Scamp Running Lights

[fusedlight]

I picked up some LED and carefully plunked 'em into their appropriate running light sockets. Plugged the Scamp into the Rav4. Turned on the car and the lights. Looked at the Scamps running lights... Nothing. Zip. Nadda.

OK, I think, maybe some bozo wired the running lights with a positive ground. Checked the light sockets. No voltage AT ALL. Swell.

Unplugged the TV and grabbed my handy-dandy signal injector and started tracing stuff. As far as I can tell, the side-lights aren't connected to ANYTHING.

Good news is that the bottom light of the tail light IS on while the car's lights are on. The brake and turn signals work fine, so we're OK to head out on a trip on Friday.

So, what gives? What does the TOP bulb on the rear light do? Where do those wires run? I didn't look... are they UNDER the Scamp.

GcB

[Carol H]

You should not be able to see any wires under the trailer other than the ones leading to your breaks. All the light wires are inside the trailer running around the perimeter of it.

Did you cut off the old lights on the outside and simple connect the new ones to the old wires? If so thats not going to work out well for you.

If you havent already done so, remove your passenger side (right) rear bench (easier to do than it sounds) and pull away the rat fur by the rear light (you may have to cut it to do so) you should be able to see the all connections you are looking for and where they go, including the Green one which is your side markers and tail lights. Remove the old rear light wires and their connections and attach your new lights into the trailers main wiring system.

You may have lost your side running lights due to pulling on the tail light wires as in MHO Scamp doesnt do a great job of making tight wiring connections and they may have just come lose. I was taught to use heat shrink wrap connections to protect them from working loose and from moisture.

Scamps wiring colors assuming no one has messed with it:
Green (TM) - Tail Lights and Marker Lights
Red (LT)- Left Turn and Brake Light
Brown (RT) – Right turn and Brake Light
Black (S) – Interior 12 volt lights and Accessories
White (GD) – Ground
Yellow (A) – Brake Lights (Foreign Stop) or Backup Lights
Blue (Large connector only) – Electric Brakes

Hope that helps.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by fusedlight

I picked up some LED and carefully plunked 'em into their appropriate running light sockets. Plugged the Scamp into the Rav4. Turned on the car and the lights. Looked at the Scamps running lights... Nothing. Zip. Nadda.

OK, I think, maybe some bozo wired the running lights with a positive ground. Checked the light sockets. No voltage AT ALL. Swell.

Unplugged the TV and grabbed my handy-dandy signal injector and started tracing stuff. As far as I can tell, the side-lights aren't connected to ANYTHING.

Good news is that the bottom light of the tail light IS on while the car's lights are on. The brake and turn signals work fine, so we're OK to head out on a trip on Friday.

So, what gives? What does the TOP bulb on the rear light do? Where do those wires run? I didn't look... are they UNDER the Scamp.

GcB

Top bulb = backup light.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

Top bulb = backup light.

Which on mine with all original lights and wiring never worked as a back up light.

[Dennis Clinton]

I replaced all my side marker lights with LED. I was able to do it without taking out benches etc(with a lot of scrapes on my arms!). I also installed a junction box under the front bench which has made diagnosing electrical a lot easier. Still haven't replaced the taillights with LED, but soon.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Which on mine with all original lights and wiring never worked as a back up light.

Your tow is probably not wired with the backup light going to the 7 pin connector. Mine is and I really like that extra light when trying to get into a campsite at night.

[fusedlight]

Sounds like a project for when we get back from our trip next week. This is almost as much fun as working on the wiring of a '68 Land Rover.

"Why do the British drink their beer warm? All their refrigerators are made by Lucas!"

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

Your tow is probably not wired with the backup light going to the 7 pin connector. Mine is and I really like that extra light when trying to get into a campsite at night.

Thanks Byron that may well have been the case - but as the new LED lights I now have dont have a back up light function its not really an issue, although the extra light as you say would be nice.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Dennis Clinton

I replaced all my side marker lights with LED. I was able to do it without taking out benches etc(with a lot of scrapes on my arms!). .

LOL recall that I fixing a loose tail light connection that way as well - tones of bruises on my arms as well as the upper part of my legs from pressing into the small opening. Thus the reason I just removed the rear bench when I replaced the actual tail lights - even with the time it took to remove the bench it was less painful and way faster as it was easier to see and get at all the wires and confirm where they lead to.

Removing the rear bench was pretty simple - it only had about 6 screws holding it in place but there was an added bonus to removing it. Gave me a chance to see clearly around my water tank storage area. Got to check that all the connections to the tank where still good and no water damage. It also allowed me to see that one side of the tank strap had actually pulled lose and needed replacing and that the grey water tank vent also had a small crack in it and needed replacing. All things I could not see from just looking through the top hatch opening.

[Darwin Maring]

I always use one of those jump start battery packs to check out the wiring and lights 4 4 starting a project.

[fusedlight]

-sigh- I didn't snap the back light cover on firmly. I noticed it around 100 miles into the trip. Red cellophane tomorrow.

[peterh]

I tried to install LED bulbs in our Scamp 5er earlier this summer. Plug 'em in and turn 'em on, right?

Wrong. Plug 'em in and . . . nothing. After a couple minutes with the multitester I knew why. Scamp wired them -- all four of them -- bacward, with +12v going to the sleeve contact and the negative/ground side to the center pole.

LEDs only work when the socket into which they fit is wired correctly. I have yet to correct the wires, which are (of course) located in very hard to get to places in my trailer, under the dog kennel, laundry hamper, and back bench seats.

I'll fix that this winter.

[Receo]

Originally Posted by peterh

I tried to install LED bulbs in our Scamp 5er earlier this summer. Plug 'em in and turn 'em on, right? Wrong. Plug 'em in and . . . nothing. After a couple minutes with the multitester I knew why. Scamp wired them -- all four of them -- bacward, with +12v going to the sleeve contact and the negative/ground side to the center pole. LEDs only work when the socket into which they fit is wired correctly. I have yet to correct the wires, which are (of course) located in very hard to get to places in my trailer, under the dog kennel, laundry hamper, and back bench seats. I'll fix that this winter.

Couldn't you just switch the wires at the light fixture. Maybe those were the hard places you had to reach. Had the same problem with my burro. 'Twas an easy fix.

[Carol H]

Peter thats interesting I had no problems changing over to LED bulbs in my Scamp with the exception of one light - I just as Trent suggest switched the wires on the light.

[peterh]

The wire leads are not very accessible from the outside of our marker lights, the wire doesn't have enough slack. I suppose I could do a snip-and-solder job, but I think the better solution is to correct the wiring at the actual harness . . . or just use incandescent bulbs.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by peterh

The wire leads are not very accessible from the outside of our marker lights, the wire doesn't have enough slack. I suppose I could do a snip-and-solder job, but I think the better solution is to correct the wiring at the actual harness . . . or just use incandescent bulbs.

Let me take a SWAG here. My guess is that each fixture is wired backwards at the fixture. The same negative line is used for the internal 12 Volt system. If I'm right the best thing to do is stick with incandescent bulbs.