Most likely cause is a break in the earth return circuit in either the van's wiring, the car's wiring to the van, or (quite commonly) the connectors between the two. Firstly check that the contacts on the connector are clean, squirt with wd40 or similar and insert and remove the plug several times to "wipe" the pins clean.
If this doesn't solve the problem, open the plug and check that the white wire hasn't become disconnected or broken, also check the socket on the tug. (the white wire is the earth wire if it has been correctly wired in accordance with standard practice).
If no luck here it's probably a job for someone with some electrical experience to trace the earth circuit to look for the break. Maybe you have a technical background yourself so please accept my apology if I appear to imply otherwise.
On a more general comment to anyone visiting this post it is suggested that when checking trailer lights they should all be checked simultaneously as well as individually as it's not uncommon for this to show up faults that may not be apparent when just checking them one at a time.
-- Edited by jimricho on Tuesday 8th of May 2012 06:28:59 PM
Kiwi-as said
07:43 PM May 8, 2012
I was going to say an earthing problem also.
The lights earth back through each other, hence they all flash.
-- Edited by Kiwi-as on Tuesday 8th of May 2012 07:47:22 PM
Jay-Jay said
12:38 AM May 9, 2012
Hi guys
Odd wiring problem on van, as blinker(s) put on, all caravan external lights flash, have checked all lights and no fault found, checked output from car socket, that's fine, checked plug and wire to van, all seems OK. If any one has had similar fault, please let me know as I am running out of ideas. Thanks, JayJay's husband
Happywanderer said
12:48 AM May 9, 2012
Maybe its not a fault. might be a warning. eg. Is it just the side you have put the blinkers on or is it the whole caravan all over. I know I'm not much help but that was my thought as I read your post.
Dougwe said
01:59 AM May 9, 2012
Jay-Jay wrote:
Hi guys
Odd wiring problem on van, as blinker(s) put on, all caravan external lights flash, have checked all lights and no fault found, checked output from car socket, that's fine, checked plug and wire to van, all seems OK. If any one has had similar fault, please let me know as I am running out of ideas. Thanks, JayJay's husband
Welcome from me Jay-Jay, enjoy here and out there.
It might be a good idea to pop your question in "Techies Corner"
Good luck.
justcruisin01 said
04:19 AM May 9, 2012
Mate. that is definitly an earth return problem. When this happens the system tryes to creat an earth back through the positive side of the lights causing them to show a dull glow.
Some cheap skates try to use the tow ball as an earth instead of wiring a circuit & this is the result. Firstly check that there is an earth circuit to both sides of the car/van plugs, if this is in place then the problem can still be either the car side of the system &/or the van side.You will also find that all other lights maybe a bit on the dull side as well.
The problem will be a loose/dirty/coroded/broken wire in the system. possibily at a junction section, this is where all the earth return wires from all lights join onto the main wiring loom from the connection plug at the towbar.
Just to prove the point remove a lens from a indercater light, connect a small jump lead (length of wire with aligator clips attached) to the earth terminal of the indicaterlight & the other end to a clean section of the chassis, the lights should work ok. This is just a test system.
Its a matter of starting at one end & working your way through,some times a simple movement of wiring can change from complete failure of lights to a normal function & thats where you problem will be.
Happy hunting!
JC.
Cruising Granny said
06:07 AM May 9, 2012
Hi Jay Jay and welcome. Sometimes you have to check every light fixture to determine which one has the problem. Mine was a front clearance light, and the wire was exposed and touching the van body. It took ages to do all the globes, connections and fittings to find it. In my frustration I enlisted the aid of a "bloke" to add a fresh brain. Simple problems can be so infuriating until you find them.
2weis said
04:14 PM May 9, 2012
jay jay have any globes been changed lately it is possible you may have put a double contact globe in a single contact socket brian
neilnruth said
08:07 PM May 9, 2012
Welcome JayJay and husband from us too. I'll leave the tech advice to the others.
Zoomtopz said
09:41 PM May 9, 2012
JayJay;
I waited to see what others may say , I thought 'earth' too .
But , you said "all" the 'caravan external' lights . Is that ALL the lights ,
or th 'vehicle lights' , vehicle lights , I mean by , brakes , clearence ,
blinkers . Not the outside lights on th van , not having had a van I don't
know too much about them . But with your vehicle , wy not try another
vehicle , if it still does it , it is in th van . That 'diagram of pins' from
Jim Richo , would be handy to print out & keep for future ref . I would
still check both of your pins , then YOU know that they are ok .
Hope you get it sorted out & cheaply .
