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Old 04-23-2022, 01:22 PM   #1
coralcruze
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Default Running lights and reverse lights won't come on.

I am having some electrical issues. On my last trip I noticed some weird electrical issues.

The running lights on the back half work fine but none of the running lights on the front half work. Also the two side lights won't work even though I turn the switch on from the inside. Then on the back half the reverse lights won't come on when in reverse.

I thought it might be a fuse out... but I checked the main fuse pannel in the TM and all are fine there. I also checked the main fuse in the battery box on the tounge and that 30 Amp main fuse it fine also. Am out of ideas to where the issue might be?

Any ideas what is causing those issue?
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Old 04-23-2022, 01:33 PM   #2
Bill
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All of the lights you mention are powered by the tow vehicle, not the TM, so checking the TMs fuse box won't get you anywhere. Instead, you should start with the tow vehicle's fuse box. I doubt that you will find anything there, but it is an easy check.

Backup lights? For a short time, the South Dakota factory didn't run the backup light wire from its end behind the refrigerator to the backup lights. On mine, the taillight fixtures don't even have the white panels that the backup lights are supposed to shine through. Does your TM have the white panels on the tail light fixtures?

The fact that the running lights come on in the back shell, but not on the front shell, says that the tow vehicle's power is getting though the Bargman 7-pin connector and into the TM, which is good. I think that the two strings of running lights (front and back shells) have different grounds, so if the lights in the front shell won't come on. it is quite possibly an open ground in the front string. Do you have your blue binder? It contains a diagram showing where the wires and the grounds are located.

The outside lights also get their grounds through the separate grounding scheme mentioned above, so the fact that the front running lights and the front sidelights are both disabled again suggests a bad ground in the front shell. The sidelights also have their own switches in the fixture, in addition to the indoor switch. Have you confirmed that both are on?

Bill
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Old 04-23-2022, 02:09 PM   #3
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CoralCruze -

Take a look at page 41 and 42 of the owner's manual posted here.
https://www.trailmanorowners.com/for...3&d=1528290152
You will see the separated grounds for the strings on the front and rear shells.

I can't guarantee that nothing has changed since this manual was published, but since I don't know the year of your TM (why don't you add it to your signature?) it is a good starting point.

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Old 04-23-2022, 02:18 PM   #4
coralcruze
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill View Post
All of the lights you mention are powered by the tow vehicle, not the TM, so checking the TMs fuse box won't get you anywhere. Instead, you should start with the tow vehicle's fuse box. I doubt that you will find anything there, but it is an easy check.

Backup lights? For a short time, the South Dakota factory didn't run the backup light wire from its end behind the refrigerator to the backup lights. On mine, the taillight fixtures don't even have the white panels that the backup lights are supposed to shine through. Does your TM have the white panels on the tail light fixtures?

The fact that the running lights come on in the back shell, but not on the front shell, says that the tow vehicle's power is getting though the Bargman 7-pin connector and into the TM, which is good. I think that the two strings of running lights (front and back shells) have different grounds, so if the lights in the front shell won't come on. it is quite possibly an open ground in the front string. Do you have your blue binder? It contains a diagram showing where the wires and the grounds are located.

The outside lights also get their grounds through the separate grounding scheme mentioned above, so the fact that the front running lights and the front sidelights are both disabled again suggests a bad ground in the front shell. The sidelights also have their own switches in the fixture, in addition to the indoor switch. Have you confirmed that both are on?

Bill
Hey bill..Bill... thanks for your reply. I did take a multimeter to the barman 7 way and verified that I am getting 11.37V for the accessory lights out of the Bergman. That's why I am thinking it's something on the TM.

Yes, I do have clear lense on the rear break lights and know those used to work when going in reverse...

I will have to check in my blue binder for ground location
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Old 04-23-2022, 02:20 PM   #5
coralcruze
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill View Post
CoralCruze -

Take a look at page 41 and 42 of the owner's manual posted here.
https://www.trailmanorowners.com/for...3&d=1528290152
You will see the separated grounds for the strings on the front and rear shells.

I can't guarantee that nothing has changed since this manual was published, but since I don't know the year of your TM (why don't you add it to your signature?) it is a good starting point.

Bill
Thanks for this information... I own a 2005 2720 TM. I will add that in the sig.
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Old 04-23-2022, 03:24 PM   #6
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Regarding the ground point that I think may be broken in the front shell wiring. I'm not sure how easy it is to reach that intended ground connection, but you can run a check by opening up any one of the running light fixtures on the front shell, and running a temporary ground wire from the shell of the bulb socket to a known good ground. The edge of the jagged hole in the aluminum skin under the fixture is usually a good bet for a known good ground, and is easy to get to.

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Old 04-23-2022, 04:10 PM   #7
coralcruze
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Regarding the ground point that I think may be broken in the front shell wiring. I'm not sure how easy it is to reach that intended ground connection, but you can run a check by opening up any one of the running light fixtures on the front shell, and running a temporary ground wire from the shell of the bulb socket to a known good ground. The edge of the jagged hole in the aluminum skin under the fixture is usually a good bet for a known good ground, and is easy to get to.

Bill
Excellent idea... I pulled my blue book and they state the ground is somewhere between the two under cabinet lights in the front cap INSIDE someplace. I will investigate this closely because I haven't noticed any ground wire there. The other possibility is the light over by the door is also out. That too is noted as ground and this light is shown to be split to those running lights. I have gotten water inside that fixture b4 so may need to revisit that one as well.
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