Lighting & Electrical Problems Return

[max49]

Hi guys, I just got back from a 850 mile trip and after 2 years my electrical problems have returned. This could be difficult for me or a mechanic to find so I'm hoping you guys might have some suggestions as to where I or he might start looking.
My red IP lights went out along with tail and clearance lights. I doubt if it is the switch because my heater lights and my generator, heatede mirrors, ICC etc lights are connected to the same switch and they work fine. So my next thought was a bad ground and maybe that is still possible but my brake lights, turn signals, 4 way flashers work fine. I would think they would have the same ground, but I don't know for sure.
After I got home, I have one of these battery 'jump start' things and I hooked it up to the trailer connector ground and tail light wires and the tail and clearance lights all lit up and the ICC and heater control lights, but not the red (LED, I think) IP lights did not. Also the beeper came on that indicates the lights are on with the key off. I does not work when the tail lights were not working.
I know electrical problems can be a big time consuming problem to figure out what could be a simple problem but does any one have any past experience with some thing like this or have a suggestion as to where might be the first places to look? I'd appreciate it.

I also have a heater problem that unrelated but I'll put that in a separate thread.

[DriVer]

With the amount of systems that have been affected, I would expect that a ground connection or a modular connector somewhere along the line is loose. I'm sorry that I could not be more helpful.

[max49]

Thanks Driver, I knew this may be hard to diagnose 'in shop' , even much more just from a description of the problem.
I took it to a auto/ truck repair shop today. To make it worse, the lights worked when I left the house to take it to the shop, then they quit, and while he was looking at it, with engine off and parking lights on, they come back on for a min. then back off again.
He is not a WH shop but have done good work for me before on my old Winnie. He said he thinks there is a circuit breaker for the taillights. Do you know if this is correct?
Any ways, I'm hoping for the best and also hoping he will do the ignition switch mod for me too. I have an extended warranty that hopefully will help.
Thanks again Driver, I know you would help me if you could.

[max49]

Driver, come to think of it, the shop asked me if I had a wiring diagram for the chassis. I gave him my Damon owners manual with some diagrams but that may not be help for the chassis. Would you know where I could print one off for the '05 P-32 and I'll take it down to him.
I can't read them my self, but it might help him.
Thanks

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by max49 I can't read them my self, but it might help him. Thanks

Max, Let me check my files to see if I have an electrical diagram. My service manual has many electrical diagrams but they are all over the place.

[max49]

Thanks Driver, I googled it without success. Worst case scenario, would be to supply a new alternate power source for the tail lights with a separate switch but I'd prefer to leave as stock if it doesn't get too expansive.

[RV Mech Tech]

Max49 - as DriVer has said its more than likely a ground connection - when a chassis is shipped to the RV manufacture its refered to as an 'incomplete' chassis in that the RV manufacture has to hook up everything to the body once installed including electrical connections and I have found more than once loose ground connections under the dash, some ground wires connected to a heavily painted surface, and in two cases the ground wires were not connected at all - it sounds like you may have one of those problems and your IP and clearance and tail lights are on the same ground wire - I would look under the dash first then under the front hood area.

[Sammie]

max49, Try checking your trailer or toad electrical connector socket at the rear of your coach. I've had shorted wires inside the socket cause different problems from time to time.

Sammie

[max49]

I think and hope the shop found the tail/ clearance light issue. At least they worked for a couple of hrs. continuously. If it is indeed fixed, it was a problem that none of us suspected. They bypassed the ICC light switch. The shop did not even know the purpose of it but it makes sense, if it goes bad, it could turn the tail clearance lights off since that is it's job. I don't see why that was necessary to have on a MH anyway.