Tail lights help needed - Fiberglass RV
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Old 12-25-2017, 04:23 PM   #1
Lsw
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Name: Lsw
Trailer: Eggcamper
Wisconsin
Posts: 3
Tail lights help needed

I'm helping an elderly lady with her eggcamper. She has a tail light problem. Either all four stay on while driving or only upper left turn signal works when it feels like it.

Any suggestions where to start would be appreciated
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Old 12-25-2017, 04:55 PM   #2
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Name: Neto
Trailer: Scamp
Virginia
Posts: 81
This is a great thing to have. Should you have a problem on the road, take a few mi utes and you have tail light problems solved until you can do a proper fix.
https://www.harborfreight.com/12-vol...kit-63100.html
The following item is a Must Have. It will tell you if your tow vehicle wiring is OK.
https://www.harborfreight.com/four-w...ter-66526.html
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Old 12-25-2017, 05:06 PM   #3
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Name: bob
Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
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Possibly a ground problem. Or bad connection in the plug.
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Old 12-25-2017, 07:42 PM   #4
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Trailer: Love Bug / Chevy Astro
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Lighting problems are almost always caused by poor connections. I replaced all of my lights with LED's and replaced all of the wiring. My connections are all soldered and covered with heat shrink tubing. Every light has its own ground running back to a common wire that goes to the vehicle. The LED's are sealed so there is no connection problem with the bulb/socket.
I also have a seperate 12 volt plug for charging my battery that runs through a battery isolator.
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Old 12-26-2017, 04:33 AM   #5
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Name: Ken
Arkansas
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99% of the time a faulty ground
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Old 12-26-2017, 04:47 AM   #6
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Trailer: Boler 13 ft / Casita FD
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Almost every time my Boler has an period of in-use....a few weeks, My tail lights work or don't work and I find it's always a ground issue. Check here then I would buy a new Female and Male plug for trailer and Tow Vehicle... Get a 7 prong, you never know when you want the extra prongs to use for things like a charging wire or other need.
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Old 12-26-2017, 06:30 PM   #7
Lsw
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Name: Lsw
Trailer: Eggcamper
Wisconsin
Posts: 3
Thank you

Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions. If I can't figure out real problem, I will recommend the magnetic lights. I don't know if it has trailer brakes, if so, does it use that same harness? With using the magnetic lights mean no trailer brakes or doesn't this kind have them? Sorry for not knowing more details except that it's a 1994 egg camper. But I'm trying to help an elderly lady- a stranger- so the roads are safer for all of us
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Old 12-26-2017, 07:15 PM   #8
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I use a homemade set ot temp lights similar to the magnetic lights. They have saved me more than once when using a borrowed trailer.
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Old 12-26-2017, 07:59 PM   #9
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Name: Neto
Trailer: Scamp
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LSW: If this device will plug in To the connector on her tow vehicle, it does not have brakes.
https://www.harborfreight.com/four-w...ter-66526.html
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Old 12-26-2017, 08:20 PM   #10
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I keep one of those testers in each of my vehicles. It sure takes the guesswork out of troubleshooting trailer lights. Make sure to use your 20% off coupon whenever you go to Harbour Freight.
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Old 12-26-2017, 10:01 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ken.hibbs View Post
99% of the time a faulty ground
MYTH
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Old 12-26-2017, 10:04 PM   #12
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tail, running and turn signal lights are very easy to trouble shoot. If you don't know how the cheapest thing you can do is take to some body that does know.

rereading the OP I would guess that the problem lies in the tow vehicle. If she bought it used it could be anyplace. Again somebody with right know how and right tools can make quick work of it.
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Old 12-27-2017, 06:47 AM   #13
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If you have one of the testers mentioned above you will know if the tow vehicle is the problem. Once you know that your tow vehicle is good you can look for the real problem.
Connections that are held together with wire nuts or crimp connections are almost always the problem on trailers.
With today's vehicles, just buy the ready made adaptor kit for most vehicles for trailer lights and almost every time you will have good connections on the vehicle. Just make sure to use the dielectric grease that comes with the kit to avoid corrosion within the connections which will cause future problems.
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Old 12-27-2017, 10:31 AM   #14
Lsw
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Name: Lsw
Trailer: Eggcamper
Wisconsin
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Do I need a coupon or a code to get the 20% off harbor freight?

There is power all the way back to the lights inside the camper but only one of four work outside.

A mechanic said replacing the light means replacing the whole light assembly on each one.

So now I'm hunting for those as the local trailer repair place doesn't have any in stock.

Thank you for testing tool suggestions. Having the right tool makes things so much easier.
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Old 12-27-2017, 03:22 PM   #15
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You can get the coupons out of most outdoor magazines including Trailer Life. i replaced my lights with LED lights from Blazer. Most farm stores and hardware stores carry them. I was not concerned about replacing my Love Bug lights with original equipment, just good quality at a good price.
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Old 12-27-2017, 03:44 PM   #16
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Name: Ken
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman View Post
MYTH


Not in my my experience with utility trailers, travel trailers, stock trailers etc.
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Old 12-27-2017, 05:14 PM   #17
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Totally agree... look for a bad ground
Just my 2 cents worth but you know what that will buy ya
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Old 12-27-2017, 07:35 PM   #18
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Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
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If there is power to the light connections inside the trailer, then have you checked the bulbs or bulb sockets. There is a cheap little wire brush for cleaning bulb sockets. Sometimes the contacts in the socket will compress or stick resulting in a bad connection. If the lights are LED, then this comment does not apply.
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Old 12-28-2017, 12:14 AM   #19
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Name: Kelly
Trailer: Trails West
Oregon
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At times like these knowing the right keywords can get you to the step by step instructions...."troubleshooting trailer tail lights". Those keywords take you right to a terrific troubleshooting tree from etrailer.com They tell you what equipment you need and then lead you through the step. Shown in the link below is the one for a 4-5 way system, they also have trouble shooting trees for 7 wire plugs.
https://www.etrailer.com/faq-4-5-way...eshooting.aspx

Just print out the trouble shooting directions to take with you to the trailer and then follow the steps, make notes on the printed sheet if needed so you know what you found and what you did. I also like to take photos with a camera as I work.

Be sure to put identifying labels on wires as you work, that way if you have an issue you will know which wire you were doing what to if you have to reverse a few steps. Be calm and stay methodical in your approach!

Here is the link again:
https://www.etrailer.com/faq-4-5-way...eshooting.aspx


Regular members, you might want to bookmark this link or add it to handy references in the forum. It is an excellent resource for everyone to pass along.
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Old 12-28-2017, 05:26 AM   #20
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Name: J Ronald
Trailer: Casita 17 ft. Liberty Deluxe
North Carolina
Posts: 236
That intermittent turnsignal could be the turnsignal bulb.
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