RE: Brake Light Question

[Zooey]

 
When we were leaving to go camping this weekend, we noticed our left brake light wasn t working.  The turn signal works (it s apparently the same bulb).
 
 So, we stopped and bought another bulb, but it still isn t working.  Does anyone have any suggestions on what could be wrong?
 
 Zooey[&:]

[Jo Ann]

 Zooey
did you check all the wire connections to make sure they where really tight?
 
 did your camper have brakes while you where stopping?

[Zooey]

 Zooey
Yes, we checked all the wires to make sure they were tight.  
 
 No, we didn t have a  brake light on the left side....
 
 Zooey[&:]

[Kelly]

 Zooey
[font=" comic sans ms" ]This just happened to us!  (Same side even ...)  Our problem was corrosion in the connector on the TV.  It would work a little bit after we cleaned it, but it didn t last long.  We ended up replacing the connector.
 
 Good luck ~ [/font]

[tlhdoc]

 Zooey
I have to scratch the connector clean of corrosion a couple of times.

[garym053]

 Zooey
This is getting really weird! Someone told me my left brake light was out on my PU this weekend too! I checked the bulb and it s fine!!! Now off to clean the connections!

[Zooey]

 Zooey
That is weird!!  I m glad that I m not the only one...  We will try cleaning the connectors.  
 
 Thanks for your help...[]
 
 Zooey[&:]

[MtnCamper]

 Zooey

 

ORIGINAL:  Zooey
 
 That is weird!!  I m glad that I m not the only one...  We will try cleaning the connectors.  
 

After you clean them put some dielectric grease in them. Then you won t have the same problem again.
 

[garym053]

 Zooey
Does the excess dielectric grease conduct electricity good enough to short out the contacts in the connectors? The last time I used it, my charge line ended up shorting through the brake wiring and really caused a nightmare!

[aw738]

 Zooey
According to Merriam-Webster s definition for dielectric it will not conduct electricity.

[mike4947]

 Zooey
Gary; dielectric grease is used to insulate the connectors as well as lubricate and block moisture. Most are a silicone base grease that acys as an insulator as well as a water repellant.
 If you got a short either it wasn t true dielectric grease or there were other things wrong.
 Everything electrical I can t coat with RTV, shrink wrap, or mount internally where the weather can t get at it gets a full dose of DIgrease twice a year; spring and fall.

[MtnCamper]

 Zooey
I actually wondered this too, at first. Then I made a pile of it on a board, and tested the conductivity by just sticking the + and - directly into the pile. " 0" , none, nada! It works!

[garym053]

 Zooey
Thanks for the info! Maybe there was moisture in the connector before I applied the grease that caused the short! I blamed the grease, guess I can go back to using it! Just wondering though, if it doesn t conduct electricity, why is it good to use on terminals that are supposed to conduct electricity? Does it get scraped off when joining the connectors and reapplied when disconnecting?
 I ve been just scrapping the connectors every once in a while, usually when there s a problem!

[MtnCamper]

 Zooey
Good question, I don t know the answer. But all I know is a couple years ago, I had a problem with my old truck, the controller thought there was always a trailer hooked up. I cleaned it, used the grease and never had a problem. It seals the contacts so the corrision just doesn t happen. But it s also non conductive. I think it s the same as vasoline too, take a lump and try the conductivity test on it. It s petro based, but a jelly. It s not conductive, but doesn t dry out...... Things that make you go hummmmm.

[mike4947]

 Zooey
Gary like I said most dielectric greases are silicone based. In case of a short or high amperage draw without proper fuse protection, heat is formed. Petroleum based greases are not what you want around overheated connectors and wires.