12 volt exterior lights

[KWDAILYD]

I have a 2012 Eagle 321 RLTS. I discovered during a walk around this evening that my right side tail light is not working. The bulb seems fine. I appears I don't have power going to the socket. It started raining before I could do anymore trouble shooting this evening.

Does anyone know if the right tail light assembly feeds from the left side tail light assembly? I realize the turn signal wire would be different for each light. Just wondering if maybe there is a splice behind the left tail light.

A wiring diagram would be nice. I requested diagrams from Jayco last year but all they sent me was the 12 volt interior diagram and the 120 volt interior diagram.

Any help would be appreciated before I start tearing into things looking for a bad splice.

[JFlightRisk]

Do you have tail light power at the truck side of the 7 pin connector? Looking into the socket, it's at 11:00.

Are the marker lights all working?


The tail light circuit should be split up front, so the side markers feed from the tail light circuit on each side. The roof marker lights will feed from either side.

[KWDAILYD]

Yes, All other lights are working which makes me think I have a bad splice somewhere going to the right tail light.

[RedHorse1]

Yes, possible splice problem. Also look into corrosion on the bulb/socket contacts or a burned out bulb. A cheap VOM can help you diagnose this type of prob. These type of problems sometimes have simple yet subtle solutions.

[JFlightRisk]

Did you try a known good bulb on that side? Sometimes it's not noticeable that the filament is only bad, not blown black like usual.

[KWDAILYD]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

Did you try a known good bulb on that side? Sometimes it's not noticeable that the filament is only bad, not blown black like usual.

Yes, I got that far before the rain. I have a new bulb that would not work either. That was the first thing I did was change the bulb There was a little corrosion on one contact in the socket. I cleaned that up and still no go. I have a good 12 volt test light and also an expensive Fluke meter. There is no power at the socket.

[JFlightRisk]

At this point, if it was my problem, I'd start checking for power at the junction box where the trailer plug wire goes into. There may be a dreaded wire nut splice that's lost connection. Our box sits on the frame face behind the battery.

[KWDAILYD]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

At this point, if it was my problem, I'd start checking for power at the junction box where the trailer plug wire goes into. There may be a dreaded wire nut splice that's lost connection. Our box sits on the frame face behind the battery.

I can do that but it sure doesn't make sense to me that each individual light has it's own run all the way up front to the junction box.

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by KWDAILYD

I can do that but it sure doesn't make sense to me that each individual light has it's own run all the way up front to the junction box.

Yea, sorry, it's late. Can you pull the light off the rear, and check for power/connections there? It's possible you lost the ground connection, but you usually get the dim light problem first.

I found our grounds screwed to the rear lower frame in front of the bumper. Just for a reference.

[KWDAILYD]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

Yea, sorry, it's late. Can you pull the light off the rear, and check for power/connections there? It's possible you lost the ground connection, but you usually get the dim light problem first.

I found our grounds screwed to the rear lower frame in front of the bumper. Just for a reference.

Thanks. I did pull the light off the trailer to check the splice there. The 3 wires go to the left in the direction of the other tail light but the rain came before I could pull it off and check. finding a ground connection on the frame might be difficult with the artic kit. All that is visible underneath is the very bottom of the frame rail. I don't believe it's a bad ground. I grounded the meter and test ;light to the frame and did not get a voltage reading at the socket.

[JFlightRisk]

Hopefully a drier day for you tomorrow. Some sleep, and daylight may show it up. Keep us posted what you find.

The last one I had to repair, was no left signal/brake light. I started at the rear, and turned out to be a blown fuse under the hood of the truck. Electrical isn't rocket science, but sure can be a pain, especially when you can't see the wire routing.

[KWDAILYD]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

Hopefully a drier day for you tomorrow. Some sleep, and daylight may show it up. Keep us posted what you find.

The last one I had to repair, was no left signal/brake light. I started at the rear, and turned out to be a blown fuse under the hood of the truck. Electrical isn't rocket science, but sure can be a pain, especially when you can't see the wire routing.

