Help with lights....????

[Cricket]

The Scamp has a light issue. The curbside blinker/brake light doesn't work. The running light works fine as well as the reverse light. The people we bought it from were very surprised to see it not light up when we hooked it up. Should probably get it fixed before we tow it around too much.....we tow with a Trailblazer (V6)...i checked fuses and they seem fine. Where do I start?

[Thomas G.]

Check the bulb first. If you have a meter or test light, see if power is getting to the light bulb contacts. Check the ground on the light fixture.

[steve dunham]

Had similar problem on our Scamp . Contacts on lamp and socket were corroded .Cleaned the contacts and put contact grease on lamp and socket . Still working 15 months later

[Cricket]

We got a new bulb and that didn't work....I will check for corrosion....

[Bob Miller]

I have one of those trailer plug checkers you can get at Harbor Freight for a few $$$$. You plug it into the TV's plug and then you can check the TV for blown fuses. For example, there can be any one of three fuses blown on my GMC and some or all of the lights won't work.

Next bet after checking lights and sockets is the wiring underneath. Do you see anything hanging down that doesn't belong there, Also look inside the coach at each corner, under the benches/cabinets. Scamp has a bad habit of bunching wires up with twist-on connectors and then leaving them exposed where your stored stuff can bump into them, knocking them loose. Look in the right and left front corners first

Just a few tips.....

[Darwin Maring]

Purchase one of these and keep it with the egg.
6/12 Volt Circuit Tester

You will B able to test the tow vehicle connector and egg wires both.

[Cricket]

No sign of corrosion....and then I lost all the lights! I did find out that for some reason the 7-plug will fit slightly off center in the plug on the tug (hey...that rhymes!).....so after I straightened that out, it was good. I towed it to the lake (where we were supposed to camp tonight....but the youngest got a tummy ache).... I will look more closely at wires tomorrow when we go out there....thanks for the heads up....and I will certainly get e circuit tester next time I go near HF.

[mary and bob]

I think everyone should have one of those test lights that Darwin linked to. Most of the time you can find the problem with it, but sometimes a multimeter may be necessary. I probably have half a dozen of those test lights in various toolboxes, and that is the tool I most used on light problems when I was a truck mechanic. A couple of suggestions though, be sure you have a good ground connection on the test light lead wire. An extra length of wire with alligator clips on each end can be useful if you need a longer lead. Try to avoid poking into a wire through the insulation, that creates a place for moisture to get in and corrode the wire. The bulb in the test light can fail, or the wire lead, or an internal connection, check the test light by connecting directly to your battery terminals.

[David B.]

Scamp also uses Scotch-locks (under the dinette seats) that will drive one crazy looking for a problem. I am slowly removing all of those connecters.

[mary and bob]

Had to use my test light today, on someone else's camper. We were camped with a group at Lake Ontario. One couple had a 1961 sticky trailer, they had stuck on a set of the magnetic tow lights because the original wiring was a disaster. Nothing on the vehicle 4 prong plug would work. Found out it had the powered type light box, that is there is a power wire from the vehicle battery to the box where the 4 wires come out to the trailer plug, The fuse in that power wire was blown. I installed a new plug pigtail for them, replaced the fuse, explained how the system worked, and pointed out that whoever installed this system should not have put that box up behind the bumper and used a non sealed connector that will certainly corrode eventually. I also pointed out that the trailer had electric brakes that need to be inspected, and all the wiring should be replaced. It's kind of distressing to see people paying for a job and getting such shoddy work, and a little scary that they're towing something like this down the road. But the test light at least made it so they could get it home and drivers following would know if they were stopping or turning. The trailer owner had a brand new multimeter, but didn't know how to use it.

[Dan Meyer]

Grab your Trailblazer owners manual and check the fusebox under the rear seat. If I remember right there are three fuses for trailer lights.

-- Dan Meyer

[Bob Miller]

"The trailer owner had a brand new multimeter, but didn't know how to use it."

FWIW: Even if one does not know how to turn a wrench or use a multimter, having one with you can save the day when someone offers to help.

I know of a lady that got stuck with a $300 towing & garage bill because, although she had a spare water pump belt, she didn't have a 12mm wrench that a good samaritan who had stopped to help could have used.

For want of a nail, the shoe was lost etc.....