Center brake light not working

[Dave Talz]

I have a 2023 TrailManor 2518. The top center light on the back of the camper does not light when the brake lights come on. The running light works in the center light. And the brake lights work in the left and right turn signal lights. This light was working in the past. We only noticed this problem on a recent trip.

The center light is an Optronics, Fusion LED light, model STL264. Using the Optronics website for wiring information, I unscrewed the light to get to the wires and I checked the electric current coming to the light with a voltage meter. There is no current coming to the light for the brake light. The voltage meter shows 12 volts for the running lights when they are on. Since the turn signal brake lights work when braking, and the center running light works, I assume that the wiring is OK from the tow vehicle to the back shell.

The center light is hardwired and there is only about 1 inch of extra wire. The 4 wires go from the light unit into the Styrofoam insulation of the top shell. I cannot determine how the center light wiring joins the wiring in the shell.

Is there a way to get to the wiring for the lights in the shell? Any ideas on how to fix this problem?

 

[Shrimpburrito]

There's a center brake light? My 2000 and 2007 TMs don't have one. Just the 2 brake lights on the side with the tail lights. The 3 center lights are just marker lights that turn on with the headlights. If they came on before with the brake, that seems to indicate a short (unless TM started putting center brake lights on).

Dave

 

[Dave Talz]

We are pretty sure the brake light worked in the past.
Here's a screen shot of the center light on my TM. It mentions the wire colors. The black wire is running lights which works. Red wire is stop. (I don't have the backup light wired to the trailer plug in my tow vehicle.)

 

[Shane826]

It’s not wired as a brake light.

Yes the actual light fixture is designed as a running/brake/turn light, but it would only work as such on one side or the other. There isn’t a signal through the 7 pin connector for just brakes. Your brake light is the same wire as the turn signal on either side. In other words, if they made that into a brake light it would also blink when a turn signal was on. See the diagram below, there’s no circuit for just brakes.

That light also isn’t really correct as a marker light, either. It’s supposed to be three red lights in the middle; the same style light as the red ones on the top corners of the rear wall.

 

[Shane826]

Also, unless they changed it, I don’t think that’s the right light fixture. At least it’s different from mine. It doesn’t have the little reverse light off to the side. The reverse light again shows it would be designed as a tail/stop/turn/reverse light to be used on either side of the rear wall.

Here’s what I believe to be the correct light, unless they are going with something different. My TM didn’t have reverse lights from the factory after the rebuild.

https://optronicsinc.com/PRODUCTS/LEDLighting/LEDStopTurnTail/Products.aspx?SeriesID=591&ProductID=144

 

[Bill]

Yes the actual light fixture is designed as a running/brake/turn light, but it would only work as such on one side or the other. There isn’t a signal through the 7 pin connector for just brakes. Your brake light is the same wire as the turn signal on either side. ... [T]here’s no circuit for just brakes.

Shane, you are exactly right. Optronics describes only one "Turn" light, when in reality there must be two - "Left Turn" and "Right Turn". My guess is that Optronics assumes you will install two of their fixtures, one on each side.

I think that Dave's fixture is not wired in the way that the TM manual and Optronics describe. Why do I think this?

My 2002 TM and my 2006 TM both had actual backup lights. My 2020 TM does not have a backup light of any kind. I discovered this when the trailer was new. I traced the backup light wire from the Bargman connector, and discovered that it dead-ends behind the refrig. It was not carried through to the back wall of the rear shell, where all the other lights are mounted. I queried the factory, and was told that I was right about the wire, and they were "dealing with it".

So my guess is that TM is using the "Stop/turn" light in the Optronics fixture as one of the turn signals, and the "Backup" light in the Optronics fixture as the other turn signal. I bet that if you trace it out, you will find that there is no backup light wire extended from behind the refrig, and no backup light function on the rear.

If nothing else, this means that the descriptions of the light functions provided by Optronics (Stop/Turn, Running, and Backup), as well as by TM (Stop/Left Turn, Stop/Right Turn, Running, and Backup) are not accurate and cannot be used as written. This confuses the wiring and connections a lot.

I would like to know if anyone who owns a TM newer than 2020 has a factory-installed backup light.

Bill

 

[Shane826]

New TMs, including the Classic and Sport models, have the same lights.

 

[Bill]

You mean the same as the lights Dave described, the Optronics model STL264? The video of setting up the 2518 shows a single bar light, high up in the center of the rear wall, as well as two small running lights in the upper corners of the rear wall. It also shows two turn-brake lights about midway down either side. These fixture may also have running lights within them, but these fixtures do not have the clear section in the lens, the section that used to house a backup light.

I conclude that the TM turn/brake lights are routed only to the side fixtures and not to the Optronics light. That's why the Optronics light does not come on when you press the brake pedal.

The basic Optronics STL264 light is all red. But other members of the 264 series do have a clear panel, so perhaps the Backup light is there? Dave, if you start the tow vehicle, set the parking brake, stay off the brake pedal, and shift into reverse, does the Optronics bar come on?

