# RV Rear Lights Advise needed



## highflyer (Mar 2, 2007)

I was fortunate enough to find this site while looking for info on a problem I have with my Newmar Dutchstar RV. It looks like an excellent sight - you do feel somewhat on your own with an RV so it's great to be in touch with fellow RV'ers.
I wonder if anyone can help me with this problem. After passing the MOT for the past 4 years, this time the Dutchstar failed on the back brake/indicator lights. When imported, 2 orange indicators were fitted alongside the rear red lights and these were just tabbed into the brake/indicator circuit which apparently was good enough to satisfy the MOT station, up to now.
So, having failed, I looked to see how easy or otherwise it would be to wire the orange indicators to the flashers and keep separate from the brake lights. There is a single centre brake light at the back which I thought I might be able to feed all the brake lights from but how do I stop both indicators coming on when I brake. I have sat underneath and studied the brake peddle electrics but there is quite a lot going on there with numerous connections onto the hydraulics. I don't want to disturb any more wiring than I have to so I wonder if anyone has some advise that might help. I suppose one issue is that I'm not sure how the system works and have no wiring diagram that might help clear the mist. Anyway, any advice or diagrams gratefully received.
Cheers
Richard


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

Hi Richard and welcome!

You will find lots of help from fellow RV owners on MHF so you are far from alone!
If you get no other feedback on here, give James a ring at work on Monday morning, he'll be able to give you some tips.
01608 812438 .
If you click the WWW button at the bottom of this reply will give you an insight as to some of the vehicles he has converted recently.
Regards
Linda


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## highflyer (Mar 2, 2007)

Linda, Thanks very much for the welcome and I'll give James a call. 
Regards
Richard


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

hi richard RV's are wired with brakes lights and indicators connected together. You have to run a separate feed to your indicators from your flasher unit, and disconnect the existing feed to them.

Its likely that on the past MOT's they never noticed that if the indicators were flashing and they depressed the brake pedal at the same time they stopped flashing.

To find your flasher unit, turn them on and you should hear it clicking.

Olley


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## china (Sep 21, 2005)

you may find it failed because the orange indicator lights are fitted to the inside of the light cluster ,they shoud be on the outside for the uk.
i got over this with my motorhome by changing the complete light cluster nearside to offside and visa versa this also bought the fog lamp on the correct side for the uk. up to yet im still getting away with the exaust pipe outlet on the nearside as I aws told that this shoud be on the offside in the UK. hope this maybe some use.
Peter


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## G2EWS (May 1, 2006)

Hi Richard,

Just done this with my Winnie. Changed the lights to bumper mounted LED's, which you do not have to do of course.

There will be three plugs on the foot brake pedal. Work out which of the three, by disconnecting is the brake light. Find the live feed into it, break into the other cable then run a fresh cable via an in line fuse to your break lights. Simple!

Regards

Chris


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

There you go Richard, I said you'd get lots of help on MHF didn't I?  

If you get any more problems you need worry no more, just ask away :wink: 

Don't forget to pop back and let us know how you got on.

Cheers
Linda


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## damondunc (Feb 14, 2006)

Be very careful about cutting wires on the brake pedal switches. If you have cruise control make sure it still functions correctly and that touching the brake pedal knocks the cruise control off! 
If you do a lighting mod this way you may be bypassing the safety switch for the cruise control on the other hand it may still function ok. 
Always wise to check after doing a mod like this, not being able to turn the cruise off is a very unnerving feeling! 
Dunc.


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## G2EWS (May 1, 2006)

Hi Dunc,

The cruise control is one of the other plugs on the brake pedal. The brake light switch is totally separate.

I am talking about the brake light switch not one of the other two.

