13' Scamp - Left turn signal and brake light - Fiberglass RV
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Old 07-22-2007, 02:02 PM   #1
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Hello

We are trying to get our little camper road ready. All lights work with the exception of the left turn signal/brake light.
Can someone help us out with the troubleshootin , I have some eletrical experience.

Thanks!
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Old 07-22-2007, 02:50 PM   #2
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We sometimes animatedly discuss whether the white wire is called ground, return or negative on trailer wiring, but 99.44% of exterior light problems on trailers turn out to be that wire, or lack of it's proper connection.

First thing to try, of course, is a new bulb. Also clean the contacts. Then run a wire from a good ground on the tow vehicle to the white wire at the fixture to see if things change.
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Old 07-22-2007, 03:45 PM   #3
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We sometimes animatedly discuss whether the white wire is called ground, return or negative on trailer wiring, but 99.44% of exterior light problems on trailers turn out to be that wire, or lack of it's proper connection.

First thing to try, of course, is a new bulb. Also clean the contacts. Then run a wire from a good ground on the tow vehicle to the white wire at the fixture to see if things change.

Thanks for the tips! I changed the bulb but did not clean the contacts.
I know the white wire you refer to, we'll give a try!
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Old 07-22-2007, 06:01 PM   #4
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Another simple test is when you turn the left blinker on have someone stand in the back and you jiggle the trailer connection plug up and down........ sometimes they lose connection from being worn and if that's it just spray some wd-40 in there or clean it with emery cloth.....Had many times someone would come in the shop and say a blinker wasn't working and that would do the trick.........
or go in the back with a test light and check it that way....
hope one of these quick cures work for you.
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Old 07-22-2007, 10:48 PM   #5
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Funny, we just had that exact same problem with the 13' Scamp we bought, except that we knew the lights worked with the previous owner's tow vehicle (we had him demonstrate)... we thought some wires were hooked up funny going from the trailer into the hitch plug and so my husband rewired it, but it turned out that the converter box inside the left turn signal of our tow vehicle had gone out. A simple lightbulb tester to see if there was voltage coming out of each pin the vehicle side of the wiring at the appropriate times (turn signal engaged, etc.) would have saved us a few hours of troubleshooting.
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Old 07-22-2007, 11:06 PM   #6
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All lights work with the exception of the left turn signal/brake light.
Just make only Right turns...You'll get there eventualy...
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Old 07-23-2007, 08:51 AM   #7
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I know the bulb and receptacle are keyed so you shouldn’t B able to put the bulb in wrong however we clever mortals have been able to do just that when not paying attention to the high and low studs on the bulb so make sure U are putting it in correct.

Here is what I do to clean the contacts of the receptacle: I take a pencil that has a soft rubber eraser on the other end. I put the pencil in a drill with the eraser on the other end and put it in the receptacle and run the drill. It cleans the contacts really good. Yes, U may ruin the eraser end however because you never make a mistake writing U don’t need that end anyway.

Then try the bulb. If it now works take it out and coat the receptacle and contacts with dielectric grease, coat the bulb brass and contacts with the grease and insert. If it still works then U have good electrical contact and the grease will prevent it from corroding again.
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Old 07-23-2007, 08:55 AM   #8
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I had the same thing happen to me on the road. Long story short it was a blown fuse inside my car.
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