Problem with Ceiling lights

anna4969 · 06-30-2014, 02:46 PM

Hi All,

This is my first post so thanks upfront from being patient with me. I need some advice. Our pop up Jayco is a 2000 in great condition. This camping trip we connected the battery and as soon as we did this one ceiling light flicked on and then off. (There were some sparks as well when we hooked up the battery)I stopped midstream as this worried me. I finished connecting the battery and went to turn on the ceiling lights and they do not work. The fan for the heater, the outside light, etc. all work. We checked the fuses and all are fine. So clarification of the problem: each compartment holds two bulbs opposite each other. There are two compartments(one nearer to one pull-out bed and the other nearer to the second pull-out bed), one of the bulbs in the one compartment looks to be burned out or blackened(though not in the compartment that flicked on and off inititally). So my question is this, would one burned out bulb actually cause all bulbs not to light? I have never had a problem with the ceiling lights, or any light for that matter since we got the camper. And again the fuse is fine. Any ideas? Thanks so much in advance for thoughts.

Jagiven · 06-30-2014, 03:35 PM

The sparking of the battery as you hooked it up is normal. As for the lights, I would bet the ground cable between the roof trailer frame is bad. The first place I would look is under the flap that has the wire in it right at the roof line. Most PUs I have seen it is the front driver’s side, but it could be in a different spot. Check the connections. You can also make a temporary wire jumper to test the ground.

Threebutchers · 06-30-2014, 03:39 PM

Welcome to JOF....first, it's not unusual to see or hear a small spark when you connect the battery cables. A welding flash is not good. The lights operate independent....even with burned out bulbs or missing bulbs....more than likely your light cut-off switch is not working properly or the cable to the ceiling wiring is not connected.

teejaywhy · 07-01-2014, 06:32 AM

two things to check after replacing the burned out bulb.

- KILL SWITCH - on Jaycos, typically located just inside the bottom of the roof near the rear driver's side lift post. This switch opens the circuit when the roof is lowered and contacts the trailer body so the lights don't accidentally stay on and burn a hole in the tenting. It maybe stuck or the wires may have come loose.

- FUSES - Sometimes a light bulb burning out will take out a fuse. Check the fuses on the converter front panel.

anna4969 · 07-01-2014, 10:25 AM

Thank you so much for all the replies. I will be headed home tomorrow or Thursday and will have my husband follow the suggestions that all of you have given. He did tell me, when I called him after the spark with the battery, that this is not terribly unusual, but wanted to give you that detail as well. Anyway...

Jagiven: I will have him find the flap as I cannot see this myself. Bit confused by this flap.

Threebutchers: Thank you for the confidence in spark, but what is a welding flash? Cable to the ceiling wiring must be connected, right? Otherwise, why would there have been a flicker of the light?

Teejaywhy: Fuse was checked and good. Now the KILL switch is interesting. You say to look on the underside of the roof, on drivers side rear not front of camper? Obviously this needs to be done when the camper is up, correct? Is it a little compartment?

Wonderful people thank you for taking the time to answer. I likely won't respond until I get home tomorrow or Thursday and he looks at it on the weekend. I am thankful for your expert suggestions. I will be in touch.

Thank You !

RoyBraddy · 07-01-2014, 02:23 PM

Everytime I hear someone is having problems and have just hooked up their battery I always suspect a REVERSE POLARITY connection.

The REVERSE POLARITY will spark pretty good until it BLOWS the REVERSE POLARITY FUSES an another in-line fuse close to the battery bank.

Ensure you have the batteries connected properly. i.e. the nattery terminal marked NEG or symbol '-' on the battery case actually goes to the trailer FRAME GROUND close to the battery bank.

Roy Ken

teejaywhy · 07-02-2014, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anna4969

Teejaywhy: Fuse was checked and good. Now the KILL switch is interesting. You say to look on the underside of the roof, on drivers side rear not front of camper? Obviously this needs to be done when the camper is up, correct? Is it a little compartment?

This is where mine is located (2005 Baja 10Z) and from following other forum discussions, seems to be the common Jayco location.

To find it, you just need to raise the roof about 6 or 8". The switch is mounted on the inside of the roof, along the bottom part that contacts the trailer body when the roof is lowered. You should be able to see the contactor part hanging down. Looks like this: (pic is upside down from how it will look on the camper)

Mine sometimes sticks and I have to toggle it a few times and it starts working. One time one of the wire terminals had come off.

Good luck!

anna4969 · 07-02-2014, 10:45 PM

Thank you all once again for all your advice. I am safely home from our camping trip and happy to report that I believe it was the "Kill" switch.

Teejaywhy- thank you so much for the picture. I found it yesterday and just tapped it, had my daughter turn the ceiling lights on, and sure enough they worked. So I think you are right on that is was stuck. Anyway to ensure it not sticking again? Should we spray a little wd40 up there?

Roybraddy thank you for your input. Given that I think I resolved the problem with tapping the switch, could this still be a polarity problem? I did not have any bad fuses as that was the first thing I checked after this happened. Please advise me.

Thanks everyone

Spencerteri · 10-31-2015, 01:33 AM

Hello,

I am having this exact issue on my 1994 Jayco 1207 on 30 amp power, my lit flicker when I walk around.

What was the final resolution and your fix?
Thanks for this post, I hope to fix my issue by raising a dead post ��

anna4969 · 10-31-2015, 04:03 AM

Our problem is that the switch just sticks. So now since the first incident, once the camper is fully popped up and battery is connected, I just give that little switch a tap and all is good. It is just a matter of the switch just sticking and once I tap it , I do not have any more trouble. Thank goodness! Let me know if u need better clarificTion.

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