Replace LED marker lights with new ones

[Jim7832]

I have a 2017 Flying Cloud with original LED marker lights. In two of them it appears that, of the two rows of LEDs, the lower row has gone out. Therefore, do I need to replace the whole set of LEDs? Does the amber lens come with them or is that separate? At the tapered end of the light there appears to be a gap. Is that where I use a screw driver to remove the lens? Is the electrical connection for the LEDs a straight forward plug-in, or is it more complicated?

[tbrowne]

I think you will have to replace the complete lens assembly. There is no connector for the wires. You'll have to use butt connectors or solder the replacement wires to the trailer wiring. Use a putty knife or other flat bladed tool to separate the lens from the base. There are metal clips at each end of the lens holding it to the base. In addition to the clips, there is adhesive where the wires exit the trailer that needs to be carefully pulled loose to detach the lens and access the wires.

[Dan@LED4RV]

Originally Posted by Jim7832

I have a 2017 Flying Cloud with original LED marker lights. In two of them it appears that, of the two rows of LEDs, the lower row has gone out. Therefore, do I need to replace the whole set of LEDs? Does the amber lens come with them or is that separate? At the tapered end of the light there appears to be a gap. Is that where I use a screw driver to remove the lens? Is the electrical connection for the LEDs a straight forward plug-in, or is it more complicated?

Air-stream's suppler went to a newer light which has 14 LEDs on a flat board vs the 3 board with 10 LEDs, which is less problematic. The take away is the newer light as less problems like this.

[Monoman]

Does anyone know if the marker light wires are accessible from the inside? The reason I ask is that we have one we with condensation and we are trying to replace it but there is hardly any wire to work with.

There is only about 1" of wire to work with when I detach the light body. It really feels like the wiring was completed from the inside with little or no slack. I considered pulling the nightstand (streetside of FBQ setup) but I figured I would ask here first.

[Alumanaut]

Monoman, did you complete your marker light replacement? I am starting the same project, but on one of the rear upper lights, and I ran into the same question as you. Looks like the butt connector is the way to go, but very little slack to work with.

[NO NOIZE]

This thread explains a lot:

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f44...ht-244926.html

[JeffKim]

Originally Posted by Monoman

Does anyone know if the marker light wires are accessible from the inside? The reason I ask is that we have one we with condensation and we are trying to replace it but there is hardly any wire to work with.

There is only about 1" of wire to work with when I detach the light body. It really feels like the wiring was completed from the inside with little or no slack. I considered pulling the nightstand (streetside of FBQ setup) but I figured I would ask here first.

They are under warranty if you want to go that route. We had 4 or so on our 2023 that had condensation and they were replaced at JC.

[teebone]

I have a 2009 28RB International and replacing marker lights but experiencing the same problem. Once I get the marker light removed, the wire connectors for power and ground do not fit through the hole - clearly not butt connectors and made from inside before skins were installed. Has anyone found a successful way of pulling the existing wires out far enough to access the connectors? This is frustrating!

[NO NOIZE]

Carefully pull the wires out as far as possible. Cut the wires, then remove the rubber grommet, place the grommet on the wires by the new light.

Splice the wires a couple inches apart so you can push the connectors through the hole one at a time. Then re-install the grommet.

Check this thread for more info.

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f44...ht-244926.html

[Dan@LED4RV]

Originally Posted by teebone

clearly not butt connectors and made from inside before skins were installed. Has anyone found a successful way of pulling the existing wires out far enough to access the connectors? This is frustrating!

In my experience, some times the wire have so much sealer on the inside the wire will not come out. And I have seen where folks pulled so hard the wire at the butt connector came off. In this case, where I inherited this job from a customer , I had to get a needled nose vice grip and clamp the wire (s) and carve the sealer away from the hole. That is, on top and down inside the hole, so that the wire will move freely. There is plenty of wire down inside the unit. Then I use the butt connectors to reattach the wires. I always tug pretty hard on the connection (s) because if it is going to fail I want it to fail there, NOT once I push the wires back in. The needled nose vice grip is used to make sure the freely moving wire does NOT fall inside the unit. It is hard to fish a wire out once it has fallen in.


Then you go about attaching the light and resealing.

[JeffKim]

When we were in JC in March we had them replace any marker lights that had condensation. The tech said they shouldn't have condensation. So to my amazement Brad of 13 Adventures in this video at 6:00 under the guidance of Ronnie Dennis of Airstream Nuts and Bolts drills a small hole to let the condensation out and prevent further condensation. This seems like a bad idea to me since it's a channel to let moisture inside and that can't be good. But then Ronnie Dennis knows a lot more than I do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPXjLfSNc2Q

[Dan@LED4RV]

Originally Posted by Jim7832

I have a 2017 Flying Cloud with original LED marker lights. In two of them it appears that, of the two rows of LEDs, the lower row has gone out. Therefore, do I need to replace the whole set of LEDs? Does the amber lens come with them or is that separate? At the tapered end of the light there appears to be a gap. Is that where I use a screw driver to remove the lens? Is the electrical connection for the LEDs a straight forward plug-in, or is it more complicated?

If the rows your talking about is inside of the light, that whole light has to be replaced. It is a sealed fixture, or it is suppose to be. No-one sells the Amber only part of the light. But the Amber part on a new light will fit on your old base if you think the base is in good enough shape.
The 2017 light is a (3 board LEDs) and on today's units it a 14 LED light (single flat board) that is just as bright and is less prone to problems, like what you are having.

Then there is the question, do you have/need cured base or straight base.