Orange lights not working

[mfoster711]

I am not sure the correct term, but the orange lights on the front of my travel trailer are not working. I have 4 orange lights, two on top and two lower, none of them work. The rest of the lights on the rear of trailer work fine including the brake lights, turn lights and red running lights.

So what would make just the orange lights not work?

I checked the fuses in my truck and they were fine but I did not see a separate fuse that would go just to the orange lights. I saw one fuse called trailer running lights and when I removed it all the rear lights stopped working. Should there be a another fuse? Is there a fuse inside the camper for this? Again, I looked but didn't see one.

Update: I swapped one of the light bulbs I knew was working with one of the orange lights and it still does not work.

[wnjj]

mfoster711 wrote:

Chris Bryant wrote:
Often there will be a separate feed for the front run from the junction of the umbilical cord and the trailer.

So what does that mean?

Follow the cord from the truck. Where it arrives at the trailer there is usually a junction box. Likely the one running light circuit from the truck splits into separate wires for the front and rear lights. The front wire may be bad. Also like another posters suggested, the ground may be bad. You can test by using a piece a scrap wire to jumper ground directly to one of the lights. If that doesn't work, try jumpering from the battery positive to the hot lead at one of the lights.

[Chris_Bryant]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Never seen a trailer connector that isolated the front clearance lights. Not even a TTMA 9-way connector does that. If he has taul lights and running lights and amber red lit across the rear this is a.harness connection issue. If the problem isn't at the string it's at where the string connects at the tail running lights junction.

Umm- yeah, which is at the front where I said. Who said anything about a separate feed in the connector? Do you really think in an industry where they leave off $2 lights to save money they are going to run wire all the way to the back, only to run it back up to the front?

[Chris_Bryant]

mfoster711 wrote:

Chris Bryant wrote:
Often there will be a separate feed for the front run from the junction of the umbilical cord and the trailer.

So what does that mean?

I was giving you a starting point- we know the truck feed is working, and the power is getting to the rear lights, so we want to see where the right light feed and the front light feed split, which is at the tongue in a junction box.

A place to start testing with a test light.

[rjsurfer]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Never seen a trailer connector that isolated the front clearance lights. Not even a TTMA 9-way connector does that. If he has taul lights and running lights and amber red lit across the rear this is a.harness connection issue. If the problem isn't at the string it's at where the string connects at the tail running lights junction.

Sorry your giving wrong info here, they DO split off the top two orange running lights in the pin box junction. I found that out after fishing for the blue brake light wire to connect my electric/hydraulic pump needed for my disc brake install.

Found a set of wires going UP under the front cap and couldn't figure out what they where until I disconnected them.

Maybe not all campers have it this way but mine certain did. And I'm guessing the majority of Keystone products might have it this way too.

Ron W.

[bucky]

I don't think anybody meant that you were stupid in any way. What they are saying is that this issue is out of your realm of familiarity, comfort, and knowledge.

[John_Wayne]

I'm betting that it is a grounding issue with the front clearance lights. Take a wire and put it on the battery neg. post and the other end to the bulb base of one of the clearance lights and see if they all work.

[westend]

This is probably a connection issue and yes, you will need a meter or test light to diagnose the problem. If you have a known good bulb, you can make a test light but a handheld meter is a good tool to have with an RV. Besides fixing electrical problems, it can show you the state of whatever you're connecting to for power, like miswired receptacles, low voltage at campground pedestals, and open neutral/ground situations.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Never seen a trailer connector that isolated the front clearance lights. Not even a TTMA 9-way connector does that. If he has taul lights and running lights and amber red lit across the rear this is a.harness connection issue. If the problem isn't at the string it's at where the string connects at the tail running lights junction.

[Fulltimer50]

Yes you are on the right track.
I would start with where the umbilical cord connects to the trailer wiring.

[mfoster711]

Would everybody agree with these assumptions:

1) It is not a bulb issue because I confirmed that by swapping known good bulbs with lights that were not working.
2) It is not a fuse issue. If there was a fuse not working then it would also affect some of the rear lights, not just the front lights.
3) It is not a truck wiring issue. Again, related to #2, if it was something with the wiring from the truck to the camper then it would affect all the running lights?

I am assuming it is wiring issue in the camper at this point and I need to trace it down. I just want to confirm that I am not overlooking any other simple answers like bulbs and fuses.

The camper is only a year old so I am suprised that it might be a wiring issue. On the other hand, I am also trying to recall if these lights ever worked. I don't travel at night that much to have noticed and I usually am only checking the rear lights before I pull out on trips.

[mfoster711]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
You have a STRING of AMBER lights across the top. On one end or the OTHER END. an incoming pair of wires feeds the string power when the lights are supposed to come on.

Take the cover off one end light. Then unscrew the base. If that light has only two wires connected to it, put it back together then go to the other end. Do the same thing.

Electricity is invisible so you can't stare it down and embarrass it to show itself. You need to go to the parts store and buy a TEST LIGHT. They are CHEAP.

One end of the test light has a clip. It needs shiny trailer metal to clip to. Painted don't work.

Touch the point into a connection at that light. Does it light up?

This is as far as I go until I know I am not callusing my fingertips for nothing. When you get the above done, come back for Chapter II

I see where you are going. Unfortunately, I just took the camper back to storage and will have to try this in a few days.

[mfoster711]

old guy wrote:
it means you should take the TT to a dealer and have it looked at and fixed. sorry pal, you don't know what you are doing.

Not sure how you came to that conclusion. I am a little more capable then you are giving me credit for. I have just never dealt with this issue before and was hoping for some tips on what to look for.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

You have a STRING of AMBER lights across the top. On one end or the OTHER END. an incoming pair of wires feeds the string power when the lights are supposed to come on.

Take the cover off one end light. Then unscrew the base. If that light has only two wires connected to it, put it back together then go to the other end. Do the same thing.

Electricity is invisible so you can't stare it down and embarrass it to show itself. You need to go to the parts store and buy a TEST LIGHT. They are CHEAP.

One end of the test light has a clip. It needs shiny trailer metal to clip to. Painted don't work.

Touch the point into a connection at that light. Does it light up?

This is as far as I go until I know I am not callusing my fingertips for nothing. When you get the above done, come back for Chapter II

[old_guy]

mfoster711 wrote:

Chris Bryant wrote:
Often there will be a separate feed for the front run from the junction of the umbilical cord and the trailer.

So what does that mean?

it means you should take the TT to a dealer and have it looked at and fixed. sorry pal, you don't know what you are doing. so do it right and have it fixed by some one who knows what they are doing. again sorry, don't mean to be rude but you need to take it in.