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Old 04-24-2020, 10:37 AM   #41
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Name: bob
Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
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[QUOTE=Radar1;775671]This probably won't fix your lighting problems but I got tired of that rats nest of taped and scotch-locked wires in the front of the Scamp and installed a box for better connections like this one.

I've used those junction boxes but found they are not weatherproof even though they appear to be. Another issue came up when I was trying to fix the problem of the marker lights faintly blinking with a turn signal on. This is a typical bad ground problem that I finally found to be between the tail light bulb and it's socket. The sockets in the tail lights had good connection to the system ground but the bulbs were loose in the sockets. I have a bulb socket brush, cleaned the sockets and bent them in a little at the pin slot to hold the bulb tighter. Problem solved!
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Old 04-26-2020, 12:03 PM   #42
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Just an update for you all. I spent all day yesterday mapping out my white ground wire, all the way from 7-pin plug until I lost it at the door to the Scamp. I used my meter to test continuity from one connection point to the next. Along the way, I found several sketchy connection points, where 3-4 wires were connected via a screw cap. I also found what I thought was the problem! The PO had a 12v light installed under the cabinets above the fridge. The actual light unit has a ground, but the power switch to the light is separate from the unit. This switch also had a ground wire...although it was unattached from the connection to the main white ground wire. I excitedly attached it and plugged into my truck to test....the turn signals still aren't right. Dang, I thought I had it. I'm going to step back for a little, wait for my heat shrink multi-wire connectors to come in, order LED tail lights, and come back to it once everything arrives.
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Old 04-29-2020, 10:13 AM   #43
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I dont think anybody has mentioned a "TAIL LIGHT CONVERTER" which may be necessary on your TOW vehicle. Let me ask you a question and this will help determine if it needs one or not. (IF this has been approached...sorry...I couldnt read every post).

On your Tow (TV), when you hit the brakes, you will see BOTH brake lights come on...obviously. What happens when you turn on the signal? Does the SAME light (Brake) light light up OR does an "Amber" (SEPARATE) bulb light up????? This is VERY important to know before going any further.

IF they're separate, you will have to install a "Tail light converter" on your vehicle or the signals will ALWAYS flash both lights on the trailer!!

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Originally Posted by brettrae View Post
Just an update for you all. I spent all day yesterday mapping out my white ground wire, all the way from 7-pin plug until I lost it at the door to the Scamp. I used my meter to test continuity from one connection point to the next. Along the way, I found several sketchy connection points, where 3-4 wires were connected via a screw cap. I also found what I thought was the problem! The PO had a 12v light installed under the cabinets above the fridge. The actual light unit has a ground, but the power switch to the light is separate from the unit. This switch also had a ground wire...although it was unattached from the connection to the main white ground wire. I excitedly attached it and plugged into my truck to test....the turn signals still aren't right. Dang, I thought I had it. I'm going to step back for a little, wait for my heat shrink multi-wire connectors to come in, order LED tail lights, and come back to it once everything arrives.
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Old 04-29-2020, 12:45 PM   #44
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Tail light converter

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Originally Posted by Darral T. View Post

IF they're separate, you will have to install a "Tail light converter" on your vehicle or the signals will ALWAYS flash both lights on the trailer!!
This is why you need to divide and conquer. Trouble shoot the trailer first from the 7-pin connector on the RV by jumping the 12 volts to the light circuits and get that working. Then plug into the TV and get that working. I asked above if the tow had ever been hooked to another trailer but he has not answered yet. But if you troubleshoot both at the same time you will never get it correct. IF the tow was factory wired it should be correct, if not they may both be wrong.
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Old 04-29-2020, 03:58 PM   #45
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I agree 100%. It's hard to "troubleshoot" when you're not there to zero in on the "details".

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This is why you need to divide and conquer. Trouble shoot the trailer first from the 7-pin connector on the RV by jumping the 12 volts to the light circuits and get that working. Then plug into the TV and get that working. I asked above if the tow had ever been hooked to another trailer but he has not answered yet. But if you troubleshoot both at the same time you will never get it correct. IF the tow was factory wired it should be correct, if not they may both be wrong.
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Old 04-29-2020, 04:08 PM   #46
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Will do. Thanks for the suggestions. The problem is that most of that wiring is located behind the rat fur under the bench. I've already removed the bench but was hesitant to pull back the rat fur and insulation...will I be able to place all of that back once I'm done?

