wiring.....there, I said it.

[crowwing]

On my last excursion, as getting ready to leave the campground, the lights on my Scamp would not function except for a couple of side running lights. No blinkers, no brakes, no lights. After doing the usual adjustments, cleaner, fuse check etc. still no lights. I made the scary run home. I changed over the seven blade plug on the Scamp, still no lights. I gave up and took it to my local RV shop. My question is this, what should it cost to have all new wiring installed including the brake control? I want to be able to have some negotiating fire power when I pick it up. Appreciate the help, as always!
John

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by crowwing

On my last excursion, as getting ready to leave the campground, the lights on my Scamp would not function except for a couple of side running lights. No blinkers, no brakes, no lights. After doing the usual adjustments, cleaner, fuse check etc. still no lights. I made the scary run home. I changed over the seven blade plug on the Scamp, still no lights. I gave up and took it to my local RV shop. My question is this, what should it cost to have all new wiring installed including the brake control? I want to be able to have some negotiating fire power when I pick it up. Appreciate the help, as always!
John

If they're telling you, you need all new wiring and brake controller run don't walk away and find another shop.

[Kevin K]

Make sure you have a good ground 1st.
Check tow vehicle to make sure all connections work.

Good luck.

[Kevin A]

Our Ford Expedition has both a 4 pin port and a 7 pin port for hooking up trailers. Our former trailer had a 4 pin port and I couldn't get the tail lights to work when plugged in. I tried it with an adapter in the 7 pin port and everything worked. So, I know the 4 pin port must be defective or have an issue on the tow vehicle. We sold that trailer and only use the 7 pin port now, but I know I need to troubleshoot the 4 pin port in future in case it's needed again. Tow vehicle ports do fail, too!

[Talia]

For any electrical problem the first thing you should always do it check the ground. Then check it again, and then check it a third time.

[crowwing]

I guess I should have been clearer in that if I pick up my jeep and they want to charge me $350.00, I would like to know what a whole new system would have cost installed.
John

[Phoneman]

I'm not sure what you took to the RV center. The trailer or Jeep or both?

I would think if you have side marker lights and not Brake or running lights, especially running lights, you may have snagged the wires under the trailer. Side marker lights and running lights are the same circuit.

[Lee Senn]

Not directly related but a very good work around. We always have in the trailer a set of magnetized lights as used for cars in tow. Only takes a few minutes to rig them on your trailer. Nothing more frustrating than having to cancel a trip that is important and has been planned for some time. They don't solve the marker light issue ( which is irrelevant if you don't tow at night ) but they will give you turn indicators, stop lights etc. Then you can solve the real lighting issue when you return home. Lee

[LiseKen]

Lee I like that idea. My last (and first) trip was delayed for hours once we were all packed and hitched up because of a loose wire in the 7 pin. Got it all reassembled but the troubleshooting caused the delay. Rolled into the campground at dusk, just as the ranger was licking the gate. Phew!


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[Randy J.]

Byron, I think what you asked was what you should expect to pay for a rewire. Has anyone told you that you require that much work? It may be quite simple to fix, as some here have suggested. Your place isn't necessarily out to fleece you. Our own RV place is pretty honest. The way they see it, they want to keep your business. And if you are suspicious, most garages are as capable at troubleshooting the kind of directional/running light problem you are talking about.

I worked in electronics for much of my life and so have little difficulty with this sort of thing. But if you lack experience, you can get a little gadget that fits on your car's trailer plug with LEDs that will allow you to check out the car wiring, just by plugging it in. And your automotive store will sell you a small LED tester that you can check for power with elsewhere. You may have to run a ground wire to it. If you don't have a wiring diagram of your trailer, there are universal ones online that are pretty close for the directional and running lights at least. Once your RV place has the lights working correctly, I'd suggest you do some checks yourself with your tools to discover how it tests when working right -for next time.

[Kai in Seattle]

Originally Posted by LiseKen

Lee I like that idea. My last (and first) trip was delayed for hours once we were all packed and hitched up because of a loose wire in the 7 pin. Got it all reassembled but the troubleshooting caused the delay. Rolled into the campground at dusk, just as the ranger was licking the gate. Phew!


