Confusing Electric/Lighting Issue

[BassinDmax]

Just got back from a week of camping, cleaned the trailer and parked it on the side. Went out this afternoon to get a few things out and noticed the trailer floodlight on. No biggie, I must of hit the switch while cleaning the trailer. So went in to flip the switch and found it was off, but the light is just lit as bright as can be. Flip the switch on and off a few times and nothing happens, light stays on. Here's were the confusion comes in, what the heck is going on? I finally just pulled the cover and un-pluged the bulb. Would this most likely be a bad switch?

Thanks for the help with my confusion.

[therink]

Glad I could help.

[BassinDmax]

therink wrote:
I see you have a Cougar. Is it equipped with the Wireless remote option that controls lights and levelers?

It's official, I'm an dork! Thank you Steve, yes it was the remote. I never use the remote so didn't even consider it, but your suggestion brought it all back to me. When I got the trailer parked, noticed the remote was falling off its velcro home so I pushed it back onto it and must have hit the button for the panic light.

Perfect example why I love this site, the great suggestions and common sense reminders that always help to solve our problems.

[BFL13]

If the light stayed on after the switch is removed and a wire taken off to "open" it for sure, what could be keeping the light on?

If the switch is on the neg side and the outside lamp got water in it to close the neg side with a short? Then taking the switch wire off to open it for sure would not prove the switch is bad or good.

You would have to fix the neg short at the lamp first, then see if the two wire ends for the switch touching or not make the lamp go on and off, then put the switch in and see if it works.

You could test the switch in another location where that location's switch makes its lamp go on and off. Then if the suspect switch makes no difference there, you know it is broken.

[Bobbo]

westend wrote:
If you have an incandescent bulb in that location, it's possible that it is being powered by a short to ground. A meter turns up this possibility instantly.

Not if the hot wire is switched. If the hot wire is switched, it would have to be a "short to hot", and that is only likely, you guessed it, at the switch.

[westend]

If you have an incandescent bulb in that location, it's possible that it is being powered by a short to ground. A meter turns up this possibility instantly.

[vic46]

Likely the switch, as stated. Buy several so you have some spares. That will insure you never have to replace the switch again!;)

[cyntdon2010]

tenbear wrote:
I would suspect the switch. Take one of the 2 wires off the switch and see if the light goes off. If it does, that confirms that the switch is bad.

X2

[tenbear]

I would suspect the switch. Take one of the 2 wires off the switch and see if the light goes off. If it does, that confirms that the switch is bad.

[SoundGuy]

JMO, but every RV owner should carry a voltmeter in their camper kit and know how to use it. No sense replacing a switch if it's not faulty, which is easy to determine by probing the contacts with the voltmeter.

[therink]

I see you have a Cougar. Is it equipped with the Wireless remote option that controls lights and levelers?

[RuralAlbertan]

The switch is most likely corroded, buy a new one they're extremely cheap and easy to replace.

[Dennis_M_M]

Assuming this is a 12 volt light, it most likely is a bad switch since the switch should break the positive side of the circuit so no power can reach that light with the switch off.

Now, if it was wired like the French used to do on cars and the switch breaks the ground side, then you could have a short to ground somewhere between the lamp and the switch.

[BFL13]

Yes, suspect worn out switch.