Good Currently Available LED 1157, 1895, 194???

[Hamilton Felix]

I am refurbing one of our small trailers. Decided to use a trailer lighting kit I inherited when Dad died in 2014. Blister packaging was getting yellow and brittle, but inside is fresh and it's Peterson (their low end, I'm sure).

Brake/signal/tail bulbs are 1157.
The small side marker bulb in the same lamp is 1895.
Despite the 1895 in rear, the bulbs in the little amber front corner markers are 194.

I't's an occasional use trailer, and has nowhere near as many bulbs as my car trailer, but I might as well reduce the load on the tow vehicle's wiring, and put in something that lasts a long time. Also, a red rear LED means if I crack a lens I'm not leaking white light.

I have seen bad LED lights, where it was hard to distinguish between brake/signal and tail light. Don't want that.

I don't even know if there's an LED replacement for the 1895, but there are confusingly many for 1157. I have Sylvania Zevo in my notes, and just now noticed some other Sylvania LED replacement bulbs.

Just wondering what is currently a good choice for putting the right amount of light in the right places.

Thanks

 

[-Virgil-]

Can you give us any Peterson numbers off your light kit? The type of optics used will determine whether/which bulbs are workably compatible. The Zevo probably isn't.

 

[lightfooted]

I use the standard Sylvania Red LED replacement lights in my VW which also uses 1157s as tail/stop lights. They operate perfectly and are about 10-15% brighter...give or take. I believe they were around $12 for a two-pack.

 

[Hamilton Felix]

Well, let's see:
On the tail light lens on top we see DOT AIST 90 right below the Peterson name, then 440-15 on the bottom.
I dug the packaging out of the trash, and I see Universal Trailer Lighting Kit V540 (for trailers 80").

Over the years, installing various black painted metal tail lights, then black plastic in more recent years, I have wondered if I could improve those lights by simply lining those black housings with shiny tinfoil.

BTW I wired the trailer after making this post (all soldered connections, running ground, some flat style 16/4 that runs the full perimeter of the trailer and back to the plug, so any one break that doesn't short out will still have all bulbs lit), and the lights work fine. Nothing to write home about, but they are visible.

 

[-Virgil-]

That Peterson 440 is a venerable design, been around for years. It has a Fresnel-type lens optic, so it needs to use a bulb that produces light in the direction of the lens. What that means as far as bulb selection goes depends on the orientation of the bulb socket versus the lens. If you remove the lens, does the 1157 bulb install straight in (socket axis same as lens axis), or is the socket at an angle to the lens axis? It's been years since I took one of those apart, so I don't remember. Maybe take some pics with the lens removed and post them (or their links) here?

 

[Hamilton Felix]

Still trying to figure out how to reduce file size of a photo on my iPad then how to post it directly here (I don't subscribe to photobucket or any other hosting site). But the arrangement is as you surmised, bulbs horizontal, base of the 1157 and the little 1895 both toward the front of the vehicle, filaments of the 1157 horizontal. Looks like whatever bulb I use had better put out plenty of light from the "top" end. Light from the sides of the bulb would mostly be going toward the black housing instead of the lens.

 

[-Virgil-]

This isn't quite really the answer you asked for, but given the dollar figures involved, I think it would make better sense to buy new LED lights. The only non-bogus LED bulb that has a chance of possibly working OK in the lamps you have is this one, that is if you actually receive the pictured bulbs, which are no longer made. And that's without even getting into trying to find a non-bogus LED bulb for the side marker.

Or, option 2: you could buy these instead, for less money, and end up with much better safety performance from your trailer lights and perfect water/dirt sealing.

 

[Hamilton Felix]

Hmmm.... you make good sense. When you brought up bulb orientation, I suspected I'd likely strike out. I see about a zillion 1156 and 1157 replacements for the RV interior market, but not many that really copy an 1157 bulb or its light output. This is for an occasional use trailer, but I've found many of my automotive electrical issues come from sitting out in PNW weather, not being in use.

Like the Sealed Truck-Lites I bought years ago for my car trailer, good properly sealed LED lamps (and I have seen cheesy ones that fill with condensation) should eliminate concerns about bulbs corroding in sockets, lamps filling with dust, etc. Interesting that those Peterson rear LED lights are described as for trailers over 80" but don't come with the three center markers or the front markers. It is actually a kit for Trailers under 80" unless there is a different specification for the tail lights themselves.

i guess it is worth shelling out a bit more for that little trailer. It does get used a bit more than the others.

Thank you.

 

[-Virgil-]

Well, it's what it says it is: a tail light kit for trailers. Identification lamps (the central 3-group) and clearance lights are required on vehicles/trailers over 80" wide, but those aren't tail lights.

As far as the tail lights go, they do meet a different spec. Stop and rear turn signal lights for under 80" wide vehicles have to have EPLLA of at least 50 square centimeters; over 80" needs at least 75 square centimeters. Wide-vehicle lights are fine for use on narrow vehicles, but not the other way around.

 

[Hamilton Felix]

Thanks. Interesting. Sounds like sticking with over 80" lights assures me of a bit better tail light. And although there are cheap no-name LED lights around, the $48.86 Amazon price for the genuine Peterson lights you mention is less than the $59.95 for the conversion bulbs that MIGHT work. 👍

 

[Hamilton Felix]

Virgil, I want to say thanks for the advice. I installed those Peterson LED lights you recommended. (They cost half what the 3/4" marine plywood deck did.) I couldn't resist comparing when I had only one swapped out. Big difference. I do feel safer with these.

I did notice an unusual phenomenon: Trying a turn signal with running lights on, I saw what appeared to be an "alternate flash" in the strip of side marker LEDs (all inside the sealed lamps), like GM used to do on some of their rigs. It took me a few moments to realize the "blink" on the side marker was its output dropping (but not going out entirely) as the signal lit, then returning to normal running light level as the signal cycled off. I'm familiar with the behavior of dual element tail lights when one fixture loses its ground. That's not what I saw. And it happens on both sides, regardless of which signal is used. I also noticed a VERY slight dimming of the front corner markers (still 194 incandescents).

I should note the wiring is new, 16 gauge, all soldered connections, and runs a full perimeter loop (including running ground) of the 4 x 8 trailer, splicing back together near the plug, so there are actually two 16 gauge paths to any given light, and one break anywhere in the circuit will cause no loss of lights as long as it does not short out. Standard four wire (including ground) small trailer scheme. Ground connection to the car was double checked. It's almost as if something inside those sealed units is allowing a slight voltage rise on the ground side of the side markers, so voltage across them drops a bit.

This only happens when the running lights are on. Signals are 100% normal when running lights are off. In any case, it is not particularly obvious; you'd have to be standing right alongside (not behind) and watching closely to think it was blinking left when the right signal is on. I won't lose too much sleep over it. They are nice lights.

 

[-Virgil-]

Interesting side marker effect...don't really know what that's about, but I doubt it's hurting anything.