If you have to do that you can use a spray adhesive to put it back if you have to. But yeah last resort. I have needed to do that a few times especially since I also have added a bunch to the wiring. I have actually added a lot to my wiring. I always solder my connections. And I also use rescue tape, https://www.amazon.com/Rescue-Tape/dp/B01IZVHZJY to cover the splice.


I would start with finding out what is running where. That looks like a jury rigged repair. So I bet that the wire runs somewhere "interesting" already. I would try and trace it. And at least on my scamp the wiring for the tail lights is not behind "ratfur" it is actually in one of the storage bays and is easy to get to or as easy as anything on an RV. I have had my storage bays out to work on things several times.
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Old 04-29-2020, 04:09 PM   #47
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They do make a plug for the rv seven trainer connector on a TV. m They are worth their weight in gold in tracing problems.
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Old 04-30-2020, 01:49 PM   #48
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I ran into a brain-burner similar to one of the probs the op's having. I hooked up my trailer and the left signal/brake lights didnt work but they were working on my Nissan Frontier.

I have a "Tekonsha" tester that plugs into my 7-pin on my tow and everything was working...the LED blinking for Left Sig and both LEDS came on for brakes...hmm... Trailer?

FORTUNATELY, I had this "trailer lights TESTER" I had built and tried it. My LEFT signal/brake light was WORKING on the trailer! As I mentioned in an earlier post- to make a long story short- I found it to be the "Taillight Converter" called a "HOPPY" I had put on the truck back in '08. It had gone bad....BUT, keep in mind, the Tekonsha tester still blinked!! The TL converter is made up of "Diodes" and they'd obviously became defective thus allowing voltage through enough to light the Tek tester but couldnt allow amperage through enough to light up even a single 12v "bright" incandescent bulb used for brake/sig.! (Not sure if it would have burned an LED replacement in the fixture.)

I posted my tester on this sight for anyone that would like to look at it. It was a fun project and I wish I was there to help this OP try it on his!

https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...tml#post776322

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They do make a plug for the rv seven trainer connector on a TV. m They are worth their weight in gold in tracing problems.
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Old 04-30-2020, 03:42 PM   #49
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Originally Posted by Darral T. View Post
I ran into a brain-burner similar to one of the probs the op's having. I hooked up my trailer and the left signal/brake lights didnt work but they were working on my Nissan Frontier.

I have a "Tekonsha" tester that plugs into my 7-pin on my tow and everything was working...the LED blinking for Left Sig and both LEDS came on for brakes...hmm... Trailer?

FORTUNATELY, I had this "trailer lights TESTER" I had built and tried it. My LEFT signal/brake light was WORKING on the trailer! As I mentioned in an earlier post- to make a long story short- I found it to be the "Taillight Converter" called a "HOPPY" I had put on the truck back in '08. It had gone bad....BUT, keep in mind, the Tekonsha tester still blinked!! The TL converter is made up of "Diodes" and they'd obviously became defective thus allowing voltage through enough to light the Tek tester but couldnt allow amperage through enough to light up even a single 12v "bright" incandescent bulb used for brake/sig.! (Not sure if it would have burned an LED replacement in the fixture.)

I posted my tester on this sight for anyone that would like to look at it. It was a fun project and I wish I was there to help this OP try it on his!

https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...tml#post776322

Yeah that definately can be a problem. But I have found that mine have been solid failures.
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Old 04-30-2020, 03:48 PM   #50
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my test box

OK I built a test box in a plastic "ammo box". It has a rv7 socket on one end and then switches on the other end. I also has a couple lights on what would be the front if hung on teh front jack.

This is wired so that it used the power from the DC line to power it. That us pin 4 that is normally used to charge the battery off of the TV. You can feed back to the box just as easy. Then the switches let you turn the lines to check the lights on. And the running lights switch will then power the light on the front of the box.

This allows me to check the lights before I am ready to roll out without hooking the TV up to it. It also then when I am parked lets me have my running lights on and a light on the front of the camper. OK I camp places that people don.t normally expect me to be camping. So that keeps them from running into be or causing other problems.
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Old 04-30-2020, 11:04 PM   #51
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We had tail lights doing crazy unexpected things and after removing fixtures, checking grounds, cleaning sockets, I finally zeroed in on the trailer 7 pin plug itself. Corrosion inside had intermittently connected some circuits. Replaced plug, all gremlins went away. Good luck.
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Old 05-01-2020, 05:54 AM   #52
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Originally Posted by Deadhead517 View Post
We had tail lights doing crazy unexpected things and after removing fixtures, checking grounds, cleaning sockets, I finally zeroed in on the trailer 7 pin plug itself. Corrosion inside had intermittently connected some circuits. Replaced plug, all gremlins went away. Good luck.

