we had a bunch of mice/rats in our roof of our 2012 keystone sprinter and i think on of the tittle @^#%$*(ers got to the wiring on one of my lights in the ceiling. i changed the fixture and no love, put my multimeter on it and nothing (dont know if i did it right) i need some help as to what is the best approach to fix this thing. Thank You
RATS!!! lights
- Thread starter tregrad
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
grashley
Well-known member
Sounds like the little critter likes copper :-[ The problem is you really do not know where the chewed wire is, which makes repair a bit harder. The wire (s) simply need replaced or the break located and fixed. Neither is simple.
Look up Bucket Trap. That should prevent future issues.
Look up Bucket Trap. That should prevent future issues.
so, do you know where the dome light wires go? where do they meet up? i can just run another wire. or better yet, is there a wiring diagram for teh dome lights? i have been looking and all i get are mercedes and some trailer schematics that are of no help at all.
grashley
Well-known member
What brand and model RV do you have?
Basically, the dome lights will have one wire running to a power source, either another light or to the fuse panel. The other wire goes to a chassis ground.
If they go through a switch, one wire runs to the switch, which then goes to a power source. The other wire still runs to ground.
Basically, the dome lights will have one wire running to a power source, either another light or to the fuse panel. The other wire goes to a chassis ground.
If they go through a switch, one wire runs to the switch, which then goes to a power source. The other wire still runs to ground.
it is a 2012 Keystone Sprinter travel trailer 311BHS.
https://www.rvusa.com/rv-guide/2012-keystone-sprinter-travel-trailer-floorplan-311bhs-tr12671
so there is ONE power wire that feeds them all? all other lights work so this one must be at the end of the line? yet it is 3rd in line from the battery/tongue. does this mean that the ground was chewed up? i really suck at electrical but know enough to get myself in trouble lol. I own a home maintenance business but my partner does all the electrical for obvious reasons lol.
thank you for your help and sorry for the delayed response
https://www.rvusa.com/rv-guide/2012-keystone-sprinter-travel-trailer-floorplan-311bhs-tr12671
so there is ONE power wire that feeds them all? all other lights work so this one must be at the end of the line? yet it is 3rd in line from the battery/tongue. does this mean that the ground was chewed up? i really suck at electrical but know enough to get myself in trouble lol. I own a home maintenance business but my partner does all the electrical for obvious reasons lol.
thank you for your help and sorry for the delayed response
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Maybe, maybe not. But each light has to have one power (12v +)wire coming in, and one ground (12v negative) wire going out. If it doesn't, no light.
Typically, there will be a couple major power (+) wires coming from the source (battery or converter) and smaller wires will branch off from those to go to individual lights or gadgets. Similarly, the ground (-) wires from each light or gadget will go to the nearest ground collection point. If that is a ways away, the ground wires connect to a larger wire that eventually goes back to the battery or power panel via the metal chassis of the vehicle.
Rene T
Site Team
How many lights does this one switch light up. If it's two and the second one is still working, the break may be in between those 2 lights. You may be able to snake a new wire from the working light to the unworking light.
its the only one that goes out and the switches are on the dome lights themselves. put a new light in and it didnt work either so i know there is a wire messed up. these switches go bad all teh time so that was my first inclination. im gonna have to get a snake camera and look up in there.
Rene T
Site Team
tregrad said:
How close is the next light that does work?
grashley
Well-known member
Have you verified with a meter that you have good power and ground to the light?? This should also identify if the problem is in the power or ground wire.
Alfa38User
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2007
- Posts
- 6,678
You mentioned that the switch is on the light fixture. Could well be that the switch itself that is the problem. Time to verify by using a voltmeter or multimeter if there is battery and ground at the fixture, and battery on both sides of the switch when it is turned on .
Make sure your meter is set to read DC voltage. It will be the setting with a solid line and a dashed line. AC voltage will be a sinewave "squiggly" line. Many meters have only one voltage setting and you need to use a 'select' or 'func[tion]' button to set the meter to read DC voltage. If you choose the wrong type of voltage you won't get a correct reading.
