Backup Light Issues

My backup light has been turning on all by itself. I believe the switch is shorting out especially with all the rain we have been having here in the NE. A number of times I have looked out in our yard where I keep it and the back up light is blazing away. A waste of electricity and an annoyance to camping neighbors. Generally switching the switch on and off a few time works, but sometimes it comes right back on again. Sometimes when I switch it off it never goes completely off but glows softly. Again I notice it most often in damp weather. Couple of questions:
1. Anyone else have this issue.
2. Am I right in thinking it’s the switch?
3. To replace the switch do I need to take the whole license plate assembly off or can the switch be removed by just unscrewing it’s locking threaded washer.
4. What do I replace it with that’s waterproof?

 

Looking at the way it is wired I would think switch. It seems in side the switch it could be corroded allowing the electric to pass through. Unsure how mechanucal you are but you could get a replacement and either solder or may you could find an non solder type. I would look forva waterproof one.

It could also be moisture. You could try to spray wd40 or something to remove water. You could then reseal with dielectric grease.

 

Once they do what yours is doing, it will get worse. Replace the switch for sure. Try to find one from a source that at least claims it is water resistant. If you could cover the assembly with a 1 gallon bag, it might help.
Salted roads make it even worse.

 

From Craig, excellent consumer service as usual.


Hi Rich

We have seen these symptoms before and in most cases it is not the switch. What we have seen is that the 7-prond connector gets water and a bit of dust or grit inside it which bridges the connection between the power pin and the backup light pin.

Since the LED's require so little power, it doesn't take much power flow to cause them to glow dimly. The grit, especially when wet, allows enough current to allow the LED's to turn on. IF the grit is dry, it doesn't conduct enough power and the LED's don't glow. But, when it gets wet, it can glow brightly.

Try spraying into the contacts with WD40 spray. If it is more severe, you will need to remove the 7-prong cover for more thorough cleaning. To remove the cover, first loosen the clamp screw near the wire end of the 7-prong. Then remove the small screw near the connection end of the 7-prong. Then slide back the cover. Make note of the orientation of the cover to the inside connector, for easier reassembly. Make not of the dimple where the small screw goes in.

Look for dirt between the contacts, where the contacts go into the plastic. Spray down the area with WD40. You may need to loosen the grit with a toothpick or other small item.

Reassemble the 7-prong making sure to align the small screw with the dimple in the inside connector. Reinstall the small screw, but do not over-tighten, it should be only installed until it is slightly below the surface.

If this doe not fix it, inspect the cable to make sure it has not been cut, crushed or otherwise damaged.
If the cable isn't damaged, then the switch may indeed be the culprit.


If the grit was the problem, it can be avoided by keeping the connector off the ground or away from the ground during rain. We most often see this when the connector is allowed to hang. The rain splashes grit into the contacts or onto the cable and then gets washed into the cord end of the connector. Place the connector on top of the propane tank or on the tongue. Placing the connector up higher or laying it horizontal helps minimize the amount getting inside.

Even then, periodically spray the contacts with WD40 to flush away any accumulated grit.


Contact us when you have checked all this out, if you still are having problems.

Thanks,
Craig

 

Wanderlust, did you ever solve the problem? Let us know what the issue was.

 

I have worked on the 7 way plug as Craig suggested. It’s raining now so we shall see. Heading out tomorrow for the weekend so we can test it with the security of being able to plug in. In 2 weeks we are boondocking at a music festival for 5 days so I can’t have any battery losses for that. Why can’t this rain be out west where they need it! My lawn is a field of mushrooms. We got 13 " of rain in July, and August is starting out to be identical.

 

I have the rear light option. See my pictures in the original post. That option gives you a switch that turns on the very bright LED backup light. Nice option to have to illuminate behind the galley if your setting up at night or just want a lot of light back there for some reason.

 

I've seen this problem with my right side brake light. About six or seven LEDs light up dimly. I was curious about it and noticed it only happens after rain. I figured it might be water in the seven pin plug on the trailer causing a short (since I wasn't plugged into the vehicle at the time). To test my theory, I grabbed the cable about a foot from the plug and gave it a good, quick spin. The water came out and the LEDs went off. I disassembled and cleaned the plug, adding some dielectric grease to the contacts. Some of the contacts were pretty corroded. I also cleaned the receptacle on the back of my tow vehicle. I bought a cover (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JRYHGKC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) for my plug on Amazon and when it is not plugged into my TV, I slip the cover on it and make sure the cover is pointed skyward. I'm watching to see how this works.