No power to the 12v marker lights

[commodor47]

Originally Posted by coralcruze

Do you know where the green marker light wires go after they exit the refrigerator area? And is there two green wires splitting off the bargman? One for the front shell and one for the rear? They have to be going up the side arms but from there how does the wire get to the back and front of the shells?

Lastly I may have to rewire the front markers completely because I had to tug on the wires pretty good to make a connection. I don't see a ground anywhere in the front and did check the TM wiring diagram that indicates there is one someplace. I just can't find it and there is sheet metal in front of those wires in those front cabinets. What a pain in the tuhus.

Your first assumption regarding the green wires is correct. There are two separate green wires going from the bottom refrigerator area, one each up the rectangular white tubes supporting the shells. The green wires are located inside the black sheathing.

The electrical diagrams that came with my TM show the green wire travels down the inside center of the front shell ceiling, tucked inside the wire track. The track cover is easily removed to access the green, black and white wires. Be aware that re-installing the wire track cover is a challenge as the wires tend to cross. Best to tackle that job with an assistant. The same front shell wiring diagram shows the location of the ground, and as you guessed, it is indeed hidden behind a piece of sheet metal. I haven't investigated how to remove that piece in order to access the wires and the ground.

My rear shell electrical diagram indicates the green wire runs inside, along the top corner of the curb side wall, where the wall meets the roof. You will see a piece of white concave molding in that location. All the wires heading to the running and tail lights should be located behind that molding. I have not removed that molding to verify the wires are indeed there. I assume that since the front shell electrical diagram is accurate, so should the rear shell diagram be. Of note is the statement that all running and tail lights are each grounded to the outside shell skin. I have removed the front shell ceiling/wall corner molding when chasing down a water leak and can tell you it is not easy to remove.

Suggestion - locate the two green wires in the bottom refrigerator cavity and disconnect one at a time, then test for voltage. Mine are connected with blue bullet type connectors. The end of the green wire closest to the floor is what goes up the white, rectangular shell support arms. The other end should be coming from the bargman wire bundle. I have no idea where or how the single green wire in the bargman bundle converts to two green wires. Perhaps it takes place in the back of the power supply? You could also run a test wire from the TV plug directly to the green wire going through the refrigerator floor as a check for each shell running lights.

I've attached several thumbnails that should help.

Dick

[coralcruze]

Originally Posted by commodor47

Your first assumption regarding the green wires is correct. There are two separate green wires going from the bottom refrigerator area, one each up the rectangular white tubes supporting the shells. The green wires are located inside the black sheathing.

The electrical diagrams that came with my TM show the green wire travels down the inside center of the front shell ceiling, tucked inside the wire track. The track cover is easily removed to access the green, black and white wires. Be aware that re-installing the wire track cover is a challenge as the wires tend to cross. Best to tackle that job with an assistant. The same front shell wiring diagram shows the location of the ground, and as you guessed, it is indeed hidden behind a piece of sheet metal. I haven't investigated how to remove that piece in order to access the wires and the ground.

My rear shell electrical diagram indicates the green wire runs inside, along the top corner of the curb side wall, where the wall meets the roof. You will see a piece of white concave molding in that location. All the wires heading to the running and tail lights should be located behind that molding. I have not removed that molding to verify the wires are indeed there. I assume that since the front shell electrical diagram is accurate, so should the rear shell diagram be. Of note is the statement that all running and tail lights are each grounded to the outside shell skin. I have removed the front shell ceiling/wall corner molding when chasing down a water leak and can tell you it is not easy to remove.

Suggestion - locate the two green wires in the bottom refrigerator cavity and disconnect one at a time, then test for voltage. Mine are connected with blue bullet type connectors. The end of the green wire closest to the floor is what goes up the white, rectangular shell support arms. The other end should be coming from the bargman wire bundle. I have no idea where or how the single green wire in the bargman bundle converts to two green wires. Perhaps it takes place in the back of the power supply? You could also run a test wire from the TV plug directly to the green wire going through the refrigerator floor as a check for each shell running lights.

I've attached several thumbnails that should help.

Dick

You sir are the man... thank you so much this answers my questions 100%. Now it's time to get to work and chase this little devil down. Can't thank you enough for this. Wish me luck... May take me a few weeks but will report back when I find this monster.

[coralcruze]

Yesterday hooked up my new LED rear break lights. Stop and turn signals work perfectly but reverse light does not come on. Does anyone know if the green wire splits off to the break lights from those marker lights above? Those are not working so thinking this may be the same issue? Or is it new?

