailers going down the road is a pet peeve for me. As for me, I want to be seen!

Same Thing for navigation and all around lights on boats. Dang it, I want be seen AND I want to be able to see you! The last thing I want is to be involved in an on the water collision, at O-dark thirty, in freezing water.

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John,

Flush mounts may work well for some applications and it sounds as if you are happy with your choice.

I'm not sure that a flush mount would conform to the round pvc where I mounted the lights I choose to use. That and all my wires run up inside the tube where all connections are made at the top of the tube.

Cutting into the trailer channel to mount flush lights in the trailer frame, would weaken the channel too much as there is only one structural wall due to the frame being channel as opposed to tubing.
I did use a more traditional style light on my trailer for my fishing boat. The ones I used were labeled with a different brand name but are exactly the same light.

View attachment led.jpg

Thanks for your suggestion, it will give others, an additional option when choosing a backup light for their setup.
 
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No cutting required they require 3 holes. Mount to anything no issue as long as you have an internal passage. In my applications there is never enough light.especially at these super dark back road south jersey ramps we frequent..
 
Dave look into the kawell flush mounts. I run a set on my trailer theyre like $25 a set super bright.
No cutting required they require 3 holes. Mount to anything no issue as long as you have an internal passage.
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John,
I understood you to say your lights were "flush mounts". How do you not have a cutout for the body of the light? By definition a flush mount would have the body of the light recessed into the mounting surface.
What diameter are the three holes? Is the center hole, the cutout for the body of the light? A picture might help. These are some flush mount Kawell's on Amazon
 
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Better clarification for you old farts LOL
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NPPNKTU/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1475493800&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=kawell&dpPl=1&dpID=41k30n5hlFL&ref=plSrch
these things are worth their weight in gold. Have a great heatsink for heat dispersal and they are heavy
 
Better clarification for you old farts LOL
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NPPNKTU/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1475493800&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=kawell&dpPl=1&dpID=41k30n5hlFL&ref=plSrch
these things are worth their weight in gold. Have a great heatsink for heat dispersal and they are heavy
Click to expand...



John,
No clarification needed.
The lights you linked are surface mounted, NOT flush mounts.
 
Dave, I like your guide bars and the light set up that you have. How do you keep the PVC on? I had a set of guide lights and guides on my trailer but they ended up breaking off at the frame (they were welded on) because of a poorly maintained, at best washboard 7 mile road to one of the management areas that I duck hunt. the lights I had on them have since been remounted on the trailer but I don't like them down so low


so how'd you make your guide bars? or were they a kit?


Nice back up light set up.....


Dani
 
Dave, I really like your mod, but I do have a question/observation. I tried a pvc light support system years ago, at high speed on the thruway the pvc post vibrated until it broke. Have you tried yours yet? Perhaps your's are beefier material, hope it works for you.
 
Dani and SJ
I hear your concerns and believe me those are legitimate concerns. In my situation the PVC is merely cosmetic and only the outer surface of the upright.
I'll reference some earlier threads concerning my trailer rebuild I did a couple years ago.
Trailer rebuild
Trailer rebuild part two
The inner steel tube making up the upright is not going anywhere any time soon. It is solidly welded to the frame as part of my modifications. The PVC tube slips down over, is notched at the bottom and secured with a single 1/4" bolt at the top. There is about a 1/2" difference in the diameters between the steel inner tube and the PVC tube.
 
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