A Light Question...exterior center-mounted rear light

[Eagle]

The question that I have concerns the stop light in the top center at the back. In Virginia we have to have our automobiles inspected every year. This year my MH was rejected because the light was blinking. It works fine when I step on the brake, but when I turn the signal lights on it will blink. The inspector says it cannot blink. All the years I have had the MH the light blinks when I turn the signals on, but this year I am told it cannot blink or I will have to remove it. I don’t want to do that and end up with a big hole in the back.

I removed the light to examine the wiring. There are three wires connected to the light. When I remove the left or right wire the lights will not blink, but disconnecting the two wires will keep the brake light from coming on. Removal of the two wires will not solve the problem.

The State Police control automobile inspections and I can discuss this with them to see if I can get a waiver. Before I do anything I thought I would ask if those of you with this type of MH have the same problem (not sure it is a problem). I have sent an email to Airstream asking if the light was designed to operate in this manner.

[skater]

Mine actually doesn't have that light - there's a 'patch' over where it should be.

However, it should not blink with the turn signals; it's wired incorrectly.

See this thread for some possible solutions. The diode idea mentioned there would work except that it would still flash when the four-ways are on (probably not a big deal). There are also other solutions.

[Alaskan]

Eagle... your light is actually working as it was designed to....

RJ....somebody musta removed that upper light on your rig.

My 91 has that light....the light has 2 sections with a bulb in each section.

Both bulbs come on with the brake lights and they also come on separately with the left & right turn signals

The 1997 and newer rigs have a similar light but its larger and works the same way....

Eagle...Remove the 2 screws that hold the lens onto that light, remove the 2 bulbs....end of problem in Virginia....or you could move to Alaska...

[skater]

Eagle...Remove the 2 screws that hold the lens onto that light, remove the 2 bulbs....end of problem in Virginia....or you could move to Alaska...

That probably would not work, unless he covered the opening like mine - Virginia is pretty anal about lights. When I bought my B190 I was living in VA, and the fog lights weren't working (switch was bad). The camper failed inspection over it - if they're there, they have to work.

(Now I'm tempted to go see if I can remove that cover and see what's beneath it. Maryland doesn't have annual inspections...)

[Alaskan]

Removing the bulbs simply makes it a reflector....

OR....cover it with duct tapes til after the inspection..!

[Eagle]

Skater is correct in that Virginia is anal about lights.

Alaskan you have confirmed what I thought and that is the lights are working as designed. A reply from Airstream says they don't have a wiring diagram for the lights and so can't help.

I could remove the bulbs and see if that would work, but I expect the inspector will tell me that I have to remove the entire assembly.

I will locate the diodes and see if that corrects the problem.

Yes, I would like to move to Alaska, but I don't like the cold and snow that much.

Thanks, folks I will see if the diodes do the job.

[skater]

I climbed up and took a closer look at the patch on mine. If it wasn't done by Airstream, I'd be VERY surprised. It was caulked well and everything (though now the caulk has pulled away from the fiberglass so it's probably letting water get in, which is probably running right back out the bottom).

I was tempted to pull it off but that strikes me as a bad idea...then I'd have to find a fixture for in there if there isn't one, etc.

Inside, that would be right behind the medicine cabinet, right?

[Alaskan]

GREY duct tape Wayne...!

or put some sorta decal over it til after you're inspection

RJ....a little measuring I determine it to be just slightly below that cabinet, where on mine there is an "EXIT" decal on the inside....and it looks like there is a panel there that could be removed on the inside

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

OK....you guys just had to make me get up there and take the lens off

There are 2 single-filament bulbs in there as pictured below...they both come on when the brake is applied and they flash separately left-right when the turn signals are applied



On my 1997 & 1999 rigs that light is several times larger and is located up near the top, as pictured below...

In addition, on those rigs the light only functions with the STOP lights...

[craigmar]

Alaskan, is it possible that the above problem could be solved by using a single filiment light bulb only. That way only the break lights would come on and not the turn signals.

[Alaskan]

Thats a simple problem by-the-way Wayne...!

This is a real problem...

Diane says the building moved as she was driving up to it...her favorite hamburger joint in Anchorage this summer

She was able to have a body shop up there install whats called "Collision Wrap" over the front there to keep the water out and retain the glass somewhat til she could send it down to me this fall...







I have the rig in my shop down in Washington and have it all apart, fiberglass repair completed and waiting on the glass to come from Airstream...

[Eagle]

Alaskan, I don't see any snow on that rig! Is it parked inside?

My light is an LED (without the bulbs). There are three wires - one operates from the brake and the other two for the right and left turn signals.

From looking at the rig you are repairing, I would say my problem is minor. Does this mean we can send, or bring, our MH's to you for repair?

By the way, my light appears to be just above the rear cabinet.

[Alaskan]

Alaskan, is it possible that the above problem could be solved by using a single filiment light bulb only. That way only the break lights would come on and not the turn signals.

nope...thats why I took the lens off to see if maybe they were dual filament, had that been the case maybe he would have been able to make that light function as only a stop light by replacing the bulbs to single filament bulbs..

At this point he'd have to pull the fixture out and examine the wiring to see if he could do that, depends on how many wires feed each light, my guess is just one per bulb and that split is done up under the dash somewhere...RJ's idea of a diode blocker on the turn signal wires would be an option.

[Alaskan]

Alaskan, I don't see any snow on that rig! Is it parked inside?

My light is an LED (without the bulbs). There are three wires - one operates from the brake and the other two for the right and left turn signals.

I try to leave before the snow arrives nowdays, at least for a couple months...I shoveled enough of that carp..!

Iam looking for another Airstream... in Florida so I can spend some winter-time down there again...


Wayne...thats a friends rig from Anchorage

I got that 1996 rig from one of our members (Joe) about 3 years ago for her
and until this summer she hadn't put a scratch on it...

Those pictures were taken a couple weeks ago at Prince of Wales Island, Alaska (were we spend spring-summer & fall) were she met up with us to travel south for the winter..

Its in my shop down in Washington where Iam repairing it..


Sounds like your light has been replaced somewhere along the line...my 1991 has the original light pictured above with bulbs....did they even have LED lights back in 1990...I don't think so

That makes it easy...! ....just clip off the wires that activate the turn signals (behind the fixture) and cap them...then your light will simply be a STOP light...

[skater]

That makes it easy...! ....just clip off the wires that activate the turn signals (behind the fixture) and cap them...then your light will simply be a STOP light...

That won't work - Eagle said in the first post there are only three wires, so I'm assuming the third is ground, and the first two are left turn and right turn.

I think the diodes are the only option. Well, there is another, crazier option: find the wire that activates the brake lights (i.e., right off the pedal) then run one of those alllllllll the way back to the third brake light - then it'd work exactly as it should. Downside: major headache to do.

As for the LEDs, I agree - that must be a replacement fixture someone had installed. Interesting. I've considered swapping LED replacement bulbs into the camper's brake lights, but haven't gotten around to it yet.

[Eagle]

Skater is correct. I tried disconnecting the two brake light wires. When I do that the light will not work at all. I too thought one of the wires was a ground, but there is no metal back there. Just fiberglass and wood.

I tried all combinations using the three wires, but nothing else works except the way it is connected now.

I will get the diodes tommorrow and let you know what happens.

Florida is OK for the winter, but the gulf coast is much better. Do like I do and spend a lot of time in Myrtle Beach. If you like to fish the pier at Apache Campground is great.