[Bill]

I'm not quite sure what you are asking. "Does the backup light wire (or brake light wire) wire split off from the marker lights?" That question makes no sense to me, so I'm misunderstanding what you are thinking. Maybe the following will help - or maybe not. Hope so.

From the TM's Bargman 7-pin connector, there are 7 wires in the big round black cord that goes to the area in back of the refrigerator. These 7 wires perform the following 7 functions, and they are independent of each other. No sneaky cross connections. (By the way, the numbers in this list do not correspond to the positions in the Bargman connector.)
1. The wire to the running lights comes into the TM behind the refrig on a single wire.
2. The wire to the left turn and left brake light comes into the TM on a single wire.
3. The wire to the right turn and right brake light comes into the TM on a different single wire.
4. The wire to the backup light comes into the TM on a single wire.
5, 6, 7: The other three incoming wires carry electric brakes, 12-volt supply, and ground.

You seem to be having trouble with running lights (number 1 above). If wires #1 and #7 are properly connected within the TM, none of the others should be involved. Don't allow them to confuse things. Sorry if I have misunderstood the question.

I don't think you have yet told us if +12VDC is present at any of the non-functioning running light fixtures. With the running lights switched on in the truck, you can start by checking for +12VDC on the incoming running light wire (#1 above) behind the refrig. If voltage is not present there, then you have a problem with the Bargman connector, or the big black cord from the Bargman to its end behind the refrig. If you do have voltage there, open up one of the running light fixtures, pop out the bulb, put one voltmeter probe on the center contact of the socket, and the other probe on a KNOWN GOOD GROUND (not the ground in the non-functioning socket). If you find voltage there, then you have a bad ground in the running light circuit. To confirm it, attach a clip lead or other temporary connection from the shell of the running light bulb to a KNOWN GOOD GROUND (not the ground in the non-functioning socket). Do any or all of the running lights come on?

Bill

[coralcruze]

Originally Posted by Bill

I'm not quite sure what you are asking. "Does the backup light wire (or brake light wire) wire split off from the marker lights?" That question makes no sense to me, so I'm misunderstanding what you are thinking. Maybe the following will help - or maybe not. Hope so.

From the TM's Bargman 7-pin connector, there are 7 wires in the big round black cord that goes to the area in back of the refrigerator. These 7 wires perform the following 7 functions, and they are independent of each other. No sneaky cross connections. (By the way, the numbers in this list do not correspond to the positions in the Bargman connector.)
1. The wire to the running lights comes into the TM behind the refrig on a single wire.
2. The wire to the left turn and left brake light comes into the TM on a single wire.
3. The wire to the right turn and right brake light comes into the TM on a different single wire.
4. The wire to the backup light comes into the TM on a single wire.
5, 6, 7: The other three incoming wires carry electric brakes, 12-volt supply, and ground.

You seem to be having trouble with running lights (number 1 above). If wires #1 and #7 are properly connected within the TM, none of the others should be involved. Don't allow them to confuse things. Sorry if I have misunderstood the question.

I don't think you have yet told us if +12VDC is present at any of the non-functioning running light fixtures. With the running lights switched on in the truck, you can start by checking for +12VDC on the incoming running light wire (#1 above) behind the refrig. If voltage is not present there, then you have a problem with the Bargman connector, or the big black cord from the Bargman to its end behind the refrig. If you do have voltage there, open up one of the running light fixtures, pop out the bulb, put one voltmeter probe on the center contact of the socket, and the other probe on a KNOWN GOOD GROUND (not the ground in the non-functioning socket). If you find voltage there, then you have a bad ground in the running light circuit. To confirm it, attach a clip lead or other temporary connection from the shell of the running light bulb to a KNOWN GOOD GROUND (not the ground in the non-functioning socket). Do any or all of the running lights come on?

Bill

Hey Bill sorry for the confusion. Since I have green wire at the break light i was wondering if that wire was off the same cuircuit that the marker lights are on simce they too have a green wire.

I installed the new bargman chord today and ran it to the ref area and all of the running lights now come on. So something was up with the bargman wire itself.

However I am still seeing one issue... the reverse light will not come on. I believe the yellow wire is the reverse light. But either I made the wrong connection from the bargman wire to the back of the ref. Or wrong connection to the break light. Could also be a short someplace I guess also. Everything else at the break lights works. Left and right turn signal... stop light... hazards blink. Running lights all good now. Just the darn reverse light. I did bench test the reverse light and it does come on but not when hooked upto the TM.

