CT Tail Light,turn signal. Was working 1 yr ago.

[blmkid]

Before sealing the interior roof insulation with can foam, thought I better check my CT lights. Turn signal & emergency flasher's.
The LED running lights were on. But the turning signal's were not on, not left or right turn. So did a visual on the grround, on the ground block. It was good. Using  test light , with truck emergency flasher's going. Checked the wiring harness going into the tail light and had power to all 3 prongs. 2 were solid and 1 was blinking. So, had power. 
Now to check the bulbs, to replace. No way to replace. Look's like if it don't work, trash the whole light. Crap. Left nor Right work. How could both go bad?


I googled the numbers on back of light and it came up with this: http://optronicsinc.com/PRODUCTS/Brands/FLEETCount/Products.aspx?SeriesID=561[/SIZE]

When these LED "Sonically sealed" go bad, it's garbage time? But both went bad. ?????

 

[Kmmech]

If you have power to all 3 prongs, theres an issue as one is ground. Thats where I would start.

 

[highdesertranger]

yep something not right, those three terminals on the light are,

1. tail lights
2. turn signals/brakes
3. ground

I wouldn't be using that foam in a can stuff. bad stuff. highdesertranger

 

[blmkid]

yep something not right,  those three terminals on the light are,

1.  tail lights
2.  turn signals/brakes
3.  ground

I wouldn't be using that foam in a can stuff.  bad stuff.   highdesertranger

2 prongs not lit now, only 1 prong will blink test light. Will take plywood off where the grounding block is and check it from block to trailer frame. Will make a long jumper and check ground to battery ground terminal.

"can foam". I don't need it that bad. I only do cool or cold weather camping. That much heat loss is no big deal. Walls & ceiling insulation are 1" thick.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Sounds like a ground issue to me too. Hook the trailer hitch ball coupler up to the truck, and plug in the connector.

Turn on the parking lights and the 4way hazard lights.

Go to the back of the trailer, clip your test light to a ground on the trailer frame, shiny metal bolt, something.

Probing the connector, you should find one steady on, one blinking. One, the ground, should appear to be dead.

If you have power on all three, you have a bad ground (floating DC) or a shorted harness feeding 12v where it should not be.

Those sealed LEDs usually last awhile, unless you see water inside of it..then it might be a gonner.

 

[blmkid]

Probing the connector, you should find one steady on, one blinking. One, the ground, should appear to be dead.

I clipped onto a screw, one holding exterior siding onto the trailer wall framing. Now, 1 connector is blinking, the other two are dead.

 

[blmkid]

Guess I caused this problem. I had read on another forum about having a central grounding point using a grounding block to prevent a bad ground, well, too locate it better. Well, I butt spliced the white ground wire, you can see the butt splice with heat shrink used on the red wire, it's not taped like the other's.

The factory ground connection was made about where the red arrow is pointing. It was a spot behind the plywood using a large ring terminal. I cut it there to splice.

So, I will go to auto parts store and pick up ring terminals tomorrow. I'll just ground it back to the wall railing again. A real good sanding first. I'll just cover up the wiring with something I can take off very easily, at a much, much later date.
I think that should be a quick solution to this problem. Ya think?
The trials and errors of Life.
[font=Merriweather, Georgia, serif][size=small] " It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.[/font][/size]
[font=Merriweather, Georgia, serif]-Franklin D. Roosevelt-
[/font]

 

[tx2sturgis]

Yep...I think you interrupted the ground to the trailer frame.

Stuff happens!

 

[blmkid]

Sanded down a good bare spot. Put heat shrink tubing on wire, slid away from work area. Compressed eyelet ring to wire. Soldered. Put the fire to heat shrink tubing. Drilled hole. Applied EJC (electrical joint compound) to sanded bare metal, to eye ring, both sides. Screwed in nice and snug.

So, just had to make a video:

Captain Kirk - "Captain to Bridge"
Spock  - "Yes Captain?"
Kirk - "Spock, lights go Blinky Blinky"
Spock - "Highly Illogical Captain"
Kirk- "Captain to transporter room"
Scotty-" Aye Captain! "
Kirk " Beam me up, Scotty"
Scotty - " Aye Captain!"
"Kirk out."