Replacing the indicators etc on a caravan

[Rhys1962]

First post from me, and I just wondered if anyone had tried to replace "plain" bulbs for indicators and brake lights for the LED versions?

We're new to caravanning having bought ours last September privately - a 2005 Bailey Senator Indiana - and wish we'd done it years ago having chosen a folding camper route before that.

Anyway, any advice or ideas gratefully received!

Thanks

Rhys

 

[ProfJohnL]

HEllo Rhys, and welcome to the forum

There should be no problem with replacing your bulbs with Led's,

The only practical issue I would be wary of, if you car has a bulb failure detection system, that the replacement LED bulbs are compatible with it. I know some Led bulbs have special circuitry to make them detectable by the system.

But I'm not sure why you want to replace the road lighting bulbs with LED? Unless they have failed. The Road lights are not connected to the caravan battery, so there is no power saving to be made there. They only work when they are connected to the car, and there is no power limit issue from the car. For the extra they cost I question whether its worth it.

I would also tell you that I did replace a failed side light bulb on my car with an LED, for symmetry I replaced both front white bulbs. One lasted just less than a year, before it became intermittent. I replaced them with heavy duty filament bulbs, with a cost for two and fitting for less than the cost of one LED bulb.

I checked the failed bulb, and it was thermal damage to the small circuit board which expanded when teh LEDs were on and this cracked a PCB track.

With a trailer that's unlikely to do many hours with the bulbs being used I would find it hard to justify swapping for LEDs when the filaments bulbs are still fine.

 

[VicMallows]

For once (*grin*) I agree totally with Prof. What possible benefit will you get from replacing the conventional bulbs? Not one single bulb has failed on my 2001 Mondeo, nor have any on my 2005 caravan.

A secondary thought might be that with a substitute LED bulb, there is no guarantee that the light unit as a whole will actually meet statutory requirements.

 

[otherclive]

For some unexplained reason I decided to replace normal sidelight and indicator bulbs on my Pajero with LEDs. But being heavier than conventional bulbs and having their CoG further out from the bulb holder they kept coming loose and losing contact, especially when off roading. So I swopped them back.

Now I realise that the caravan will not be going along green lanes and byways, but with the present state of the roads and a caravans quaint suspension..........

 

[Gafferbill]

.......and it is unlikely that your indicators will work with led bulbs.
I believe a ballast has to be added to the circuitry to achieve the correct flash rate

 

[otherclive]

.......and it is unlikely that your indicators will work with led bulbs.
I believe a ballast has to be added to the circuitry to achieve the correct flash rate

Quite a lot of LEDs now have the circuitry inbuilt.

 

[VicMallows]

Quite a lot of LEDs now have the circuitry inbuilt.

Presumably to load the LED assembly up to the same wattage as the incandescent it replaces

 

[Rhys1962]

Thanks all - I'll leave them as they are then. I just thought they might be brighter and easier to be seen than the standard ones, but I won't mess with something that's not broken!

 

[ProfJohnL]

Thanks all - I'll leave them as they are then. I just thought they might be brighter and easier to be seen than the standard ones, but I won't mess with something that's not broken!

I think that's the wise decision. I'd be surprised if people can't see the tail of a caravan with normal lights. :S

 

[otherclive]

Thanks all - I'll leave them as they are then. I just thought they might be brighter and easier to be seen than the standard ones, but I won't mess with something that's not broken!

I think that's the wise decision. I'd be surprised if people can't see the tail of a caravan with normal lights. :S

I’d be more than surprised to such an extent that a quick visit to Specsavers wouldn’t go amiss.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Thanks all - I'll leave them as they are then. I just thought they might be brighter and easier to be seen than the standard ones, but I won't mess with something that's not broken!

I think that's the wise decision. I'd be surprised if people can't see the tail of a caravan with normal lights. :S

I’d be more than surprised to such an extent that a quick visit to Specsavers wouldn’t go amiss. [/quote

And a letter to teh DVLA about a driver with inadequate vision. :evil: