1966 Safari LED Tail Light Upgrade

[Pat H]

I'm trying to replace the tail lights on my 1966 Safari with LED upgrades that I purchased from Inland (part # 65601). My problem is that the original fixtures have the old three filament system, large bulb w/two filaments and a small top bulb with one. Additionally, the wires on the old assemblies are different colors. For example, the curb side light has a brown wire where the street side has red. In short, how do I go about installing the new LED replacements? I'm a new member, and have little electrical knowledge/experience.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Pat

[Area63]

Why not call InlandRV and ask them?

[BIGED52]

Andy at Inland may not be a electrical whiz either but my bet is he will be able to help or he will find an answer for you! Happy Trails, Ed

[ts8501]

Originally Posted by Pat H

I'm trying to replace the tail lights on my 1966 Safari with LED upgrades that I purchased from Inland (part # 65601). My problem is that the original fixtures have the old three filament system, large bulb w/two filaments and a small top bulb with one. Additionally, the wires on the old assemblies are different colors. For example, the curb side light has a brown wire where the street side has red. In short, how do I go about installing the new LED replacements? I'm a new member, and have little electrical knowledge/experience.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Pat

Pat:

I just sent Andy at Inland an e-mail on the exact same subject. I too am confused by the following note with the new LED's:
White=Ground
Black=Tail
Red=Brake
Same on same, what to do with the turn signals (brown wire is right and red wire is the left turn signal on both your '66 and my '64). Whomever gets an answer first please post here, as will I.

Tim

[HowieE]

The brown and red wires are the Turn/brake wires. Turn signal and brake signal use the same wire as the turn overrides the brake while slowing down for a turn. They are different colors to distinguish right from left. Black will be the parking lights and white the ground.

If you don't have a test light or meter you can use a 12 volt light bulb to test things first. Plug the trailer to the TV. Ground the base of the bulb to the edge od the hole where the light goes and while the parking lights are on in the TV touch the black wire to the contact on the bulb. The bulb should light. Now turn the 4 way flashers on i the TV and touch the red or brown wire to the contact of the bulb. It should flash.

If you want to test the white wire as ground do the same as above but use the white wire attached to the base of the bulb, rather than the trailer body, and repeat the tests.

[ts8501]

HowieE:

This is very very helpful. I did not know until now that the Brake and Turn signals where combined. So see if I have this right:

On the LED/On the trailer
White/Ground White (need to find ground, as org. lights do not require, or where can I ground?)
Black/Green running lights
Red/Turn signals (brown is right, red is left)

Did I get this right?

-Tim

[ts8501]

Since I bought these lights from Inland RV, I called Andy, and he confirmed all of the above (post #6). I will be grounding the LED to the skin, underneath the lights that I am installing. I will rivet the grounding wire to the skin. He explained the old lights are grounded to the metal base, which does not exist on an LED. So I will ground the LED to the skin. I can say that I briefly lit up the lights, and they are REALLY BRIGHT!!! I can't wait to complete the job this weekend, and will post pictures on my blog when I do.

[HowieE]

Don't rivet the white wire to the skin. Use a sheet metal screw and a spider washer as the rivets will "WORK" over time and give an open connection. While the screw may also open over time you will just have to retighten it to make the connection.

Try and make the connection under the base of the lights and seal the edges to keep water away from the ground connection. I had to cut out the base of the parking light LEDs I used to make room for the hot wire. The fixture grounded through the mounting screws. Good Luck

[Pat H]

Thanks, for the responses! My LED's are up and running. I used a product called OX-GARD on the ground connection to the skin that's supposed to inhibit aluminum oxidation in wire connections. We'll see.

Thanks again, Pat

[tonyp]

I am about to do this same project and am curious about how you weather proof the attachment.
I am planning on removing all the original equipment. Did you just use the rubber gasket? Will that be sufficient or should I Vulcem the top side? Did you weatherproof the electronics on the back of the light or just the connection?
Thanks

[ts8501]

Believe it or not, I am just this week back to installing the LED's. I ran with temporary lights until now, as my wiring in the trailer has a bad ground or short. I think I fixed that, found when I gutted the interior. If I did not fix the ground issue, I am prepared to run new wires to at least get the LED's installed and operating. I plan on just using the heavy gasket, and see if that keeps out the water.

[ts8501]

I have run new wires, and when I test them while grounding against my TV, everything works fine. When I try and test with a ground on the trailer, nothing works. I cannot seem to find a good ground on the trailer. I am wondering if having the trailer attached to the TV via the hitch will resolve it.

[barts]

Originally Posted by ts8501

I have run new wires, and when I test them while grounding against my TV, everything works fine. When I try and test with a ground on the trailer, nothing works. I cannot seem to find a good ground on the trailer. I am wondering if having the trailer attached to the TV via the hitch will resolve it.

Perhaps the ground wire from the 7 pin connector isn't actually connected to ground? You should not rely on the hitch to provide a ground connection, since it may well be intermittent, affected by grease on the trailer ball, etc.

- Bart

[ts8501]

I am happy to report all is now complete! I had a final grounding issue, which I reported on here. Here is a shot with the new Bus Light LED's all installed. The screw holes from the original lights from '64 actually matched exactly with these new LED's from Inland RV. Note the difference in my Avatar to this picture (also installed new Tempered Glass over the replaced Plexiglas with the Vintage Airstream Sticker).