Regards

Chris


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## highflyer (Mar 2, 2007)

Thanks everyone for your advice and comments - all very helpful and interesting. I shall have a stab at it as soon as the bit that pays the bills (work) allows, maybe next week.
Regards, Richard


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## highflyer (Mar 2, 2007)

I did the brake/indicator conversion on the RV today. Picked a very cold day to do it on so I am just thawing out while I put up this post. I was concerned that the wattage going through the thin wire I had, to run from back to front might have been too high, considering 6 plus the centre stop light and then 2 more when towing the Smart. I followed the centre stop light wire through 2 multi plugs that were at the rear bumper and found that the wire from the second plug was double the thickness of what I had. When I pulled back the corrugated loom sleeving to expose some clean wires, to my suprise I found they were all clearly marked with what they did. The one in question said ‘BRK LTS’. The wires from the brake pedal switches all ran forward so I assumed the wire I had located at the rear would run right to the front. After some deliberation I opened up one of the larger looms at the front and Hey Presto! there it was, about 6 inches from the brake switch. I connected to the non-live side of the brake switch, all the brake lights to the centre stop light wire and it worked a treat. Following the live feed back to the fuse box showed a 10A in-line fuse already fitted so I’m assuming that will suffice. I’ve rewired the towing electrics accordingly and that’s working properly now too. I took some pix to so if anyone else has the same problem with a similar model it might be helpful. What I would like to do is put 2 new large round indicators higher up on the rear, as the ones that were fitted on import are far too small. Can anyone point me in the right direction to buy a pair? Thanks all for help and advise which got me going in the right direction.

Cheers
Richard


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## 101411 (Oct 15, 2006)

Hi Richard.

I just rewired the reversing lights on mine and changed the white bulbs to yellow. Saved a lot of work and didn't change the rear of the RV at all. Then fitted an aftermarket reversing light and fog light.

Worked a treat and only cost a few quid for new bulbs.

Dazzer


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## highflyer (Mar 2, 2007)

Hi Dazzer
That sounds like a cracking idea. What did you mean by rewiring though? I'm sure there's an easier way of doing what I did. If I could have found the brake input into the indicator system and disconnected that, then connect all the back lights to the centre stop light, that would have been the way to go. But I've no idea where to do that and I don't really know how the american one wire system works system works. I did put some effort into trying to find info or a diagram from the States but with no luck.
Anyroadup, it should go through the mot now!

Cheers
Richard


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## 101411 (Oct 15, 2006)

Hi Richard.

You have to run a new wire for the brakes lihgts from the brake switch at the pedal. Once it leaves the brake switch it goes into a couple of different places (cruise control and Park release system). I just ran the new wire to the back and fiddles around with the indicators and the reversing lights. It only took a couple of hours.

Dazzer


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## highflyer (Mar 2, 2007)

Hi Dazzer
Well I think that is a great way of doing it because the indicators that were put on the rear are poxy little things which don't suit the look at all. To put it back to the original look and satisfy the mot would be a perfect solution. My reversing lights are inside a red reflector surround, if that makes sense, the clear part being only about 2 inches square. I'm wondering if this will make a big enough indicator to be noticed. What about changing one of the rear brake light covers for a clear or an orange reflector and turning that into an indicator? I don't know if Bargman do such a thing. I realise I would lose a set of side lights but there are 2 more sets still in use. Any thoughts?

Cheers
Richard


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

Richard, if you can give me the Bargman part number off your red lense I can possibly help.
Does it look like this by any chance?

Regards
Linda


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## highflyer (Mar 2, 2007)

Thanks linda, yes it does. I'll try to attach a pic. The red one is SAE-IST P2-84-DOT and the reverse light is SAE-AR-84-DOT both are the same size 142 x 106mm. There are reversing lights at the top of the rear of the rv so I could possibly lose the reverse lights in the cluster and change into indicators with the option of seperate reverse lights under the bumper if it proved necessary.

Cheers
Richard


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

I may well have a pair of amber lenses in stock Richard, will look in the stores, failing that we are shipping from the States again in a couple of weeks.
Why not keep your reversing light as is and replace one of the solid red ones....as I said before, give James a buzz, he will tell you how to go about it (if you haven't already).
Cheers
Linda


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## 101411 (Oct 15, 2006)

Hi Richard

Looks like Linda (the superstar :wink: ) has sorted you out.

She really is a little treasure.

If you need any more info let us know.

Good luck with it

Dazzer


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## highflyer (Mar 2, 2007)

Linda, that is real good news. Let me know how to get a pair from you if or when they're in stock (I did speak to James before I rewired, thanks).
Cheers
Richard


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

Hi Richard

Have one last pair in stock - will drop you a PM with details.

Cheers
Linda


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