Alright so I have about 50 marker lights on the truck....a lot I know....right now they are just regular lights. I'd like to swap to led lights and have a few questions.

1. where should I get them?
2. how should I wire them?
I'm pretty sure I need a relay or 2, but I don't know how to wire these into the system or where to get a relay. Thanks for everything!
Matt

 

Ive gotten all mine from redneck trailer. You would be better off trying any trailer place. as far as the relay are you going to have a seperate switch or do you want them to come on with regular lights. Trailer shops will have relay's also most of them come with pigtails already so all you do is connect ground, your constant voltage to the relay, your wire out of the relay to your lights, and your switched voltage where ever you decide to come from. I would go with a seperate switch that way at night if you hear something like "be on the lookout for a truck with a ****load of lights", on say a scanner or radio you could turn them off and go another way.

 

What kind of lights are you looking for? Post what kind of lights you want and I can give you some sources I've used in the past.

LED lights draw about 1/10th the amps as a regular light. I've never used a relay to wire them up.

 

Big wire, big switches, no relays, no flickering LEDs, and over fifty double-bulb markers on the truck, more on most of the trailers.

I used relays, a few years ago, and I was forever having lights not come on, when I needed them the most.

Many of the newer big trucks have LEDs; and, I see several that flicker constantly, kinda like Christmas lights, and/or several of the little "Ds" don't light, making for an overall cheapie impression.

I agree that it is nice to use less electricity, but I had rather have good old simple dependability.

 

Right now i don't have any wired into a relay, so should I stay that way? If that is true they use less power, I'll just do it that way.
Right now I have them wired from a fuse with a in line fuse and a switch. Haven't had any problem yet.

I'm lookin for either the 4"x2" lights to run down the sides, and then the smaller marker lights to run across the front. I'm not certain about that though. Open to suggestions.

Thanks guys!

 

I had about half that many on my 91 one ton and it burnt out my headlight switch twice.(Not easy to fix when the wires get fried).
I changed to LED without any resistors or anything and I havnt had a problem again.

 

All auxilliary lighting should be on it's own switches, completely independent of the factory wiring system, which, on most vehicles, is barely capable of working the headlights.

 

I've bought plenty of stuff from Iowa 80 Truckstop for my big truck. I've also used Fleet Pride as a source for LED lights by Grote or Trucklight, two very dependable light manufacturers.

 

ive got all mine on a relay that hooks into the head light switch that comes on with the driving lights. (its acually spliced into the front driver side running light) So this way all the lights come on at the same time. And i wont burn up my switch!

 

Everybody knows that electrical systems of any kind have the potential to cause some headaches. Just wiring up the system with relays isn't nearly enough. The chain store electrical is for the most part LOW BIDDER JUNK. Take the time to search out top quality relays, good marine or aviation stuff and yes at twice the price, with your own soldered and heat shrinked connections, and build a DEPENDABLE SYSTEM! That's my plan on mine because a little extra time, effort and expense now can save a whole bunch of grief later.

 

Delcity has good stuff. Can't vouch for LED light prices as I've never shopped for it. I learned about Delcity on this forum and have bought several items from them. Good company.

http://www.delcity.net

LED lights take a lot less juice so if your current incandescent setup has been working then switching to LEDs will work fine.

 

Interesting! I learned about Delcity on these forums and ordered a catalog. When it arrived I got the strong impression that they only sold wholesale to commerical accounts and in large quantities? Maybe I missed something?

 

I ordered retail and in small quantity from Delcity. No problemo.

 

Hunh, I must have misunderstood! That's nothing new....

Thanks for the tip!

 

Check out the lighting at this place,
http://www.awdirect.com/

I have ordered a few things from them but most of my lighting I get from Lu's Lighthouse in So Cal. or from my local Heavy Truck Parts.
The LED lighting I have on my marker lights have a lifetime warranty on them.
You need to connect them through a FUSED relay then you can trigger this with your stock truck light wiring.
I also have a switch on the feed so I can BLACKOUT all of my lighting incase I do not want to be seen.
Jim