Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: stevej on September 30, 2024, 09:11:43 am

Title: No parking lights
Post by: stevej on September 30, 2024, 09:11:43 am
With either the parking lights on or headlights (which includes parking lights), the relay under the passenger side dash panel clicks about every 10 seconds.  I haven't begun troubleshooting yet, just hoping someone sees this and knows the issue right away. 

I haven't driven much at night, so I rarely use my lights, but I think this is new.  Possible changes are a new toad (no changes to coach wiring) and I swapped taillights to LED bulbs (which I've switch back to incandescent to no avail).
Title: Re: No parking lights
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on September 30, 2024, 09:50:32 am
By "relay" I assume you mean "auto resetting circuit breaker".  Possible weak breaker?  Try replacing breaker and see what happens.  If it still trips, then you have a short circuit somewhere.

Auto Reset Circuit Breakers - Why Use Them? (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=38778.0)

See also recent thread about a different problem, and the solution that included replacing a breaker.
Title: Re: No parking lights
Post by: stevej on September 30, 2024, 11:00:25 am
Fixed - it was self inflicted.

When I switched to LED, I had messed with wiring to get it to work - after reading about backwards polarity, blah blah.  Well, I thought I had it squared away apparently that didn't actually fix my issue since it was tripping the breaker even with those in.  Long story short - I switched the wiring back (white wire in the middle) and am back on incandescent - all all well. 

Thanks for the help Chuck - you got me thinking about why the breakers would trip.  I removed the bulbs and the problem went away, that's when I remembered my wire hacking and undid my mistake!
Title: Re: No parking lights
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on September 30, 2024, 11:56:13 am
One of my basic rules - when a new problem pops up my first thought is: what did I screw around with last?
Title: Re: No parking lights
Post by: Twig on September 30, 2024, 12:54:20 pm
LED bulbs require "built in resistors".
Title: Re: No parking lights
Post by: Geodmann on September 30, 2024, 05:46:28 pm
LED bulbs require "built in resistors".

Are you just referring to led bulbs in a turn signal (flasher) application or are you referring to LED bulbs in any application?
Title: Re: No parking lights
Post by: Protech Racing on October 03, 2024, 10:22:19 am
The lower resistance of the LED tail lights/ flasher require a different flasher unit.
All of the rest of the bus should function better with LED.
Title: Re: No parking lights
Post by: stevej on October 03, 2024, 02:20:28 pm
The lower resistance of the LED tail lights/ flasher require a different flasher unit.
All of the rest of the bus should function better with LED.
I thought about measuring the difference in resistance between the standard bulb and the LED, then put an inline resistor in to bump it up.

Somewhere along the way I realized I wasn't that invested into the idea of LED in the first place. 😀😀
Title: Re: No parking lights
Post by: Bob & Sue on October 03, 2024, 03:48:27 pm
I have switched over my tail, brake,rear turn and headlights to LED....  But not yet the side turn, front turn and front clearance ( cause the front clearance are a pain)    So it's a hodgepodge of a situation at the moment. 
  Thru my ignorance I haven't switched over any other hardware like blinkers, switches or relays though. Now after reading this,,  Fingers crossed !!

 Or maybe I'm just lucky that we don't have an electronic coach ??
Title: Re: No parking lights
Post by: Protech Racing on October 03, 2024, 05:24:57 pm
I use LED everywhere that I can fit them. Much lower power draw. Brighter lights. 
For the coach. The LED headlights may not burn the stockck headlight switch out.
Plus. 70-90% of my travels are dark.