Wiring Scamp tail lights

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I recently purchased a 1990 Scamp 16 and have been spending way too much time planning its future. But, I guess I need to take care of some basics before taking the trip to Great Slave Lake or even local Lake Mendota.

So, How to wire my tail lights? Saturn conveniently leaves a five wire pigtail in the jack compartment of my Vue. (ground, left, right, brake, running) I purchased a generic converter to feed the Scamp, but wonder if I even need one. Does the scamp use the same bulb element for both brake and turn signal? The wiring diagram in my manual is a bit unclear here and its pouring down rain so a trip to the storage lot to check myself will have to wait. Does anyone remember how Scamp does it?

Thanks for your time,

john the toymaker

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From my web site (and the owners manual for my 2000 Scamp 16):

Color - Function
-----------------
Green - Tail Lights and Marker Lights
Red - Left Turn and Brake Light
Brown - Right turn and Brake Light
Black - Interior 12 volt lights and Accessories
White - Ground
Yellow - Brake Lights (Foreign Stop) or Backup Lights
Blue - Electric Brakes

Use the yellow wire for brake lights. You may need to replace your tail light lenses so the lamps wired into the yellow wire shine red (instead of white). The red and brown wires are then just turn signals.

Good Luck!

-- Dan Meyer

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Well I used a $10.00 converter just to be safe. And WAY out of my ordinary experience everything worked great first time. Whew! I wish the rest of life was so easily successful.

john

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John ... glad it all worked out! Where and when is the first camping trip gonna be?

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There are quite a few tasks left to get the Scamp up to my wife's standards, mostly involving serious elbow grease with various solvents. I do hope to spend a week along the south shore of Lake Superior sometime in July (Turtle Flambeau, Bayfield, Apostle Islands, Porkies, etc). Then many Fall weekends exploring Wisconsin and adjacent states.

The Scamp's systems seem to be in good order, though this website has given me many ideas for mods. First off will be a detachable electrical cord inside an access hatch on the driver side of the Scamp. I like the one I saw on the Westphalia fellow's trailer. Then I may junk the converter and buy one of those 10 amp 3 stage battery chargers (Charge Pro) from West Marine. But I do have years to get it done. I am only 23 years into my 40 year remodeling plan for our house so I can pace myself. Those 2 pesky children took up most of the first 20 years.

john

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I am also pulling a Scamp with a Vue... it is a 13 foot 2002 Scamp with an all wheel drive Vue 2002... I recently noticed that the tail light cover is deformed on the top. I believe that it has changed form due to the heating of the bulbs. I also noticed that one of my lights is out. ( No comments please! ) Has anyone noticed if their red tail light casing is melting? Julie

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I've heard of this lens melting before. It's like the heat is held in causing the melt down. I'm trying to remember what they did. a vent hole or something. but it would have to be in the right place or you would just get water in it and create another problem. maybe some of these brilliant minds here can figure something out. do you have a picture of a good lens then a melted one. that would help :)

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Julie -- We were the ones who had the problem. After much discussion between Scamp and us, we decided that our first try at backing up (don't ask how long) into a campsite overheated the top of the lens with the back up light. Solution for us -- we removed the top bulb which was the back up light. We figured the only time we were going to back up was getting into a campsite or if one of us is out directing traffic. We put tape around the casing and have had no problems since. We've also learned how to back up. Sue

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FYI: For those in need of this information, here is a copy of a Scamp wiring diagram.

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3edabb4dc11fdImage1.jpg/>

- Ray