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THAT would have been interesting to watch! Our rangers almost NEVER lick the gates while we're watching!



(Just kidding--understand your concern!)



Other question--Paul said perhaps a fuse was blown? Also, so far, no one knows how much it should cost? Neither do we. More than we'd like to pay, that's for sure. Feel for you!

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Randy J.

Byron, I think what you asked was what you should expect to pay for a rewire. Has anyone told you that you require that much work? It may be quite simple to fix, as some here have suggested. Your place isn't necessarily out to fleece you. Our own RV place is pretty honest. The way they see it, they want to keep your business. And if you are suspicious, most garages are as capable at troubleshooting the kind of directional/running light problem you are talking about.

I worked in electronics for much of my life and so have little difficulty with this sort of thing. But if you lack experience, you can get a little gadget that fits on your car's trailer plug with LEDs that will allow you to check out the car wiring, just by plugging it in. And your automotive store will sell you a small LED tester that you can check for power with elsewhere. You may have to run a ground wire to it. If you don't have a wiring diagram of your trailer, there are universal ones online that are pretty close for the directional and running lights at least. Once your RV place has the lights working correctly, I'd suggest you do some checks yourself with your tools to discover how it tests when working right -for next time.

Randy, I'm a retired Electronics Engineer and I know that many times a shop or garage will quote a lot more work than is necessary. They may quote the right amount for the work being done, but do a lot of unnecessary work.
If you're as knowledgeable as you claim it should be a simple matter to trouble shoot and fix what ever is causing the problem. But, do as you wish, it's your money.

[crowwing]

Problem fixed! They did a good job of scaring me with their estimates and 'might be'. It took them the entire day and found a blown fuse in the cabin of the jeep. They missed it on the first go through. Charged me $98.00, I think that is OK. Once again thanks for all your help. I will also watch for the MN park rangers licking the gates, maybe a video?
John

[polskasila]

Originally Posted by crowwing

Problem fixed! They did a good job of scaring me with their estimates and 'might be'. It took them the entire day and found a blown fuse in the cabin of the jeep. They missed it on the first go through. Charged me $98.00, I think that is OK. Once again thanks for all your help. I will also watch for the MN park rangers licking the gates, maybe a video?
John

A $98 to replace a fuse is incredible! That would have been the very first item and easiest to check! There was no sense checking anything after the no power point of the dead fuse! Don't go back there, an expensive lesson!

[LiseKen]

Typo, I meant locking the gates😝--the park closed at dusk!

Glad u got the problem solved--happy camping.


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[Raz]

Why did the fuse blow?

[CampyTime]

First thing and easiest to check is a fuse. $98 to pull old fuse out, see that it's blown and pop a new one in is outrageous. And if it took them all day to figure out that they should look at the fuses again, I would caution You to consider going elsewhere.

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[Phoneman]

Glad you got it fixed.

However, I can't think of a magic fuse in the cab of your jeep that would cause brake lights and tail lights to stop working on your RV, while side marker lights still work.
One thing I would do is get them to show you where this fuse is, pull it out and see if this really puts your trailer back into the same trouble.If it does then get a few spare fuses because you will most likely need to replace it again. Fuses usually don't just fail, somewhere you most likely have a short in the wiring and it can be a real hard thing to find. Might only short out when the RV is bumped or twisted just the right way. If the short is gone when you take it into the shop they won't be able to find it. If this was my trailer I would get a meter and test out the wiring right now while it is fixed. Then when it fails again (and it will) retest your wiring again. Even if you can't fix it yourself, when you take it in, they will have a starting point to work from.

[crowwing]

I think what happened to blow the fuse was when trying to pug the seven blade connector to the Jeep one of the blades bent over and made contact probably where it shouldn't have. The tech showed me the fuse that he said was the issue, it was marked as for something not even related to trailers or towing. It is Mopar so maybe? I agree the charge sounds crazy but to me, a child of the sixties, many charges are nuts. They charge $98.00 per hour for labor, they claimed they worked on for two to three hours. I sure appreciate all the knowledge coming from this group.
John

[crowwing]

Plug not pug, locked not licked!
John