Because if not, something crazy is afoot at my place.

I have an enclosed trailer, all LED lights. The only power source on the trailer is the battery for the breakaway switch which sets the brakes should the trailer disconnect from the tow vehicle. I rarely use this trailer, and it has been sitting for several months.

A couple of weeks back I moved it so that we could get some bigger equipment in and out of the shop. Being lazy I've left it sitting there since. When I moved it I didn't connect the trailer wiring. Just dropped it on the hitch, moved it, and jacked it back up.

Last night my neighbor asked for some help after dark, and I start walking over. As I get near the trailer I noticed that one of the rear red LED side marker lights is glowing. I thought that perhaps is was reflecting light from elsewhere, so I walk over and cup my hands over it. It's dim, but it's not reflecting light, it's lit. I looked at the other 3, and they are also lit. They are wired to all of the other clearance lights, including 4 ambers in the front, none of which are on. Just the four red markers on the rear.

The only possible rational explanation that I can come up with is that it is parked near the power lines. Is that possible? If not, how can these lights be lit?

You don't have any dynamite close by do you?
It could also be RF.

I've heard that fluorescent tubes can be illuminated in the proximity of high tension lines. So why not LEDs?

Induction happens when you move a conductor through a magnetic field. Electrons flow = current. In this case, the conductive circuit is stationary, and the magnetic field is moving, generated by the alternating current in the high voltage lines (same process as used by wireless phone chargers).

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It could also be RF.

The trailer is parked between the powerlines and my meter. The meter is one of the versions that can communicate with the power company. Perhaps that's it?

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proximity of high tension lines. So why not LEDs?

This power line only feeds my property and the neighbor's. Two houses and two detached shop buildings.

My other shop has powerlines running behind it to feed an industrial area. On a quiet night, especially in the winter with snow on the ground, you can hear them. Seems to be a lot more juice running through those than the lines here.

Local lines are still nearly 14,000 volts, I believe. That could certainly induce enough power for LEDs, which is nearly nothing.

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This power line only feeds my property and the neighbor's. Two houses and two detached shop buildings.

For some reason I thought they might be high tension lines. Is there any way you can temporarily cut that power and check the LED again?

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Originally posted by kkina:
I've heard that fluorescent tubes can be illuminated in the proximity of high tension lines. So why not LEDs?

Induction happens when you move a conductor through a magnetic field. Electrons flow = current. In this case, the conductive circuit is stationary, and the magnetic field is moving, generated by the alternating current in the high voltage lines (same process as used by wireless phone chargers).

Exactly right. My Dad was an electronic engineer and I remember him telling me that, as a boy, as we crossed under high tension wires while either driving, hunting, or walking to an open area to launch my model rocket, that if we had a fluorescent bulb with us it would be glowing.

Early in his career he and his co-workers would frequently have to climb tall satellite antennas and they were only half joking when they said it was best to have their kids early in their careers because they expected to have their chromosomes zapped by RF and permanently damaged the older they got.

As far as the trailer goes, how 'bout running a little experiment. Some evening around dusk when you have time, hook the trailer up and haul it a mile down from your shop and away from the power lines, disconnect the electrical, then re-check to see if your LEDs are still glowing.

I'm betting they'll be dark.

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Originally posted by kkina:
I've heard that fluorescent tubes can be illuminated in the proximity of high tension lines.

Radar will light them up too.

I spent a part of a summer on a lookout tower situated about 100 yards away from an Air Force radar installation. Whenever the fluorescent bulb that was hanging in the tower (not connected to anything) began to glow, I had to walk over and ask them to readjust their radar.

I sometimes still glow in the dark.

OK, next theory: the ground wire in your trailer is broken or faulty. A minute residual current is grounding through the LEDs, causing them to glow faintly.

Can you try pulling the LED bulbs and seeing if they still glow?

Induction is the correct term, if I am not mistaken, same principle as for example, a wireless charging pad you place your cell phone on and it charges.

30+ years ago I lived about a mile from KOMA AM Radio, a 50,000 watt system. They had 3, I think it was 3, vertical towers in a row and they could change the direction phase and whatnot by varying these.

Anyway, I lived about a mile away. As this was the early 1990's, I had one of those fax machines that plugged into the phone line, (and had the paper on a roll you'd tear off). Even with the unit turned off, I hard KOMA broadcasting straight through my Fax Machine speaker. It did get a bit annoying.
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^Induction was my first thought as well, but the OP mentioned not being near high voltage lines. Would an ordinary stepped-down residential power line generate that much of a magnetic field I wonder?

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Originally posted by kkina:
^Induction was my first thought as well, but the OP mentioned not being near high voltage lines. Would an ordinary stepped-down residential power line generate that much of a magnetic field I wonder?

As I stated above, residential distribution is 14,000 volts. That’s still significant voltage. Also, distribution lines are much lower.

This would be easy to test. Take a little coil of wire and put a meter on each side and check it for micro voltage.

Found this video of a guy with bulbs under a line. He dies a LED bulb at around 2:00 mark and it does glow faintly. So I guess it's a thing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D50Dcvzkr4

With fluorescent bulbs, the EMR causes the phosphorus coating inside the bulbs to glow. Just like the old CRT tvs and monitors.

Amazingly enough, white LEDs are really blue LEDs and a coating of yellow phosphorus material on the inside of the bulb’s lens the combination of which makes the light white. At least that’s what the internet says. So, it’s not electricity in the trailer wiring that’s causing the bulbs to glow, but rather EMR causing the phosphorus coating to glow, just like it does with fluorescent lights.

That’s my guess anyway.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: trapper189,

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Originally posted by sigcrazy7:

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Originally posted by kkina:
^Induction was my first thought as well, but the OP mentioned not being near high voltage lines. Would an ordinary stepped-down residential power line generate that much of a magnetic field I wonder?

As I stated above, residential distribution is 14,000 volts. That’s still significant voltage. Also, distribution lines are much lower.

This would be easy to test. Take a little coil of wire and put a meter on each side and check it for micro voltage.

Magnetic induction happens as a result of current, voltage is actually irrelevant.

There’s a separate phenomenon that can occur due to electric fields produced by high voltages, but I don’t think that it would cause an LED to light up near a residential distribution line.

Move the trailer away from the lines,
see if they go out or stay lit....

If you walk under the power lines on a misty day with a metal umbrella you will see arcs going to and from the bracing.

I used to live near them as a kid.

"OK, next theory: the ground wire in your trailer is broken or faulty. A minute residual current is grounding through the LEDs, causing them to glow faintly."


I would suspect the ground theory from above is the more likely culprit.
Your trailer should have a breakaway battery and the plug-in to the tow vehicle. Be sure both are disconnected and see if the LED'S are still lit.

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Originally posted by trapper189:
With fluorescent bulbs, the RF causes the phosphorus coating inside the bulbs to glow. Just like the old CRT tvs and monitors.

Amazingly enough, white LEDs are really blue LEDs and a coating of yellow phosphorus material on the inside of the bulb’s lens the combination of which makes the light white. At least that’s what the internet says. So, it’s not electricity in the trailer wiring that’s causing the bulbs to glow, but rather RF causing the phosphorus coating to glow, just like it does with fluorescent lights.

That’s my guess anyway.

Part of me wondered if the LED's sitting in the sun all day would be enough to make the phosphor glow after dark. Lots of UV to charge the phosphor. But I can't imagine it still glowing hours later. Perhaps possible?

I once had a CRT style Oscilloscope which had sat outside in the sun for an afternoon. When I brought it inside, to dark room, that screen glowed for a long time from what the sun had done to it. Of course, this wasn't very good for the CRT, but oh well.