Adding LED Brake Lights

[A-Frame Don]

Tried to add this post to my previous one about adding a high-mount center brake light. It wasn't allowed because the original post was more than 160 days.

Today, a buddy and I added LED bar lights to my A-Frame. A high mount stop light was too hard to sort out, not wanting it to flash as a turning single. We just added two LED lights instead. They are wired as brake/park lights and still mounted high. Really BRIGHT. Attached are pics of the surgery. You really have to be extra careful when drilling. The last pic is out of focus, but you can get the idea how we fished the wires through.

[DanM-AZ]

Well that's kinda cool!

[jlroadmaster]

Nice job . Did you reseal around the trailer lights didn't look like the factory did . Good place for water to get in.


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[A-Frame Don]

Just picked up some sealer today. Didn't have any on hand at the time and it was getting late in the day. For overnight I used tape to keep the pending rains off. The original installation was well done. I trimmed the original caulking off. Thanks for the reminder.

[tyke8319]

Did you find that the LED lights were actually brighter that the conventional tail/brake bulb???

[conceptumator]

On a side note, here's an interesting thing to keep in mind when adding or upgrading to LED brake lights. On a lot of tow vehicles and RV's, the torque converter locks automatically and unlocks when it senses a voltage draw on the brake light circuit. Since LED bulbs have such a small power draw, there's not enough there to tell the transmission you're stopping. This can result in the torque converter staying locked and wreaking havoc on your expensive transmission! There's a quick and easy solution to the issue, though. When you install the LED bulbs for the brake lights, wire a single incandescent bulb somewhere in the same circuit, most likely up under the dash just off the brake pedal switch. To keep it from looking strange, you can wrap it in electrical tape to shut off the light from the bulb. This will provide enough of a power draw to allow your transmission to sense the vehicle braking and unlock the torque converter. Good luck - hope this helps someone out down the road!

[tyke8319]

My question was in regards to the (in my case) 5th wheel brakes lights.

[Wanderer]

Originally Posted by conceptumator

On a side note, here's an interesting thing to keep in mind when adding or upgrading to LED brake lights. On a lot of tow vehicles and RV's, the torque converter locks automatically and unlocks when it senses a voltage draw on the brake light circuit. Since LED bulbs have such a small power draw, there's not enough there to tell the transmission you're stopping. This can result in the torque converter staying locked and wreaking havoc on your expensive transmission! There's a quick and easy solution to the issue, though. When you install the LED bulbs for the brake lights, wire a single incandescent bulb somewhere in the same circuit, most likely up under the dash just off the brake pedal switch. To keep it from looking strange, you can wrap it in electrical tape to shut off the light from the bulb. This will provide enough of a power draw to allow your transmission to sense the vehicle braking and unlock the torque converter. Good luck - hope this helps someone out down the road!

Hello Conceptumator, good tips, would you care to elaborate on manufacturer's, model's? GM? Dodge? Ford?

[A-Frame Don]

Originally Posted by conceptumator

On a side note, here's an interesting thing to keep in mind when adding or upgrading to LED brake lights. On a lot of tow vehicles and RV's, the torque converter locks automatically and unlocks when it senses a voltage draw on the brake light circuit. Since LED bulbs have such a small power draw, there's not enough there to tell the transmission you're stopping. This can result in the torque converter staying locked and wreaking havoc on your expensive transmission! There's a quick and easy solution to the issue, though. When you install the LED bulbs for the brake lights, wire a single incandescent bulb somewhere in the same circuit, most likely up under the dash just off the brake pedal switch. To keep it from looking strange, you can wrap it in electrical tape to shut off the light from the bulb. This will provide enough of a power draw to allow your transmission to sense the vehicle braking and unlock the torque converter. Good luck - hope this helps someone out down the road!

Not sure I understand how the system works; but, I shouldn't have a problem as the original tail/brake lamps are still in operation with their incandescent bulbs. Does this mean I shouldn't change them at a later date with LED bulbs? If the TV still has incandescent bulbs, additional LEDs on the trailer shouldn't be a problem? Thanks for your input. Don

[A-Frame Don]

Originally Posted by tyke8319

Did you find that the LED lights were actually brighter that the conventional tail/brake bulb???

Yes, they are much brighter. These are additional lights to the original ones on the trailer. AWESOME!

[Wanderer]

Originally Posted by conceptumator

On a side note, here's an interesting thing to keep in mind when adding or upgrading to LED brake lights. On a lot of tow vehicles and RV's, the torque converter locks automatically and unlocks when it senses a voltage draw on the brake light circuit. Since LED bulbs have such a small power draw, there's not enough there to tell the transmission you're stopping. This can result in the torque converter staying locked and wreaking havoc on your expensive transmission! There's a quick and easy solution to the issue, though. When you install the LED bulbs for the brake lights, wire a single incandescent bulb somewhere in the same circuit, most likely up under the dash just off the brake pedal switch. To keep it from looking strange, you can wrap it in electrical tape to shut off the light from the bulb. This will provide enough of a power draw to allow your transmission to sense the vehicle braking and unlock the torque converter. Good luck - hope this helps someone out down the road!

More specifics please, GM, Ford, Dodge or all? Certain years or??

[conceptumator]

You are correct that there is no problem now. A single incandescent bulb anywhere in the braking circuit will do the trick. If you decide to upgrade to all LED's in the future, just wire in the extra incandescent bulb like I mentioned and you'll be good.

[bob caldwell]

Or, just get a t/s flasher for led's..... (If the tv also gets them...or they'll hyper-flash.

[FrankMor]

If you buy AUTOMOTIVE LEDs for you brake lights, you do not need to add a bulb. They have a correction for the low draw of the LED. Watch for this wen changing lighting inside your RV or you do not get the full benifit of the lower LED power usage.

[D-mo]

Seriously . .?????