There is a spray called deoxit that I use on my connector every time that I leave on a trip. That helps with this A LOT


https://www.amazon.com/CAIG-DeOxit-C.../dp/B07YZPB8RV

Of coruse protecting the rv side of the plug when it is parked also helps.
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Old 05-01-2020, 07:41 AM   #53
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quote: OK I built a test box in a plastic "ammo box".

I'd like to see it. I still wish the OP had a device like ours to check his trailer lights independently of the Tow. There's just TOO many "pieces" that can go wrong on either vehicle. The most frustrating part to mine was, my professional tester I bought showed my truck's 7-pin socket was working FINE! When I "hot wired" a 12v bulb to the left sig. it wouldnt burn it. (the "amperage" issue).
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Old 05-01-2020, 08:48 AM   #54
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Trailer: 2000 Scamp 19'
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SUCCESS!! Just solved my first electrical problem ever thanks to you all! I ordered new LED taillights from Scamp and replaced the old taillights with them yesterday. I originally installed them according to the wiring diagram in the manual and all of the lights were still messed up. I then switched the wires around until I finally figured out the magic combination and it worked!! Everything works as it's supposed to now! So apparently some of the wires just got mixed up by the PO (probably in the plug, as was mentioned on here).

Now, all I have to do is go through and shore up all of the Scotch Guard connections. I wanted to use heat shrink multi-wire connectors, but they were so expensive for the number that I need, so I'm planning on splicing into the existing wire and threading the splice through a gap in the wire (see here: https://youtu.be/D4b_gSciGIg). I'll then insulate it all with some liquid electrical tape and vinyl tape. I know this isn't as good as heat shrink, but I think it should still be pretty solid. Any thoughts on this? And THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for all of your input and ideas. It really helped me, a newbie, work through my first electrical problem. Hopefully this will also help others. Thanks!
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Old 05-01-2020, 09:38 AM   #55
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Super! It's "fun" AFTER you have worked on something and finally get it working yourself. Plus, the "experience" you learn is invaluable. I literally HATE the thought of me having to let someone else troubleshoot a problem for me.

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SUCCESS!! Just solved my first electrical problem ever thanks to you all! ...... Thanks!
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Old 05-01-2020, 11:39 AM   #56
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Having read through these threads, I am even more convinced that there should be some sort of standardization of wiring in the automotive and trailer industry. But that would take cooperation between manufacturers and, globally, the countries involved.

However, I chuckle at the problems that previous owners create. My PO did a real number on my trailer; a circuit didn’t work so a new wire was run; then another. It would have been semi-okay if the new wires were the proper colour but no! It was a true rat’s nest. After going through what was detailed here my solution [made easier by the partial detachment of the elephant’s skin] was to run new wiring of the proper colours and putting in wiring buses to run the appropriate wires to their respective loads. It makes problem solving easier when green “in” is green “out”.
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Old 05-01-2020, 01:16 PM   #57
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Can't convince the US to adopt the metric system, used in the rest of the world, so good luck with wiring.
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Old 05-02-2020, 01:21 PM   #58
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I’ve been around long enough and Canadian enough to have gone through Imperial to Metric, breathed a minor sigh of relief when televisions went from cathode to LCD (however, I fear that even now the “lines per inch” issue has not been solved), Beta vs VHS and the IBM and Apple proprietary exclusions.
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Old 05-02-2020, 10:53 PM   #59
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It sounds to me that your trailer is using the 4 way color code and the truck is wired for a Universal 7 way code.

Here are a couple very good articles on tow wiring:

https://vintagetrailertalk.freeforum...trailer-wiring

https://vintagetrailertalk.freeforum...1/7-tow-wiring

Note that the 7 way diagrams on eTrailer are not correct.

Also, Chevys, Toyota and Fords may use different colors TO the 7 way receptacle but they are wired according to the Universal RV code. Hope this helps.
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Old 05-02-2020, 11:39 PM   #60
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Huhh??

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I’ve been around long enough and Canadian enough to have gone through Imperial to Metric, breathed a minor sigh of relief when televisions went from cathode to LCD (however, I fear that even now the “lines per inch” issue has not been solved), Beta vs VHS and the IBM and Apple proprietary exclusions.
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