Why Brake Light Bulbs Keep Popping?

[jeep187]

I just installed new Boat Trailer Lights on my boat trailer.

Why do i keep popping the big bulbs for the brake lights not the small bulbs for running lights

Thanks in advance

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: Why Brake Light Bulbs Keep Popping?

Do you unplug the lights when backing down the ramp? Some people unplug them to prevent that.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Why Brake Light Bulbs Keep Popping?

Think about it. Backing into the water you generally have your foot on the brake do you not? That very hot lamp hits very cold (in comparison) water and bingo. You pop the bulb. Always unplug the light before backing in.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Why Brake Light Bulbs Keep Popping?

I had this happen to me with lights that were not "submersible".
Put some submersible housings on there and haven't had a bulb crack since, I'm so stupid I bought the wrong lights. :redface:

 

[MRS]

Re: Why Brake Light Bulbs Keep Popping?

I always unplug lights when I launch.

 

[EsoxRanger]

Re: Why Brake Light Bulbs Keep Popping?

I put LED's on every trailer to get around that problem.

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: Why Brake Light Bulbs Keep Popping?

I put LED's on every trailer to get around that problem.

Doing that this winter on my new trailer. I also think the LED's are much brighter and stand out more. I find my current lights are washed out in the sunlight and hard to notice.

The one caveat with LED lights is that they don't get hot. So don't put them on anything that you drive or tow in the winter, as snow builds up on them (instead of melting off) and completely obscure them. We see that here with the big rigs that have led lights on the trailers.

ian

 

[roscoe]

Re: Why Brake Light Bulbs Keep Popping?

I simply don't buy the "unplug them when you back in the water" idea.
Not gonna argue about it, but the real life experience just doesn't bear it out.


I have never - NEVER - unplugged my lights in 30 years, and neither has my father, and we haven't popped a bulb doing it. We thought we had once, but a fellow boater said it was out before we backed in the water. And this experience covers at least 8 different trailers, some of which had broken lenses, or holes in the light housing.

The only thing that is going to continually pop a bulb is high current draw THROUGH the filament, or possibly a hot bulb hitting cold water. I've put the hot bulbs in the water hundreds of times, so I doubt that is the problem.

Now, the high current drawn through the filament would be caused by a wiring issue.

Make sure you have the right vehicle to trailer adaptor, if you are using one.

Then pull all the wires off the trailer and replace with new, make sure your grounds are good.
I bet the problem goes away.

Oh, and it is not just the brake light that is on when you launch and load, but the running lights also, so why don't they pop when they hit the water?

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Why Brake Light Bulbs Keep Popping?

Yea I never unplug my lights and at night need those lights to help guide the boat on. The package claimed the bulbs do not get wet because of the trapped air in the housing.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Why Brake Light Bulbs Keep Popping?

3 letters my friend L E D.

They never burn out or get weak and you don't need to worry about unplugging.

They are actually ALOT safer than any of the bulb type lamps because they are so bright.

They are a little salty up front but they last for years and years, I rarely got more than 2 years out of the uber cheap crap bulb type.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Why Brake Light Bulbs Keep Popping?

"Waterproof" or LED is the only way to go.

I don't unplug, have not blown a bulb at launch or retrieve in 15 years

 

[NYBo]

Re: Why Brake Light Bulbs Keep Popping?

The only thing that is going to continually pop a bulb is high current draw THROUGH the filament, or possibly a hot bulb hitting cold water. I've put the hot bulbs in the water hundreds of times, so I doubt that is the problem.

Now, the high current drawn through the filament would be caused by a wiring issue.

Make sure you have the right vehicle to trailer adaptor, if you are using one.

Then pull all the wires off the trailer and replace with new, make sure your grounds are good.
I bet the problem goes away.

By "popping" I think everyone here is referring to the bulb actually cracking from thermal shock when they hit the water, not just blowing out the filament. With the current crop of bulbs made in China, I'm betting this is what is happening to the OP.

Also, there is no way to make the bulb to draw too much current (amperage). It will draw what it needs and no more. Excess voltage is another matter, but if the voltage regulator is faulty in the tow vehicle, other bulbs would be blowing filaments, and electronic components might also be damaged.

The OP needs to tell us exactly what he means.

 

[jeep187]

Re: Why Brake Light Bulbs Keep Popping?

Thanks for all whom helped on their imput