[Shane826]

There is no brake light wire. Brake lights feed off the turn signal circuits, just turns them both on at the same time. Right is brown, left is red. Reverse is yellow. See the diagram below.

[Bill]

The backup (reverse) light wire, assumed to be yellow behind therefrig, has no other function, and therefore there should be nothing else connected to that wire, either behind the refrig or anywhere in the wires running up the lift arm and coming out through the back wall of the trailer. (If your backup light is part of the same fixture that holds the license plate, this is where it will come out.) If you find any other connection to that wire, something is miswired.

So I will ask you again. Be methodical. Behind the refrig, do you find 12VDC on the end of that yellow wire when the truck is shifted into reverse? If not, go to the truck half of the Bargman and look for power on that center pin. If no power in either place, there is no point in looking for problems in the TM or in attaching a light to a dead wire.

If you find power at the truck half of the Bargman, but not at the end of the wire behind the refrig, then the problem is still in the Bargman or the new cable.

If you have power at the end of the wire behind the refrig, then it is time to look for power at the end of the final length of wire where it comes out near the license plate light.

I will ask a question that I should have asked long ago, but just thought of. Sorry. Have you sprayed electrical contact cleaner into both halves of the Bargman, then plugged and unplugged it several times while it is wet? These connectors are subject to corrosion from road grime, salt, and just plain wear, and a corroded connector may not make good contact. I would hate to think that everything you have gone through is due to a grubby connector, but it happens. I suggest that you buy a can of contact cleaner and use it. De-Oxit is the pro-grade stuff used in critical electronics work, but it tends to be expensive. For this application, a less expensive can of contact cleaner would probably do the job. And no, don't use WD-40.

Good luck.

Bill

[Kidkraz]

What is your tow vehicle? I ask, because I lost my marker lights the morning of taking my TM in for maintenance. I assumed it was the TM, but the lads at Custom RV discovered one of the fuses on my 2016 1500 Ram was blown. It's an odd/new version, so they didn't have a replacement to give me. We ended up swapping the backup light fuse with the blown one to get me home.
I was surprised to find it was the truck and not the camper, but it was cheaper and easier to fix the issue.

[coralcruze]

Originally Posted by Bill

The backup (reverse) light wire, assumed to be yellow behind therefrig, has no other function, and therefore there should be nothing else connected to that wire, either behind the refrig or anywhere in the wires running up the lift arm and coming out through the back wall of the trailer. (If your backup light is part of the same fixture that holds the license plate, this is where it will come out.) If you find any other connection to that wire, something is miswired.

So I will ask you again. Be methodical. Behind the refrig, do you find 12VDC on the end of that yellow wire when the truck is shifted into reverse? If not, go to the truck half of the Bargman and look for power on that center pin. If no power in either place, there is no point in looking for problems in the TM or in attaching a light to a dead wire.

If you find power at the truck half of the Bargman, but not at the end of the wire behind the refrig, then the problem is still in the Bargman or the new cable.

If you have power at the end of the wire behind the refrig, then it is time to look for power at the end of the final length of wire where it comes out near the license plate light.

I will ask a question that I should have asked long ago, but just thought of. Sorry. Have you sprayed electrical contact cleaner into both halves of the Bargman, then plugged and unplugged it several times while it is wet? These connectors are subject to corrosion from road grime, salt, and just plain wear, and a corroded connector may not make good contact. I would hate to think that everything you have gone through is due to a grubby connector, but it happens. I suggest that you buy a can of contact cleaner and use it. De-Oxit is the pro-grade stuff used in critical electronics work, but it tends to be expensive. For this application, a less expensive can of contact cleaner would probably do the job. And no, don't use WD-40.

Good luck.

Bill

Bill, thank you sir for the reminder to be methodical. I got back into the trenches and got no voltage on the yellow wire at the ref. so worked back and sure enough no voltage to at the tow vehicle either. Tested the toe vehicle reverse light and that comes on. So have to assume the wire that Uhaul connected to this reverse light is the trouble. have to follow the yellow wire and trace it to its connection but haven't had the time to do so. I will also do some maintenance at those quick connects at the back of the ref. as well with contact cleaner. I know the reverse light works at the tail light though when bench tested.

[1mcurtis]

Had same issue on my 3326. Found bad butt connections on the ODS where the wires come down by the arms.