New clearance light design

[cwf]

Ok.. anyone need to replace your clearance lights with the 'new' LED type?
How about just replacing a standard clearance light (old style)?

I went to take the lens off one of my side clearance lights to clean all the trash from the inside and possibly replace the bulbs with LED's... The white plastic base crumbled.. CRUMBLED onto the ground... only the metal inside the light and the bulbs hanging from the wiring..

Ok.. head over to NAPA... no white bases anymore, incandescent or LED..
Ok.. let me go with the LED.. sweet, I wanted to do this anyway.. just not NOW!

Get the light home.. the wires can't fit behind the NEW light bases!!!

Called the RVLED folks.. no solution... Called the manufacturers.. all I get is 'drill new holes'.. good luck..

Anyone hit this problem yet? Got a solution? I have one..a hack.. but wonder what you guys did..

[overlander63]

I drilled a new hole.
When you get new lights, make sure it has only one wire, so you won't need to run a ground wire.

[cwf]

Overlander... that was my worry.. don't want more holes unless absolutely necessary. Especially since I actually have 2 wires poking out.

So here is my solution... hope it benefits someone.

[PaulnGina]

That looks like a good solution.

I like the seal it has around the base.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by cwf

Overlander... that was my worry.. don't want more holes unless absolutely necessary. Especially since I actually have 2 wires poking out.

So here is my solution... hope it benefits someone.

Looks good!
The plastic parts of my clearance lights on my Excella are deteriorating too.
Thanks for sharing your solution!

Which light position did you replace? I have the two front clearance lights off right now. I do not remember two wires (it is 600 miles away so I can't look).

[cwf]

Originally Posted by A W Warn

Looks good!
The plastic parts of my clearance lights on my Excella are deteriorating too.
Thanks for sharing your solution!

Which light position did you replace? I have the two front clearance lights off right now. I do not remember two wires (it is 600 miles away so I can't look).

Alan, I replaced Port (street side) center clearance assembly.

When I replaced the front upper two, they had an LED with plenty of room for connections... I remember two.. but most are saying theirs only has one..

I also sealed the wiring exit and the screw holes... yes, I believe in a belt and suspenders...

Oh!!! The clear stuff is automotive door edge guard... . I used clear for a better glow rather than black or silver which would block the light...

[cwf]

Here is what we did after removing old,

1- cut the wire as close as you can, to the old mount (need as much wire as possible sticking out of skin as possible from Airstream.

2- clean around the exposed area and prep until ready to replace. Now, test fit. Note whether by tucking wires into the void on the rear of the assembly, to ensure you can flush mount the light

3- start the edge guard on, begin near center of the lower edge and wrap around.. don't fully push on till last step. Cut close to the length necessary.. a gap is ok to let moisture out.... maybe you want a bigger gap if using only one wire on your Airstream to try for a perfecThere is a sticky substance insid the plastic groove, ours was sticky but not Permanent... it is removable... if. It fully pressed on, the seal can better fit to the AS skin shape

4- make sure wire from Airstream is long enough to work with. See if you can push excess inside the skin, that way you can add wire, solder and shrink wrap after soldering to the new assembly, push in the extra. Test lamp to ensure proper polarity and a good light!!

5- we had to cut a groove in the assembly where wire exits, over to the shallow indent in center of assembly. This indent is where the wire is folded.

6- carefully tuck wires into indent as you screw assembly onto the Airstream

7- as you snug down the screws you can press assembly flush onto the Airstream

8- verify light works.

[ijustlee]

That's a great solution!

[cwf]

Originally Posted by ijustlee

That's a great solution!

Thanks! Enjoy!

[mrfixit51]

hi I just put a terminal on the ground and used the rivet our screw to ground it to the body to attach the light , inside the lense area

[cwf]

Originally Posted by mrfixit51

hi I just put a terminal on the ground and used the rivet our screw to ground it to the body to attach the light , inside the lense area

Purrrfect

[mrfixit51]

My first response , did not show the pics .sorry about that

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by mrfixit51

My first response , did not show the pics .sorry about that

I noticed that the circuit boards seem to be exposed on the back sides of the lights. Wondering how the electronics will hold up in a wet/rain environment?

The lights CWF installed (photos at post #3) look like the circuit boards are imbedded within the plastic.

[cwf]

Originally Posted by A W Warn

I noticed that the circuit boards seem to be exposed on the back sides of the lights. Wondering how the electronics will hold up in a wet/rain environment?

The lights CWF installed (photos at post #3) look like the circuit boards are imbedded within the plastic.

Looks like the terminal will work great! We did not rivet as the original was held by sheet metal screws.

Perhaps a touch of dielectric will minimize corrosion of the terminal/skin. I wonder tho... with the gasket will the terminal be in proper compression contact?

Correct Alan.. the back (mount/base) is enclosed except for mounting holes and wire penetration. The front of the base is "potted" with what appears to
Be a slick epoxy.. very scratch resistant. The wires from the circuit board, loop toward the LED/ front, then turn back toward the base... it all appears water tight... it says "waterproof" and had some IP number I do not recall now...so it is "rated".. somehow...