I could see that because each turn signal has it's own feed. Obviously I'm getting voltage to the running lights and left taillight so there has to be a place where the right tail light has lost it's feed somewhere on the trailer.
You're right, tomorrow is another day. There are no problems, just challenges and oppertunities to learn.

[RedHorse1]

Another thought on this. The tail light has 2 filaments, the tail light and brake/turn filament. If neither come on I’d check the ground wire. Resistance should be small from the bulb socket to frame. Check the other side’s light to verify. You could check ground from side to side also. Check for 12v from the hot side to frame (ground).

[KWDAILYD]

Originally Posted by RedHorse1

Another thought on this. The tail light has 2 filaments, the tail light and brake/turn filament. If neither come on I’d check the ground wire. Resistance should be small from the bulb socket to frame. Check the other side’s light to verify. You could check ground from side to side also. Check for 12v from the hot side to frame (ground).

Back in post #10 you can see I checked for power grounding the test light to the frame and still no power. If it was a bad ground wire I should have a voltage reading grounding test equipment to the frame. Problem solved anyway as you will see in next post.

[KWDAILYD]

I found the broken wire where it comes up through the floor down in the TV compartment. From there the wires split and go through the back wall out to each tail light. It was broke where it comes through the floor. Found another wire almost broke in two at the same place. Looks like wires were damaged at the factory when the wires wee=re pulled in and the one finally let go.

Had to cut a window in the outer part of the arctic kit then another window up by the floor to get to the wires. Pain in the behind but everything is working and sealed back up.

Thanks for all the responses guys.

[JFlightRisk]

Damn, you really had to do some digging for that one. It's a shame it was a failure waiting to happen, courtesy of the factory! Usually those types of problems are socket, or connection issues, not wires splitting in the middle somewhere buried.

I applaud your persistence in finding that, and thanks so much for the update and pics! Really glad you found it.

[KWDAILYD]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

Damn, you really had to do some digging for that one. It's a shame it was a failure waiting to happen, courtesy of the factory! Usually those types of problems are socket, or connection issues, not wires splitting in the middle somewhere buried.

I applaud your persistence in finding that, and thanks so much for the update and pics! Really glad you found it.

Thanks. There is a factory TV in the back and it comes up when you push a button. Down in the area where the TV resides when it's stowed is where I noticed the wires coming through the floor then going out the back wall. When I moved them I saw the broken wire but couldn't get to the other end to splice it back as it was below the floor. Once opening up underneath I found several wires with the insulation nicked from them installing them. Kind of makes you wonder if there are other areas waiting to fail.

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by KWDAILYD

Thanks. There is a factory TV in the back and it comes up when you push a button. Down in the area where the TV resides when it's stowed is where I noticed the wires coming through the floor then going out the back wall. When I moved them I saw the broken wire but couldn't get to the other end to splice it back as it was below the floor. Once opening up underneath I found several wires with the insulation nicked from them installing them. Kind of makes you wonder if there are other areas waiting to fail.

Good detective work. Here's hoping that was the only place wires were nicked.

[KWDAILYD]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

Good detective work. Here's hoping that was the only place wires were nicked.

In earlier posts there was made mention of perhaps the problem was in the tow vehicle. I never had the RV plugged into the truck. You can jumper the constant hot in the male plug to the market light. You can do this with the left turn or right turn also without ever hooking to your truck and eliminate any possibility the problem is with the truck.

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by KWDAILYD

In earlier posts there was made mention of perhaps the problem was in the tow vehicle. I never had the RV plugged into the truck. You can jumper the constant hot in the male plug to the market light. You can do this with the left turn or right turn also without ever hooking to your truck and eliminate any possibility the problem is with the truck.

Yup, you're right. And the folks that stick a flasher into it, so their light blink. I thought that might be handy if you're waiting for the cops, or ambulance to arrive.

Yet another thing to try to remember when diagnosing truck or trailer issues.


Thanks!