If you put the tow vehicle in Park and turn on the headlights, does anything in the Optronics light come on?

Bill

 

[Shane826]

Well I take it back. Looking at the pics on RV Trader they do have that little backup light. Disregard everything I said about the backup light.

 

[Dave Talz]

Thanks Shane826 and Bill for the responses. Very helpful.

Perhaps you are correct that the light was never wired for the brake light. Given the 7 pin connector wiring, I have been curious about how, or if, the center brake light could work. Note: When we hookup the camper and check the lights, I am in the tow vehicle and my wife checks the lights. She is the one that said the center brake light was no longer working. It's possible she is wrong. (I can say that here because she doesn't read this forum.)

FWIW… Here is the link to my light: https://optronicsinc.com/PRODUCTS/L...ail/Products.aspx?SeriesID=779&ProductID=1751. The number stamped on the lens of my light is S2 T2 I6(2)R which is the FMVSS number from the website. It seems TrailManor has changed what they use for the rear center light. Maybe it was the result of COVID supply chain problems since my unit was built in 2022.

Also, regarding the backup light. I wired the 7pin connector in my Toyota Highlander along with the brake controller. I did not have easy access to a backup light wire in the Highlander, so I didn’t wire up the backup light. My plan was to do that sometime, but I never have. Given what Bill said about the backup wiring in the TM I should check out the backup TM wiring another way.

To answer Bill’s other question: “If you put the tow vehicle in Park and turn on the headlights, does anything in the Optronics light come on?” The answer is yes, the center light, lights up red along with the other running lights.

I have been reluctant to start digging through the wires behind the refrigerator. Given that the other lights work, I assumed the connections here were good. However, maybe it’s time to learn more about that wiring. When I get some time, I will pull the camper out and set it up to see what things look like there. Also, I know someone who is better with electronics than me. He has a device that can trace wires, including tracing wires in walls. However, we won’t be able to connect for a couple of weeks. I’ll post anything I learn from that endeavor.

As a side note, I had a second reason to investigate the center light. I’ve decided that I would like to install a wireless rear-view camera. I wanted to see if I could use the running lights circuit to power the camera. It seems like I can. This means that I would need to have the lights on in order to power the camera (which is OK with me).

Bill and Shane826, thanks for your help.

 

[Bill]

Ah, yes, the 264 RB does have a clear panel, which would be used for the backup light. That accounts for the Backup light input, and means you don't have to grub around behind the refrig.

It comes on during the running light test, as you noted above. That accounts for the Running Light input.

I'm not sure what TM did with the Stop/Turn input. Perhaps doubled it up with the running light input?

Anyway, it sounds like you are out of the woods, and everything is working acceptably.

Bill

 

[Bill]

Now that we have solved the issue, there is a way to combine the two Stop/turn lights (coming from the tow vehicle) into a single wire that can be connected to the single Optronics Stop/turn input. Get a couple cheap silicon diodes such as 1N4001 or (better) 1N4002. Less than $1 for the pair. Twist the leads on the striped ends together, adding the end of a 1-foot length of hookup wire to the twist. Solder the three of them together. Then connect (meaning twist and solder) the TM's Left turn/stop wire to one of the unused diode ends. Connect the TM's Right turn/stop wire to the other diode end. Insulate all three joints. Done.

The only remaining challenge is figuring out where to put this assemblage. The diodes are small, and the whole thing can be inserted into a length of heat shrink tubing. With care, the end result will be a tube less than 2" long and 1/8" diameter. Bring out the free end of the hookup wire and connect it to the Optronics Stop/turn input wire.

BTW, I'm a fan of soldering if you know how to do it correctly. But connections don't have to be done that way. When I say "solder" I really mean "make a reliable connection". You could make the connection with small wire nuts, crimp connectors, or other mechanical fasteners. Not my choice, but if done carefully, they work.

Bill

 

[Shane826]

How do the diodes (electricity one way check valve) stop the blinking, which is achieved by applying and removing voltage from the circuit?

 

[Bill]

They don't stop the blinking, and I'm not sure you would want them to.

If you turn on the blinker in either direction, without pressing the brake pedal, the Optronics light (in the high center position) will flash in sync with the regular blinker (mid-height on the chosen side). I see no problem here -- it serves as an alert to the following driver, especially valuable in merging traffic where the side light might not be visible.

If you press the brake pedal without turning on a blinker, the Optronics in its high center position will come on steady. Many SUVs do this.

If you do brake pedal and blinker at the same time, the Optronics will come on steady, again like many SUVs.

This is a very simple device, but IMO, the result would be a good thing. Again IMO, TM would do well to integrate this into the trailer build. Cheap and easy - and a good FEATURE to add to the list on their web site.

Bill

 

[Bill]

It occurs to me that the entire diode package, in the heat-shrunk tube, is small enough that it could be mounted on top of the Optronics device, against the TM wall, and buried in a line of caulk. Can't get much simpler than that.

Bill