Question about PU lights

[labontefan]

I took the PU over to the campground at Bristol Motor Speedway this evening so we could get a good space. We packed it up the other day, so all we really had to do today was replace the propane tanks (had to exchange empty for full) and put the battery back on (took it off to charge it).

I hitched the PU to the Durango and started the usual check the brake lights, turn signals, etc. The brake lights worked fine, the turn signals worked fine, the light on the brake controller came on, and the brake controller was working fine...but...the running lights did not come on when I turned the headlights on. I thought perhaps the connection wasn't snug, so I unplugged it and plugged it back. As before, everything worked fine except the running lights.

At first I thought maybe the camper's plug had gotten some dirt or something in it, since it's been sitting in the driveway since the end of May. I didn't see anything, though. Besides, if the plug wasn't making a good connection, wouldn't there be problems with the other lights and the brakes?

The last time I pulled the camper after dark and had the headlights on was driving to Charlotte in May. The lights worked fine then. We came back during the day so I didn't use them then.

Any suggestions on what the problem might be or where I should check?

[Jim in Michigan]

"Besides, if the plug wasn't making a good connection, wouldn't there be problems with the other lights and the brakes?"

Not necessarily.  The circuits for wiring the lights on the camper are separate with a common ground.  For example:  If you TV has a 4 pin straight line connector, then 1 pin is for the left side turn/brake light, 1 pin for the right side turn/brake light, 1 pin for the parking lights and the 4th (covered pin) is the common ground.  The 6 pin (round) connectors have the brake lines built in from your brake controller.  You might want to check both the male (connector) and female (TV) connections again.  I clean the female out with a piece of wire (OK), metal pipe cleaner (better) or Dremel circular sanding bit (best).  On the male connector a piece of sand paper or file works best.  If you can find some contact cleaner spray everything down with that when you are finished cleaning.  That usually does the trick.

I have also heard that some trailer manufacturers wire their parking lights in series which means if you lose a bulb, you lose them all (kind of like Christmas tree lights).  So you might look for a burned out bulb.

If both of those attempts fail, it is time to get a voltage tester and chase down wires and connectors.

[labontefan]

Thanks, Jim.

Fortunately, I don't anticipate having to do any towing after dark for a month or two, so that will give me time to check everything out.

[Wild Wild Qwest]

You may also want to check the connection at the tow vehicle end. We had a similar problem earlier this year, and it was one wire that came lose inside the tow vehicle.

[Campaholics]

I agree with "not necessarly"  Last trip comming home I had only the running lights, the mirror image of your problem.

When I got home I cleaned the TV connector  contacts with a file, the PU plug was new.  Sprayed everything with contact cleaner. Then I took a small screwdriver and pushed in the PU connector and bent each contact towards the center slightly.  Then when I pluged in everything worked.  The next step is di electric grease.  This part sounds absolutely wrong.  The can says it's an insulator, di electric means its insualating.  But, here and elsewhere, including a food plant with high pressure washdown they say to load up the connectors with di electric grease to maintain good connections.

Auto parts stores, such as Auto Zone, have both contact cleaner and di electric grease.

Bob