Richo.
old briney said
11:52 PM May 9, 2012
i had the same problem sometime back found it to be the earth wire in the right tail/blinker, fitted a new earth and has been OK since
Scotty01 said
12:44 AM May 10, 2012
Hi JayJay. Your problem will definatly be an earthing error. On a lot of vans the earth from the trailer plug is only a short run then connected somewhere on the drawbar and the van chassis used as an earth for all lights etc. What I have usually found is that this problem comes from the mounting screws of a light becoming rusty/coroded and then it all feeds back through the + feed of another light. As mentioned earlier fitting the wrong globe can also cause this but is not that common. Does it happen on one indicator or on both sides? If its only 1 check earth and mounting screws on that light first. Hope this helps
Jay-Jay said
08:40 PM May 12, 2012
Hi Guys, Thanks for all info received. Yes it was thought to be a earthing problem but could not find it and still haven't. Earthing has been circumvented and problem has now gone so all good again and lights now doing what they should be... DH happy now... Thanks heaps, JayJay
Most likely cause is a break in the earth return circuit in either the van's wiring, the car's wiring to the van, or (quite commonly) the connectors between the two. Firstly check that the contacts on the connector are clean, squirt with wd40 or similar and insert and remove the plug several times to "wipe" the pins clean.
If this doesn't solve the problem, open the plug and check that the white wire hasn't become disconnected or broken, also check the socket on the tug. (the white wire is the earth wire if it has been correctly wired in accordance with standard practice).
If no luck here it's probably a job for someone with some electrical experience to trace the earth circuit to look for the break. Maybe you have a technical background yourself so please accept my apology if I appear to imply otherwise.
On a more general comment to anyone visiting this post it is suggested that when checking trailer lights they should all be checked simultaneously as well as individually as it's not uncommon for this to show up faults that may not be apparent when just checking them one at a time.
Jim
PS: the following website gives the pinouts of all the usual trailer plugs http://www.narva.com.au/products/browse/wiring-diagrams
-- Edited by jimricho on Tuesday 8th of May 2012 06:28:59 PM
I was going to say an earthing problem also.
The lights earth back through each other, hence they all flash.
-- Edited by Kiwi-as on Tuesday 8th of May 2012 07:47:22 PM
Hi guys
Odd wiring problem on van, as blinker(s) put on, all caravan external lights flash, have checked all lights and no fault found, checked output from car socket, that's fine, checked plug and wire to van, all seems OK. If any one has had similar fault, please let me know as I am running out of ideas. Thanks, JayJay's husband
Welcome from me Jay-Jay, enjoy here and out there.
It might be a good idea to pop your question in "Techies Corner"
Good luck.
Mate. that is definitly an earth return problem. When this happens the system tryes to creat an earth back through the positive side of the lights causing them to show a dull glow.
Some cheap skates try to use the tow ball as an earth instead of wiring a circuit & this is the result. Firstly check that there is an earth circuit to both sides of the car/van plugs, if this is in place then the problem can still be either the car side of the system &/or the van side.You will also find that all other lights maybe a bit on the dull side as well.
The problem will be a loose/dirty/coroded/broken wire in the system. possibily at a junction section, this is where all the earth return wires from all lights join onto the main wiring loom from the connection plug at the towbar.
Just to prove the point remove a lens from a indercater light, connect a small jump lead (length of wire with aligator clips attached) to the earth terminal of the indicaterlight & the other end to a clean section of the chassis, the lights should work ok. This is just a test system.
Its a matter of starting at one end & working your way through,some times a simple movement of wiring can change from complete failure of lights to a normal function & thats where you problem will be.
Happy hunting!
JC.
Sometimes you have to check every light fixture to determine which one has the problem.
Mine was a front clearance light, and the wire was exposed and touching the van body. It took ages to do all the globes, connections and fittings to find it. In my frustration I enlisted the aid of a "bloke" to add a fresh brain. Simple problems can be so infuriating until you find them.
have any globes been changed lately it is possible you may have put a double contact globe in a single contact socket
brian
JayJay;
I waited to see what others may say , I thought 'earth' too .
But , you said "all" the 'caravan external' lights . Is that ALL the lights ,
or th 'vehicle lights' , vehicle lights , I mean by , brakes , clearence ,
blinkers . Not the outside lights on th van , not having had a van I don't
know too much about them . But with your vehicle , wy not try another
vehicle , if it still does it , it is in th van . That 'diagram of pins' from
Jim Richo , would be handy to print out & keep for future ref . I would
still check both of your pins , then YOU know that they are ok .
Hope you get it sorted out & cheaply .
Richo.
i had the same problem sometime back found it to be the earth wire in the right tail/blinker, fitted a new earth and has been OK since
Hi Guys, Thanks for all info received. Yes it was thought to be a earthing problem but could not find it and still haven't. Earthing has been circumvented and problem has now gone so all good again and lights now doing what they should be... DH happy now... Thanks heaps, JayJay