Tail lights wiring access

[RejoiceWay]

Hello: Our right rear taillight (brown wire color) is shorted and grounded somewhere between the refrigerator area and the taillight. The wiring is good up the "arm", so the problem is in the rear roof area. Does anybody know how to access the taillight wiring in the rear roof area?

 

[Bill]

"Tail light" is kind of a generic term. Can you be a bit more specific about which light is failing? Running light (sometimes called parking light)? Brake light? Turn signal? Backup light?

If you have a short to ground, that means it blows a fuse, probably in the tow vehicle (since that is where the power to the lights comes from), right? And disconnecting that brown wire behind the refrig stops it from blowing?

The TM Owner's Manual has a diagram of how the wires in the roof are routed from the lift arm to the individual rear (outside) light fixtures. If you don't have your manual, try here;
https://www.trailmanorowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13839
The page you want is toward the back, though the specific page number is different in different versions of the manual. Maybe find the page and print it out.

It also shows the locations where connections and junctions are made. Most of the junctions and connections, including grounds, are located very near one of the fixtures, so most access is gained simply by popping the lens off the various light fixtures along the path (especially the failing one), and unscrewing the fixture from the surface of the TM. That lets you actually see the wires and the connections, making it possible to see an abraded or cut spot that is touching ground.

It is possible, of course, that the fault is somewhere along the wire that runs along the driver's side edge of the roof. These are harder to access since I believe you actually have to remove trim to get at them. But they are less likely to develop a short since they are uninterrupted (no connections) and physically protected from abrasion, motion, and sharp edges.

I would start by removing the fixture that contains the faulty light, and examining the wires that are in it and behind it. Let us know what you find.

Bill

 

[RejoiceWay]

Hello Bill:
Thank you for the speedy reply. I know the brown wire going to the right taillight is grounded somewhere after the wiring bundle goes into the upper roof "canopy". Previously, I have physically removed both taillights and checked all connections at the taillights, which were good. Somewhere in the wiring in the roof canopy there is a grounding of the brown wire. I used my Fluke meter to confirm this. (As a side note, I am a retired professional engineer for a power company so am comfortable doing this type of testing.) So somehow, I need to know how to gain access to the wiring that is in the roof canopy. I am hoping for info on this so I can find the faulting point.

 

[mickmanor]

I had a problem with the running lights

in my 2720 tail lights with some of the running leds working, and some not working.
The faulty internal running bulbs were different from left to right.

The turn signals and brake lights worked good.

I changed them to these:

Partsam 2x Double RV Trailer Camper Tail Lights 24-2835 LED Horizontal Vertical Surface Mount Double Trailer Light Taillight Red Lens Red Light Black Base 12V IP67 Waterproof

from amazon for 47.99.
They are almost the same size as original, but slightly smaller. I used the top 2 holes and
drilled new holes for the rest of the screws. They look like the originals and work great.

I did not check the wiring. Good luck!

 

[commodor47]

So somehow, I need to know how to gain access to the wiring that is in the roof canopy. I am hoping for info on this so I can find the faulting point.

Perhaps the inner shell running and tail light wires run behind the concave ceiling/wall molding. I suspect the inner shell ceiling light wires might run under the flat molding in the center of the ceiling. I've removed part of the outer shell concave ceiling/wall molding in search of a water leak. Has anyone checked these areas for possible wire runs in the inner shell?

Dick

 

[Shane826]

It’s on the outside of this X frame. You have to remove the exterior corner trim where the roof meets the wall on the driver side.

 

[RejoiceWay]

Thank you Shane and Bill for all the great help. I think I am now ready to tackle and solve the issue of the turn signal. It will be a couple of weeks before I have time to work on it again, but will keep you posted as to the outcome. A sincere thank you for your assistance!