My 1998 16' Scamp's upper tail lights are acting weird. The lower lights come on with the brakes and turn signals as expected, but the upper lights are delayed about 5-10 seconds on braking, and not at all with the turn signals.
I replaced all the bulbs in the camper with LED's and the running lights worked great upon installation, but now a week later they don't. I replaced the running lights with the old incandescent bulbs and they work again.
I suspect the delayed brake light issue is caused by the trailer brake controller in my vehicle, but would like to hear any theories that might explain what's happening. No idea why the running lights would die so quickly. I even tested with another LED that had not been installed yet with the same result.
Sounds like a grounding problem or contact oxidation (from your trailer plug and on up etc) but of course I'm just guessing here. Try disconnecting the camper from your tow vehicle and plug in an light tester in your tow vehicle trailer receptacle (for trailer connection). You can get them just about anywhere, even Walmart. After doing that, now try your lights etc and see how the tester responds. If that works ok, then use your camper battery and connect up the correct pins on your Camper Plug and see how the camper lights respond.
I agree with SCOT1234. Sounds to me like a ground issue. I suspect your tow vehicles ground connection. The problem is that the more lights, or other load on a circuit the more critical the ground is. That is, the ground may be good enough to light the test light but not good enough to light all the trailer lights. A good test for a bad ground is this:Turn on the running lights and make sure they all work. With someone watching step on the brakes. If ANY of the lights that WERE on dim or go out you have a bad ground. Keep in mind that your electric trailer brakes put a much heavier load on the ground circuit than just the lights alone.
Other issues: There are lots of bad quality LEDs out there. Also many LEDs are polarity sensitive.
Some of the new vehicles have computers that know how many lights (amp draw) in a circuit and do funny things if that draw changes.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
It sounds to me like you have a wiring issue between the two sets of lights (could be ground or positive wire).
Here is what I suspect, based on careful reading of your description.
Somehow, the second set of tail lights are getting their power (or grounding) through the other set of lights AND, the first set of lights are not transferring the connection (or connections) the same way as the incandescent bulbs do, consequently, your second set of lights are not working properly.
Here is what I would do...
Find the wires that are feeding the first set of lights and splice directly into them to feed the second set of lights. In other words, create a "Y" in the wires coming from the tow vehicle and feed both sets of lights directly from the tow vehicle and not through any wires that go into the first set of tail lights and then onto the second set of lights. Do this with all wires including the ground wires.
Good luck and let us know what the problem actually was.
As Always,
Happy Scamping !!!
Thank you all for the replies; will give me something to think and work on in the next week.
Still learning how this works. Just trying to acknowledge all the help offered here. Your responses are helpful, thank you all.
Just for Grins... Put dielectric grease on all contacts starting with the trailer plug to the light bulbs... I personally use white lithium grease that is non-conductive. Sometimes dirty, dry contacts etc can cause intermittent contact...
Read this: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicone_grease
Are you sure non-conductive grease should be applied to an electrical contact? I could see it being used to seal moisture out; around contacts. Putting it on contacts would make the contact less conductive, no?
Absolutely sure! It does NOT make the contacts less conductive as long as they actually TOUCH/CONTACT each other. Do a search on the internet as to putting Dielectric grease on automotive etc DC voltage contacts. Also check out these links: Click here and Click here...
Since your kind of a newbie at this, make sure the tube/container of Dielectric grease says its for use on electrical connectors, bulbs etc as seen on the links... Everyone is responsible for their own actions... So if your not sure about something, check with a professional and confirm before working on a project.
Another example:
Not going to buy one... yet, but going to try hooking up my other vehicle to see how the lights behave then. Will report back.
Tried a secondary TV and the results are different. The parking lights and upper tail lights don't come on at all. The primary tow vehicle has a brake controller and the secondary one does not. I'll try the dielectric grease and report back.
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