Electrical problems ....

[birol]

Finally has an electrical problem, the side lights do not work at all. There are two lights on each side, I am assuming they are marker lights which should come on with the parking lights. I basically want to rewire the whole thing, how do I get between the frame and the outer skin to do that ? Or is there any otherway to achieve this ? Also the ligths are soo dim, is that because of bad ground or is it just the bulbs used ?

For those who do not know, Finally is a 1968 Starcraft starmaster 8 towed by a 1998 windstar, 4 pronge electrical plug.

Any and all help is welcome ......

[Gone-Camping]

Are you sure new wires are really needed? What I've found in dealing with BOTH my old Starcrafts were the light fixtures themself. Either they were rusty, corroded, or just making poor contact. You got a test meter or test light? If not, any parts store will have a 12v test light, with one of these you can start checking for power. First thing I'd do though, would be to make 100% sure that the bad ground you mentioned in an earlier post has been completely fixed.
 
I suspect that the wires are likely to be fine, but you'll have connection problems at one end of the wire or the other, or the fixture & bulb itself.
 
Fixtures are relatively cheap, and available at any RV Dealer's store. If you do have to replace wires, you'll need to find out where they come out under the trailer, then somehow attach the new wire to the old wires and pull them through the siding until they pig-tail out the opening.

[birol]

When I had the problems with the lights and stayed at wallmart all morning text thingie magicie was the first thing I got. No live power at those four fixtures .... I have to take out all the lights and see the connections on all of them just in case one cable is lose somewhere.

So I gotta fish them eh, not the easist thing with the aluminium skin cutting everything like a knife through butter I will dedicate next week to fixing the electrical problems ..... Not much time left now.

Are you sure new wires are really needed? What I've found in dealing with BOTH my old Starcrafts were the light fixtures themself. Either they were rusty, corroded, or just making poor contact. You got a test meter or test light? If not, any parts store will have a 12v test light, with one of these you can start checking for power. First thing I'd do though, would be to make 100% sure that the bad ground you mentioned in an earlier post has been completely fixed.
 
I suspect that the wires are likely to be fine, but you'll have connection problems at one end of the wire or the other, or the fixture & bulb itself.
 
Fixtures are relatively cheap, and available at any RV Dealer's store. If you do have to replace wires, you'll need to find out where they come out under the trailer, then somehow attach the new wire to the old wires and pull them through the siding until they pig-tail out the opening.

[mike4947]

Birol, on that vintage trailer it wasn't unusual for the side marker lights to not be hooked up at all to the running light harness. Seems they just put them on sometimes at the factory as reflectors.

God only knows why they did it, but I had a trailer like that. Drove me crazy till I removed one of the fixtures and found there wasn't any wire hooked up to the pigtail on the fixture. Since then we've found several like that.
 
If the rear lights work for tail lights, turn signals and brake lights, I wouldn't let marker lights ruin a trip

[birol]

Interesting that they would leave them like that. It could be you know, thanks for letting me know this, I will first check to see if they are wired at all If not, I might wire them I want Finally to look like a tractor trailer , just kidding .... It already has 5 marker lights on the back and two on the front. As it is wider than the windstar, It is a good thing that the marker lights in the front are working showing that I am towing something wider then I look !

Birol, on that vintage trailer it wasn't unusual for the side marker lights to not be hooked up at all to the running light harness. Seems they just put them on sometimes at the factory as reflectors.

God only knows why they did it, but I had a trailer like that. Drove me crazy till I removed one of the fixtures and found there wasn't any wire hooked up to the pigtail on the fixture. Since then we've found several like that.
 
If the rear lights work for tail lights, turn signals and brake lights, I wouldn't let marker lights ruin a trip

[Steve-o-bud]

Hi Birol. I would suggest you invest in two things:

A 12 volt test lamp (sometimes refered to as a "bug light"). It has an aligator clip for hooking to ground, and a sharp point for connecting to battery. The sharp point allows you to pierce the insulation and make contact with the conductors within a wire. This can be real handy when trying to find a short or bad connection.

I would also get a cheap digital volt meter.

For your dim light situation, I presume you mean the tail lamps. Check the voltge at the harness connection to your TV. Then, check the voltage at your tail lights.

The voltage drop within the wiring should be relatively negligable. Probably a few tenths of a volt, at most. Remember, the more current you draw, the more voltage drop through the wiring.

You may find that you have a bad connection, causing high resistance, and hence, a high voltage drop. Or, perhaps a short in one of the lights, which would cause excessive current draw, which will also cause a high voltage drops.

If the voltage drop is severe enough, the brightness of the bug lamp will vary enough to use it to troubleshoot. If not, the voltmeter will give you the precision you need.

You might try removing the lights from their sockets and then measure the voltage drop. Using a systematic approach, you will find your problem.

I would doubt the wiring itself is bad, that is rare. However, if the wire is old enough, the insulation may deteriorate, and cause a short.

Just some thoughts... good luck.

[birol]

Sigh ... As I have no abtetry to trouble shoot electrical issues I have to connect the harness an everytime I make a short circuit, a new fuse , man oh man good thing I got a lot of them. Work on it will start Monday I can't wait ...

[mike4947]

Birol, I know exactly what you mean. I buy fuses in bulk and always have several of every kind in the "junk drawer" just in case and the rest down cellar ready for my next electrical challange.

[angelsmom10]

Have you ever been able to get a hold of Starcraft?  Explain the situation and maybe they'll email you a schematic for the wiring.

 
Also, if you want to put out $15 (that's what we paid for it for our old Starcraft), get a "repair manual".  DH found it very useful when working on our old PU.

[Firefyter-Emt]

Briol.. Also, if you have that spare battrey for the camper, you can use that. Go buy 2 hose clamps that will fit onto the battrey terminals, attach the wire to the battrey post with that clamp & some spare wire. Attach a **Good** ground to the trailer frame and then run a second wire by picking up a cheap aligator clip for 1 end, a 30 amp circut breaker and make a "test wire" the breaker can install inbetween the clip & battrey. Now you are not killing the battrey in the camper and there are no fuse to blow. The clip can be moved from wire to wire. With the battrey grounded to the frame, you do not need to even bother with the white wire on the plug. You could also buy a new plug for the van end and plug that into the trailer and swap wires (still use the breaker) But I would re-do the frame ground on your wire harness. If you plan on splicing any wires, you should do 1 or 2 things A) I would solder the wires and use heat shrink tubing on the splice. OR, B) They sell electrical connectors at ome hardware stores / radio shack that crimp like normal connectors but have heat shrink insulation to heat after you crimp them. Both are good repairs, I like A) better though...

[birol]

Lee, I checked the wiring harness and how it goes to the trailer and looks loike one of the wires died and they used another wire to steal the current from the dead one. I saw a trailer wire kit for 9.99 comes with the 4 plug adapter and meteres and meters of cable ..... I think I will go the easy way rather than try to repair whatever they might have done. Much better to start clean. I also found the exactly same marker lights and reflectors I am so happy Now that central vac is out of the way I need to concentrate on Finally and get it in top shape .... Except the canvas it is as it was, shame on me