led running light conversion need help

[roguebrun]

I am converting the old running lights to LED I"m confused. I took old light off and only found one red wire while led has a red and black wire. will it work with just one wire. help

[ricknach]

The old lights were grounded thru the trailer shell. This is not the best way to do the ground as it causes stray current corrision in the shell. You can tie the black wire on the led assembly to the attachment screws and this will make the lights work. The best would be to run a new black wire to the battery negative. That would take considerable work but would make your lights work better.

[HowieE]

Originally Posted by roguebrun

I am converting the old running lights to LED I"m confused. I took old light off and only found one red wire while led has a red and black wire. will it work with just one wire. help

Yes

First you will have to define the polarity of the LED. One would assume that the red wire on the LED is the hot lead but to be sure take one of the lights and touch the red lead to your battery Positive and the black wire to your battery Ground. If the LED lights you have confirmed that the red lead is the positive lead. If the LED does not light try the reverse.

Now having defined the positive lead, the one that caused the LED to light when touching the positive battery terminal, connect it to the red wire coming from the trailer body and connect the other lead to the trailer body. When connecting to the trailer body use crimp on eyelets on the wire and sheet metal screws to the body.

Some LEDs have a FLAT back on the fixture and they will not sit flush to the trailer body. You may have to cut a recess in the back of the LED to create a space for the wire behind the LED.

My first reaction would be to return these LEDs and get ones with a single wire. Fewer headaches.