Can LED lights installed on a vehicle short out?
I am looking to replace my incandescent brake lights on a trailer with LED lights. My incandescent lights burn out often. I’m afraid there is a short. Would a short damage the LED lights too?
Basic electricity 101.
Shorts do not burn out light bulbs, they pop fuses. There are 4 things that lead to premature light failure. 1.) Vibration 2.) Intermittent open on the B+ or ground side. (Lights don’t like to be turned on and off a lot) 3.) You don’t unplug the trailer before you launch your boat. (Water gets in the lens and cracks the bulb) 4.) People ride the brake.
LEDs sure do open (burn out) from time to time but they could last 10,000 times longer than an incandescent bulb. LEDs sure do short, about 40 milliseconds before they open
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Posted in LED Lights
November 26th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Your problem is not a short; that cannot cause lamp failure, premature or otherwise. By all means, try the LED lights; they are more tolerant of voltage changes than incandescent bulbs are, and should prove quite satisfactory.
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November 26th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
you will have to watch out with the LED lights if they don’t have resisters you might have to put some in and if you have a short i would probably trace the wiring from the lights to the front of the trailer to find the a short if there is one
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November 26th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Yes a short can damage LED’s, On a trailer your main concern is to make sure that no water is getting inside the housings, this always causes bulbs to burn out.
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November 26th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Basic electricity 101.
Shorts do not burn out light bulbs, they pop fuses. There are 4 things that lead to premature light failure. 1.) Vibration 2.) Intermittent open on the B+ or ground side. (Lights don’t like to be turned on and off a lot) 3.) You don’t unplug the trailer before you launch your boat. (Water gets in the lens and cracks the bulb) 4.) People ride the brake.
LEDs sure do open (burn out) from time to time but they could last 10,000 times longer than an incandescent bulb. LEDs sure do short, about 40 milliseconds before they open
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November 26th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
YES A SHORT WILL DO THE SAME TO THE LED LIGHTS.
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