Marker lights are important for visibility of the truck on the highway, like their name is saying they are marking the truck to be more visible when it is dark or when the visibility is low as a result of the bad weather. Driving on the highway is not an easy job for any driver but it is especially hard for the OTR truck drivers who need to control a huge class 8 trucks.
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It is not just taking the steering wheel in your hands to brag that you are controlling a beast; it takes a lot more if you really want to earn your crown and become really a king of the highway. As any king, you need to take care of everything if you want to have everything in order.
Under your management is every part that your truck is having such as
- The Truck Engine
- The Truck lighting system
- The Tires
- The CB radio
- The Air Brakes
- The Truck Shocks… a really meant everything
In this article, I will tell you more about the marker lights and their importance also I will point few important things how to choose marker lights for your semi truck.
What is The Purpose of the Marker Lights
Marker lights are like the announcement before the concert. The fans after the announcement are excepting you on the stage. So marker lights are your announcement on the highway. The highway participants can see you from far and in that way they can prepare to pass by you carefully.
Source: www.nhtsa.gov
We need, to be honest, you are not just any vehicle on the road your semi truck is the largest vehicle there or maybe one of the few ones. The space that you are taking on the road can’t be compared with a small car and that is why the lights are your important signalization on the road.
What are the marker lights revealing?
- The trucks width
- The trucks length
- The driving intentions
It is important to the other vehicles to notice your existing on the road so they can prepare to pass safely by you. You know that the truck trailer can be enormous and just a small unsafe passing by the other vehicles who are included on the highway can be companioned with a catastrophe of major proportions.
With proper lights signalization, you give other drivers heads up to slow down or to be more careful with the driving.
Types of Marker Lights
Your truck trailer can be the most spectacular and coolest trailer in the highway if you put not just the required marker lights but also additional marker light around the corner of the trailer. How awesome is a truck with a lot of signalization lights that is passing by us in a dark night?
It is very easy to see one marked trailer or truck cabin from a very far distance and the pleasure and joy are always there passing with them.
Source: gallerily.com superbrightleds.com ledsolarwind.com
Marker lights have different forms such as:
- Rectangular
- Round
- Oval
- and they are available from 3/4″ size to extra large 6″
LED vs Standard Marker Lights
I will say that the LED marker lights are the next generation of truck lights. I bet that you may hear some information but I will explain detail why I am claiming this.
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1. LED Marker Lights
Pros:
- They are more energy efficient – they use 1/10 energy compared with standard lights
- They are easier for installation
- The LED lights are more durable
- They are vibration resistant
- LED lights are more stylish
- They emitting minimal heat
- LED lights are resistant to water
- They are eco friendly
- The LED lights have longer warranty coverage
Cons:
- More expensive
- Some of the LED marker lights are using inferior heat sinks that are leading to failure after a very short period of time
Source: www.superbrightleds.com
2. Standard Marker Lights
Pros:
- Easy to find
- Affordable
Cons:
- They are not energy efficient
- Easily can be damaged
- Short life because of emitting high temperatures
- Not resistant to water
Choose High Quality Marker Lights
When we are talking about the quality of the marker lights you need to have in mind that the price shouldn’t be the main thing that will influence your buying decision. The lights need to be in function every time you turn the key so if you choose a low quality marker lights you’ll risk a defect in a middle of nowhere.
Source: www.ebay.com
So as a result of that you will be forced to pull the truck and replace the lights which will bring you downtime and possible delivery delay. Don’t buy lights that will lead to quick failure buy a top brand to get a longer duration.
Choose Marker Lights With Long Warranties
First that you need to know is that there is a difference in the warranties between the LED marker lights and the standard marker lights. LED lights have longer warranties. To be more specific LED lights warranties are at least 2 years and go up. Some manufacturers are providing lifetime warranties for their LED lights.
Source: www.submenow.com
The warranty of the standard lights can vary between 1 or 2 years. You can see that the difference between LED and standard lights warranty is enormous. Basically the LED lights have longer durations that can’t be compared with any other lights.
Now when you know the warranty duration for both types of the marker lights I am advising you to choose the lights that have warranties much longer than the minimum duration time.
Check the Installation Process
A good way to avoid additional repair shop expenses is to find marker lights that are easy for installation. In that way, you can buy spare lights and put them in your trucks so whenever some of them break you can replace the broken one with the new marker light.
Source: www.youtube.com
Most of the marker lights are easy for installation but there are some that have a more complicated process of installation. However, it is always a good practice to check the installation requirements of the marker lights to ensure that you can perform a correct and fast installation.
Check Reviews
Buyers are always straight about the product that they bought especially if they are not satisfied with the quality or if the product not meets the quality that they expected. Nowadays it is easy to check the client feedback for a product before you go and buy it.
Source: www.pristacorp.com
There are a lot of manufacturers and a lot of tricky warranties and trust me each of this scams have a story somewhere on the net. Search forums and social media to check the marker lights before it is too late.
Lighting Standards
The importance of the marker lights and every other truck light is regulated by the federal rules and regulations and must meet the required performance standards. Every truck light has specifications how it needs to be positioned, labeled, tested, colored.
Source: www.superbrightleds.com
So below I will explain the information that you can notice on the lights:
- SAE – gives information that the lights are according to the standards developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (these standards need to be respected from every vehicle)
- DOT – this is giving information that the lights are meeting the Department of Transportation Requirements
- The lights need to have manufacturers ID number and the Year of production
- Also on the marker lights, there are codes that suggest on the performing functions of that device
Keep it Legal
There a lot of rules that need to be covered to and for that reason you need to get familiar with the federal rules and regulations. These rules are established to ensure the safety on the roads.
- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
- The Department of Transportation (DOT)
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA
But remember that you also need to check the local regulations because something that is legal in one state can be not legal in another.
