outdoor security light

[huhhhhh]

Here's yet another lighting question. I have two security light toggle switches on the control panel #1 & #2. When I got my new shore power dogbones the other day I noticed that the led in the security 2 switch stays lit regardless if it's in the on or off position. When in the off position the light above the entry door on the outside is lit. If I switch it on it appears to get a little brighter. If I push in the battery disconnect it still stays lit.

My question is when connected to shore power is this light meant to stay on 24/7? It does like like there's an LED bulb in there but I'd still like to have control over it.

Thoughts

[canesfan]

I doubt the security light is supposed to stay on all the time. There is a thread titled "dump light" just recently about another light that wouldn't turn off. Turns out it was wired wrong. You said "When I got my new shore power dogbones the other day" is when you noticed it. Did it turn off before then? Your lights are 12VDC. What happens with the light if you unplug from shore power?

[huhhhhh]

Originally Posted by canesfan

What happens with the light if you unplug from shore power?

Going to try that tonight when I get home. The battery was dead before I could start playing with the lights. Had to wait on the dog bone before I could get power back into the rig.

[huhhhhh]

So here's what's happening

Disconnected from shore power.
Battery disconnect is disconnected.
Security 2 switch led is lit in off position.
Outside light above door is on.
Systems monitor has no power.
Ceiling lights will not turn on.

Still Disconnected from shore power.
Battery disconnect is disconnected.
Security 2 switch led is lit in on position.
Outside light above door is on.
Systems monitor has power.
Heater motor comes on.
Ceiling lights will turn on.

My question is how can the security light switch have any control over the heater and ceiling lights.

[huhhhhh]

So I dug into this a little further and found this black wire attached to the security light 2 switch.



I traced it to this distribution block (don't know what to call this) on the ceiling of the basement. I disconnect it here and the LED in the switch goes out and the light turns off. Seems like this is some sort of a battery bypass wire that supplies constant power to the switch.



So when the battery disconnect is pushed in (disconnected) when entering the front door and hitting the ceiling light switch the lights don't come on. I think they should so you have some light to see what you are doing when entering while dark outside. At least this is how it works on my previous camper.

So I cut the black wire from the security light #2 switch and splice it into the wire on the celing light switch





Now when the battery disconnect is pushed in (disconnected) The ceiling lights will turn on and off with the switch by the entry door. The security light #2 switch works just like the security light #1 switch. LED in switch and lights turn on and off normal once the battery disconnect switch is connected.

So I'm thinking it was not wired right from the factory.

Anyone agree or disagree with the way it's working now

[PARAPTOR]

Okay let me take a shot at this, you want to check post #4 for wording, did you mean in second paragraph did you mean disconnect switch Connected (battery now connected). So based on my understanding of your description I think you need to find the remote, I know you bought it used and may not have one. So you do not go crazy and/or rewire the rig I would suggest cutting power to that pictured remote controller in the basement. Some have taken the battery lead off momentarily to reset that controller which will should remove power from that black wire. Assuming that controller is functional. When reset things should go back to normal such as switches will again control devices.

Remember with these controller. once say a light is turned on via a remote it has control until you turn light off with that remote. You can throw those switches on/off till the cows come home and will have no effect, Like that security light, the controller is feeding power to that security light via that black wire, power going around that manual switch

With no shore power your converter off and your only 12VDC source to the power distribution is from the battery, when you use the disconnect switch to disconnect the battery now you have nothing powering the power distribution panel. That is why you have not lights etc.

As far as the heater, I assume you meant furnace , and when that disconnect switch connected the battery to the power distribution panel the furnace and many other devices powered from the panel will be energized, So my wild guess is the thermostat was requesting head???

This my guess based on what I thought you were describing. Keep in mind with your rewiring if you find your remote and turn on the security light that controller is going to sent power down that black wire to the that switch, ie with that switch on you will see light come on if that switch is off you will see nothing. Wiring in that switch sort of defeats the controller since it now longer has a direct shot to the a light.

If you can not find the remote or figure out how to use it , I would just disconnect power to that controller in the basement and move on.

Again this is based on my interpretation of you information. Remember I am old enough to have frequent Senior Moments. My one cent ........

[huhhhhh]

There is a remote but the battery in it is dead. The seller said he never used it so I'm not sure it ever triggered anything.

So that thing in the basement with all the wires going to it is the remote control brain center? I'll have to get a new battery for that remoter and play around with it. I can switch the wire back easy enough if that's the way it's suppose to work.

[JRTJH]

I'd advise you to proceed with caution. You "almost" have to assume that the trailer was working when you bought it. All of the "things wrong" that you're finding probably aren't "wrong" but rather "things that you don't know how to operate"... That said, yes, the "device mounted up front" is the remote control. It is connected both to the "remote side" and also to the "manual side" of everything that it is wired to operate. So, that light wired to the remote control will operate with the remote and/or with the manual switch (for that device). The standard wiring ALWAYS defers to the remote control and will disable the manual switches when the remote is operated. THE ONLY WAY TO DISABLE THE REMOTE OVER-RIDE IS WITH THE REMOTE (or by completely removing ALL power from the trailer) So, if you rewire everything you've changed (put it back to original configuration), unplug shore power, disconnect all batteries and let the trailer sit in a "totally unpowered state" for a couple of hours, then reconnect all batteries, plug in shore power and try the manual switches, they should operate the lights. Or, you could (probably should) get a new battery for the remote hand unit and use it as designed.

Again, I'd suggest that everything in your "new to you trailer" can't have "failed while towing it home". Make the assumption that it's working as designed and use your exploration to figure out how to operate it, not rewire/replace/repair what you "think" must be malfunctioning... Chances are very good that you're going to mess some things up with rewiring and replacing/redesigning systems in the trailer....

A word of caution: THERE IS NO WIRING DIAGRAM AVAILABLE FOR YOUR TRAILER, so anything you rewire will have no documentation to reconnect properly unless you take pictures, draw your own wiring diagram BEFORE you start pulling wires...... Otherwise, even the best dealership technician will be "in the dark" while trying to undo your changes and put things back "like they are supposed to be"...