Boat Trailer LEDs

[Bloodnut]

I guess this is automotive....
I bought a boat and trailer second-hand. The trailer has LED tailights. Here's the thing. When I first head out on a cold winter morning, they don't want to work. They are either unlit or barely lit. But, by the time I get to the boat ramp, they are working pretty good.

I can't find any problems with wiring or ground connection. Could these things just need to "warm-up"? I know one thing. It makes me want to go back to an 1157 bulb! Give me your thoughts.

 

[Whineyweim]

Really sounds like a bad ground.

I don't think LEDs need to warm up, in fact they like the cold. Worst thing for them is heat.

Trailer isn't grounding through the ball is it? Maybe corrosion from pulling the boat out of the water and until you get a little friction to between the ball and the trailer, you have a bad ground?

My 2 cents.

 

[Bloodnut]

Ww - yeah copy that. It's weird. The colder the weather, the longer it takes for them to get bright.

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

Hm, I've fixed the wiring in lots of trailers and they've all either worked or not, nothing temperature sensitive. I'd test the voltage at the lights and the trailer plug on the truck, both cold and warm, and go from there. Like others, I'd definitely bet on the problem being movement or use related, rather than temperature.

Must admit, I wasn't aware that "Lower Alabama" got cold, even in the winter.

Good luck, and please let us know what you find. :buddies: