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-   Archive through August 27, 2006 (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=364702)
-   -   LED'S on trailer bunks? (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=348012)

redneckonaboard06 07-20-2006 11:05 AM

Just curious if anyone has ever mounted up some led's on the bunks of their trailer. After my last night outing, I've been thinking about rigging something up. With my boards being covered in black carpet, it's kind of a pia loading at night.

showtime 07-20-2006 11:37 AM

add lights to your tower and get the best of both worlds...

biz 07-20-2006 11:41 AM

That would be pretty cool if you could position them lengthwise on the bunks like a landing strip for your boat. Another option i have seen are lights that attach to the guide poles. <BR><a href="http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/223092/10001/763/425/17" target="_blank">http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/223092/10001/763/425/17</a> <BR><a href="http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/250117/10001/763/425/17" target="_blank">http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/250117/10001/763/425/17</a> <BR><a href="http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&amp;langId=-1&amp;catalogId=10001&amp;classNum=763&amp;subdept Num=425&amp;storeNum=17&amp;productId=251979" target="_blank">http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&amp;langId=-1&amp;catalogId=10001&amp;classNum=763&amp;subdept Num=425&amp;storeNum=17&amp;productId=251979</a>

redneckonaboard06 07-20-2006 11:45 AM

I've already got lights waiting for me to get off my lazy butt and install them on the tower. <BR> <BR>TR, you got it. like a landing strip. I've seen the guide poles, but my trailer doesn't have guides. Just wondering if anyone had done such a thing. Guess I'll order some and get to figuring something out!

rocketman 07-20-2006 12:07 PM

I just use the brake lights on the trailer to guide me in. <BR> <BR>But I have thought of adding some "landing strip" material as well just for fun.

redneckonaboard06 07-20-2006 12:18 PM

I just think it'd look pretty cool having the boards lit up, def. be a lil different.

bbeach 07-20-2006 2:45 PM

I added LED's to my guide poles and at night its sweet because you just drive right between the lights to load! <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/348062.jpg" alt="Upload">

wakespecialty 07-20-2006 10:55 PM

what up k state - how are you running the wires and keeping them from twisting out of control?

bbeach 07-21-2006 8:37 AM

They don't twist... Only the padded covers twist...

ktmwakeboarder 07-22-2006 1:46 AM

that landing strip idea is pretty sweet

wakespecialty 07-22-2006 8:19 AM

k state - help me understand - steel post from trailer, covered with pvc pipe to act as roller, trailer guide pads for added protection. is this not how your trailer is set up? your trailer guide pads should be a tight fit on your pvc pipe and roll with the pipe. this has been my challenge making some of these myself. i am working on a solution that would have the light firing up from a fixed position on the steel pipe and a reflector of sorts on the top of the pvc pipe. this would allow it to spin freely without wire restrictions.

ilovetrains 07-26-2006 9:26 AM

I am curios as well. I thought about doing this on my guide poles, but it looks like you just have orange leds facing up. How are they wired? If they are on with the trailer lights, I think you cannot have orange facing backward unless it is a turn signal or emergency beacon.

acurtis_ttu 07-26-2006 9:33 AM

My boatmate trailer has no PVC around the steel post, just the padded guide posts. My last MC trailer was the same way.

clayton191 07-26-2006 10:14 AM

Thread theif here - Where can i get some of those padded covers for my malibu / boatmate trailer?

grant_west 07-26-2006 10:45 AM

Jarrod: I love how these thread's always get off topic. Jarrod asks about LED's on the bunks and then it turns to light's on the guide pole's LOL. You should have asked about Light's on your guide poles and then some one would have posted about lights on the bunks. I should have posted on it earlyer when I saw it to get it on the right track. So here is the info I know of it kind of reads like a soap opra so stick with it. <BR> <BR>Owllighting.com SAY's they make a waterproof LED controler that will control trailer light's. They say they make one that will make the lights that you mount on the underside of your bunks light up like a runway landing strip. I have never seen it but that dosent mean it dosent exist. Check with them. They say they have a source for a water activated switch that you mount on your trailer that as soon as your trailer touches the water the led's turn on and start the landing strip effect. you have to wire and mount all the LEDs yourself and seeing how this might take some time and cost a few hunderd dollars that might explain why we havent see it all around. good luck.

wakespecialty 07-26-2006 10:45 AM

okay - let's examine the anatomy of the trailer and its intended function. the guide pads have never been intended to be more than a cosmetic accessory. if you look at all the current trailer manufacturers, minus the 'bunk' style uprights, they all supply the round steel pipe with either a pvc or abs pipe over it. the pvc/abs pipe acts as a roller when your rub rail comes in contact with it, they roll, helping center your boat on the trailer. this is the intended benefit as our boats are not prop steering. what i run into the most with people who don't have the pvc on their posts are those who purchased pre-owned and never knew they were supposed to have them. if you don't have pvc pipe on your steel post, go to depot or lowes and get a length of pipe and two caps. this will be so much more benefit to you than any 1/2" pipe insulation could ever do. you'll be amazed how much better your trailer guide pads hold up too! <BR> <BR>this is why i am trying to come up with the reflector lens in the top of a pvc pipe and the light source affixed to the steel post. this allows the pvc to roll freely without concern for the wire.

bbeach 07-26-2006 3:07 PM

My trailer does have pvc pipe over the steel poles that rolls underneath the padded covers, however the pipe is in 2 pieces the bottom rolls with the cover and the top is stationary to hold the light from spinning. <BR> <BR>make sense?

lukeduke95 07-26-2006 4:11 PM

Kstate- I take it your poles do not float up when submerged? Most do to give you a little more height on those steep ramps.

bbeach 07-27-2006 10:01 AM

They did but I zip tied them down because at night they would float up and cover my lights and that defeated the purpose of the lights being on there...

summerobsession 07-28-2006 8:31 AM

I was told by the Malibu dealer that Boatmate (I'm just about positive it was them) has as option on their trailer that gives you the "lighted runway" on the trailer bunks with the above mentioned water activated switch. <BR>I would call either a trailer manufacturer, or someone that has one of their trailers equipped with this system. <BR>It sounds really cool, but I can see tons of problems if the system wasn't wired and protected correctly.

bbeach 07-31-2006 2:18 PM

After I rewired my entire trailer with new wiring and new LED's I made sure to use a silicon caulk on all the connections to protect them from water, seems to have worked awesome... Just a thought.


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