Replacing Incandescent Bulbs with LED Bulbs on a Travel Trailer and Adding Backup Lights

Updated 06/05/2013 | Published 05/31/2013

Question:

Hello, I have a 2013 TT that has standard bulbs. I am looking to replace all on the unit 2 tail and 11 marker lights. Wondering if just replacing the bulbs to led bulbs is possible and if so what quality improvement will they offer? Also, is it possible to wire or allow the white backup lamp to illuminate if I change my tail lamps to ones that have a white lens? Currently my tail lamps have a green, black and white wire running out a factory drilled hole to the lens. Thanks!

asked by: Chris

Expert Reply:

You can certainly replace all of the incandescent bulbs in your tail lights and marker lights with LED bulbs. You will simply need to determine what type of bulb each light will require and purchase a compatible LED bulb. If you would like to tell me the types of bulbs that are in your trailer lights, I would be happy to make some recommendations.

LED bulbs offer many improvements over incandescent (standard) bulbs. First, they are typically brighter than incandescent bulbs. This will make your trailer more visible to other drivers at night. LED bulbs also produce less heat and last longer than incandescent bulbs. The final, and probably most significant, benefit that LEDs offer is they draw a fraction of the power that incandescent bulbs use. This means your vehicle will only need to use a small amount of power to power the lights on your trailer. This will benefit your vehicles battery and electrical systems.

To wire in a backup light on your trailer, you will either need to install a separate backup light or replace your current tail lights with a tail light assembly that includes a backup light. Your current tail lights are only wires for running lights, brake lights and turn signals. These are the three wires (green, black and white) that you mention coming out of the tail light assembly. Currently, there are no wires or bulbs available for backup lights.

You could replace your current tail lights with a tail light assembly that has running lights, turn signals, brake lights and a backup light like the Bargman Tail Light Assembly, # 30-84-508, however, these can be difficult to match up to your current tail lights and an exact replacement may not be available based on the style of your tail lights.

Instead, I recommend running a single wire for the backup lights to the back of your trailer and installing a separate backup light. If you can tell me the manufacturer and part number of your current tail lights, I can see if there are any compatible tail light-backup light assemblies that will work for you. The part number and manufacturer should be located on the base of the tail light assembly.

expert reply by: John H