by Squigie » Thu Mar 26, 2020 11:37 am
Too much light from running lights can make it difficult to notice the change when brake lights comes on -- or, with some LED typess, when the brightness increases. This is especially important with thin strip lights. The strip lights look cool, but they're harder for people to see brightness changes.
I look at trailer (rear) lights in two ways:
1. Minimum: tri-function brake/tail/turn. Two lights. Two brightness levels. Three functions.
2. Make sure you're seen: Dedicated brake, tail, and turn signals, and a third brake light. (And ID lights up top, if required.) Wide, obvious designs - never strips.
I can't buy steel right now ... and probably won't be able to for some time ... so perhaps my plans will have to be deferred another year. But, my tear design is currently slated to have five rear light housings that are already on-hand: 2 outboard housings with dedicated running lights and dedicated (amber) turn signals. 2 inboard dedicated brake lights. One center-mounted third brake light.
Any more, in my opinion, is too much light. ...And ugly.
I would have gone for strip lights if my primary tow vehicle was almost anything else and had brake lights visible (even only partially) with a trailer in tow. But, since I tow with a step side Ford Ranger, the vehicle's brake lights are only 44" apart and are not visible 'around' any trailer that I tow or intend to tow. Even though I am going with dedicated tail and turn lights, I don't really care about them. Their independence is a byproduct of wanting the brake lights to have ONE job to do. One job: Be obvious when I hit the brakes. That's it.