Trailer lights high or low?

[HANGEYE]

Just finished putting guide ons on my trailer. Next step, complete rewiring. Question, should I put the lights back on the frame or mount them up on the guide ons to keep from dunkin them at the ramp? Have seen some up on the guide ons traveling down the road but they look like they are getting rattled pretty bad. Wouldn't that shorten the life of the bulb? I guess it wouldn't matter if the bulb went or not if it shook the whole assembly clean of. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Trailer lights high or low?

Mine are mounted on the guide ons and i like it.
I don't get any shake to them because the guide ons were factory installed.
It is heavy square tubing.
It makes it nice loading the boat in the dark too...

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Trailer lights high or low?

At least you could use cheap non submersible lights atop your guide ons, check your laws about illuminating the license plate, I sorta like my underwater lights, my riders always get a kick out seeing them lit up underwater.

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: Trailer lights high or low?

..... Have seen some up on the guide ons traveling down the road but they look like they are getting rattled pretty bad. Wouldn't that shorten the life of the bulb? ........

...my lighted guide poles fit within an inch of the rub rails. I initially had problems with filaments breaking from rough road vibrations: switched to LEDs and that problem went away.
The remainder of my trailer lights are mounted low because most folks never look up when they are following you. Those lights are all LEDs.
The lighted guide poles are really handy when backing the empty trailer, provide increased visibility of the trailer at night and provide on-coming traffic an idea that something big is following you.

FWIW....Ed in 'ol Virginny

 

[HANGEYE]

Re: Trailer lights high or low?

Thanks for the help. I'm thinking LEDs high and low and all around. That should take all the guess work out of it. Right? It might look like a Christmas tree, but there will be no doubt that I am there. Kind of like some of the tractor trailor rigs I see on the road but toned down a bit. I'll wire them so if one goes it doesn't bother any of the others. I think I'm gonna need more wire.

 

[rbh]

Re: Trailer lights high or low?

Thanks for the help. I'm thinking LEDs high and low and all around. That should take all the guess work out of it. Right? It might look like a Christmas tree, but there will be no doubt that I am there. Kind of like some of the tractor trailor rigs I see on the road but toned down a bit. I'll wire them so if one goes it doesn't bother any of the others. I think I'm gonna need more wire.

The more light the better!, I would rather be seen than not.

 

[Triton II]

Re: Trailer lights high or low?

It might look like a Christmas tree...

Well, you picked the right time of year!

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Trailer lights high or low?

High and out of the water would be better I think as it keeps them dry. Not that I have that myself but if I ever change them out I will mount them higher I think.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Trailer lights high or low?

If you guide-ons are the rotating pvc pipe, you might have to do some re-egginearing to mount the lights high and keep the roto guides too.

 

[nlain]

Re: Trailer lights high or low?

Onr more thing to remember, if the light is on the trailer it must work, if one burns out and the wrong officer sees it you get a ticket, that being said, the more lights you have the easier it is to see you.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Trailer lights high or low?

Some states like California have height restrictions on lights. I know of one person who got a ticket for lights on the Guide ons. The cititation said they were too high and too far foward. I can also tell you the guy who got the ticket was mad he was stopped and his atitude may be the real reason he got the ticket.
I believe it was a fix it ticket so no cost as long as you fixed it and get it signed off before the deadline.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Trailer lights high or low?

Some states like California have height restrictions on lights. I know of one person who got a ticket for lights on the Guide ons. The cititation said they were too high and too far foward. I can also tell you the guy who got the ticket was mad he was stopped and his atitude may be the real reason he got the ticket.
I believe it was a fix it ticket so no cost as long as you fixed it and get it signed off before the deadline.

this is true.....some states have a height/angle of visibility requirement. not sure what states, but some do have it.

 

[204Angler]

Re: Trailer lights high or low?

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=5676

 

[HANGEYE]

Re: Trailer lights high or low?

Thanks for the feed back. I just went to the Jamestown site and I am going to send for those lights today. They look like the cats meow. Should be a very nice addition to the rest of my set-up once I get it all complete. I must say that I am VERY impressed with iboats forum. All of you folks are very eager to help with questions no matter the topic. I only hope that I can contribute at some point. I will be checking back often and giving my two cents worth if I think I may be able to help someone else.

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all