Troubleshooting 5th Wheel Trailer Clearance Lights Blinking with the Turn Signals

Question:

I replaced the clearance lights on our fifth wheel to LEDS and when i step on the brake with the signal light some of the LEDS in the lights blink,if i turn on the headlights everything works fine.Im still using incadesant bulbs in the rear tailights and side signals.I had tryed changing out the tailights to leds but they would not light up.This is being done on a 2005 Jayco fifth wheel.

asked by: Terry S

Expert Reply:

When using the brake and turn signal at the same time, you are drawing more power then just with running lights. Since some of the LEDs blink, they may inadvertently be attached to the turn signal wire on the trailer. Most trailers have one wire that carries both turn signal and brake light functions and one wire that carries running lights. I would check to make sure the correct wire is run to the new clearance lights. An LED clearance light like # MC65RB will have two terminals or wires. One for the signal (running lights) and one for ground.

As far as the taillights you tried to install not lighting up, the first thing that comes to mind is the ground connection. If the LED taillights had a ground wire, it would need to be connected to a bare metal surface. Otherwise, most taillights ground through the mounting studs or hardware. Without the ground, the circuit cannot be completed and the lights will not light up.

expert reply by: Michael H