Community Forums

pappaono · 04-04-2010, 07:44 PM

I have a Roadmaster/Brakemaster system on my MH and everything seems to work okay, except the light on the MH dash does not light up when the brakes are applied to the toad. What should I be looking at to correct this problem. Thank you

DennisZ · 04-04-2010, 08:00 PM

Rich
The first place to start would be at the toad disconnect. Have someone press the brake pedal and see if you have voltage (or use a test light) to see if you've tied into the correct brake switch wire. If it's good there, just work your way forward looking for the voltage.

Another thought is do you have the Brakemaster light wire with the correct polarity, as it is a LED, and they will not work if wired in reverse.

Dennis

pappaono · 04-04-2010, 08:11 PM

Dennis; the light was woking correctly previously, just stopped working last time I towed the car. I tried disconnecting/reconnecting numerous time with no luck.

DAN L · 04-05-2010, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pappaono

Dennis; the light was woking correctly previously, just stopped working last time I towed the car. I tried disconnecting/reconnecting numerous time with no luck.

did you replace the bulb?

footdoc · 04-05-2010, 03:15 PM

Betcha I know what's wrong....is your car connected to the tow bar or not??? If not, you dont have a ground and the light won't work....don't ask me how I know this

pappaono · 04-05-2010, 07:43 PM

Dan L No, bulb hasn't been replace, can't find any instructions on how to remove and replace said bulb. If you have any information on that please share it with me. Thank you

pappaono · 04-05-2010, 07:44 PM

Footdoc, yes tow bar was connected to toad so that isn't the answer to my problem, but thank you for the suggestion I was going to just hook up the Brakemaster connections to see if by chance I had not made a good connection. Without you info I would not have had a good ground and still wouldn't have had a light.

legryz · 04-14-2010, 07:55 AM

I just had the same problem on our recent trip to Fla.,the problem was a bad connection at the MH receptical. The connectors inside the receptical are spilt in the middle, I just used a knife and spread the connectors open a bit more, that solved my problem, hope it helps you.

chasfm11 · 04-14-2010, 01:03 PM

I don't know if you have been able to resolve your problem or not yet. I did the original installation of the light on our MH and have installed the toad end on two different Saturns. There is no magic to the light on the dash. In fact, I used a 12v LED from Radio Shack rather than the light that came with the kit and it has worked fine for 5 year.

There is a single wire from the MH side of the toad connector. I routed mine along the chassis rail bundles and up into the driver's compartment. It hooks to the positive side of the bulb (the bulb in the package is self-contained and just has two wires coming out of it.) The other wire from the bulb is tied to the MH's frame ground. Removal/Replacement would simply be cutting/unwiring those two connections to the bulb and putting a new bulb in its place. I actually mounted my LED in a little project box and mounted that box to the dash, right at the base of the steering column, rather than drilling a hole in my dash somewhere as the instructions called for.

Testing the connection on the front toad with a test light and someone stepping on the toad's brake pedal, as was susggested, it a good way to isolate the problem. You could easily hook a lawn mower battery the the MH's frame and the MH side of the light to verify the wiring and light on the MH side.

On my last change, I stopped using the wire bundled with the air line. I tapped directly into the MH side wire and routed it to a 6 way umbilical cord to the toad. On the toad side, I ran that same wire directly to the cold side of the brake switch. It eliminates one hookup step. I was already re-wiring the MH side of the toad connection to separate out the brake and turn signal lights on our toad. I like the idea of the turn signals using a different bulb all together and with the 4 wire connector, that isn't possible. I like the new arrangement much better,

legryz · 04-14-2010, 05:25 PM

I forgot to mention that I did as chasfm11 did and hooked the wire going to the dash through the umbelical cord, and my problem was in the MH receptical.

pappaono · 04-14-2010, 08:50 PM

chasfm11 & legryz; thank you for the information. I was able to get the repalcement LED from CW, but before I put it in I will try the connections at the MH receptacle as legryz suggested. I will post the results later tomorrow. Thanks again to all for the great suggestions

Rich

pappaono · 04-15-2010, 05:18 PM

well, new LED didn't do any good, have a good ground and all connections have been checked. Will call brakemaster tomorrow and see what they suggest. Friend assisting me who is an journey electrician thinks it possibly the Brake-Lite relay. The LED saga will continue another day.

Rich