Replacing typical cheap oval running lights on RV...

[flagmanruss]

I'm planning to get some needed work done on the Toyhauler. There has been leakage in the front compartments & the interior walls in the front compartment seem to have wet through. I found a local business who rolls out a liquid rubber roof... after reseating roof fixtures. Aofter 4th of July, it's going in.At the same time, I'm wanting to replace the faded (& possibly leaking) running lights with new, preferably LED. I have to disassemble one & see what the hole spacing is. I'd like to put low edge turn lights on also. There's a good access point in a trailer plug in the rear for a (now gone) rear platform that had lights... but an easy tap point for low edge lights.

[tsmithnw]

I just got done doing the whole light system on a set of doubles for a friends dad. I got everything from http://www.superbrightleds.com/. We used all the chrome ones they look good and are bright as hell. Only issue i have heard about LED here in the northern part of the world is they wont stay clean in the snow. They run so cool the have to be cleaned off more.

[flagmanruss]

I looked over SuperBright LEDs again... but the added cost of the pigtails bumps the price up & I looked at a take over OEM cheap oval which has a ground through a mounting screw. So I'm still looking at LED clearance lights to surface mount on the camper body. I prefer a sealed unit.

[flagmanruss]

I ordered a complete set of LED oval lights of FleaBay... I pulled the cover on front side marker (low on side), just to see the hole spacing. The cover turned out to be a swimming pool! With all the heavy rains, water above the bulb... and the idiots didn't use the light's factory mounting holes. The light assembly is bedded in dum-dum (the previous owner was also dum-dum). My dear wife will freak (because my legs are bad) if I climb up on a ladder to disassemble the front (top) marker, but that's what I think is needed to determine if the water is running down the wire from above or running off the roof & down the side & into the light. I know I can climb a good ladder (once) if I wear shoes with no tread to catch. (Rather a daily limit, so given enough days, I can do all the lights eventually.) But I'll start with the low mounted side ones. The front compartments have a water leak problem... I'm thinking of bedding the lights & fixtures in Marine 'Life Caulk'. I've had LifeCaulk last 20 years & still be tough on my cottage near the beach... Intended for use underwater.

[flagmanruss]

I have a question for all you trailer & RV guys. How does the water get into the marker lights? Between the lens & body or through the rear of the body? I don't want to short out my new LED lights.

[diesel4life]

How does the gasket for the lens look Russ? I have seen them dry up and get real hard over time, I generally rub a light coat of dielectric grease around the seal to keep them pliable and to help seal the lense when I put it back on.Depending on how well the wire is sealed coming in from the back I suppose it could get in through there as well.

[flagmanruss]

Gasket??? ::ROTFL:: These cheap ___ lights don't have any gasket & not do the seem to have sealant behind them. The top side of them is wadded with electrical dum-dum. I guess they water that gets in is supposed to run back out the unsealed bottom. My plan is to get a good sealant behind the new lights. Maybe the lens should have sealant like clear silicone applied inside the edge which can be removed later if necessary?