Pass-Thru lights

[mybluox]

Hi all,

I have a 2008 Raptor TS3812. I bought this used around 2015. The pass-thru lights have never worked. I followed the wires and they go pass the fuse panel towards the ceiling. Does anyone know how the power feeds the lights? Are they fed off another circuit? I have turned on all the switches to see if they work. Still no go.


Thanks for any and all help.

[bsmith0404]

What type of light are they? The ones in my pass through have a center switch on the light itself, similar to what you see on the ceiling of many travel trailers. If you have a meter, check the wiring to see if you have power to the fixture. Those fixtures go bad on a fairly regular basis. No sense chasing down all kinds of possibilities until you know for sure if you have power to the light

[mybluox]

Originally Posted by bsmith0404

What type of light are they? The ones in my pass through have a center switch on the light itself, similar to what you see on the ceiling of many travel trailers. If you have a meter, check the wiring to see if you have power to the fixture. Those fixtures go bad on a fairly regular basis. No sense chasing down all kinds of possibilities until you know for sure if you have power to the light

They are the 12v ceiling lights. I have checked for voltage. There is no power. That's why I asked how they are fed. If I have to, I'll cut the wires and wire them in to the fuse block; but I would like to just fix the problem.

[bsmith0404]

Ok, I was just making sure you had checked the wiring first. Those light fixtures are notorious for going bad. Typically, there isn’t a separate switch to power them since they have their own switch on each light. I’m assuming you checked all your fuses as well. Normally there is one wire pair that goes to one of the lights and that jumps across to the other. If it was mine, I’d find the wire that feeds into the pass through and start tracing it back and checking for voltage. I’m sure it’s probably just a pinched/chafed/broken wire somewhere. May even feed off another light and could have a bad connection. I’ve also seen a shorted fixture take out all other lights in the chain so isolating them and checking voltage is good steps to take.

[jasin1]

Did you check for voltage from each wire to the metal frame? Could just be a bad or missing ground connection…if that’s the case you could just add a ground somewhere in the pass thru.

[mybluox]

Originally Posted by jasin1

Did you check for voltage from each wire to the metal frame? Could just be a bad or missing ground connection…if that’s the case you could just add a ground somewhere in the pass thru.

No I didn't. Great suggestion. I will try that today.
Thank you.

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by mybluox

No I didn't. Great suggestion. I will try that today.
Thank you.

That’s what I was talking about when I said to check them with a meter. The fixtures go bad all the time. Checking power at the fixture will only verify if the bulb is bad. You need to check for power at the wires.

[mybluox]

There is no voltage in the pass-thru. The wires are red/white there is a splice right behind the switch panel in the Toy Hauler at the splice they change color to Purple/white and continue up towards the ceiling. I'm not going to tear apart the toy hauler to trace the wires. I've been without the lights for 7 years, I can continue to be without the lights.

OH well.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by mybluox

There is no voltage in the pass-thru. The wires are red/white there is a splice right behind the switch panel in the Toy Hauler at the splice they change color to Purple/white and continue up towards the ceiling. I'm not going to tear apart the toy hauler to trace the wires. I've been without the lights for 7 years, I can continue to be without the lights.

OH well.

Just get a couple of these…they work great and the batteries last a long time

[JRTJH]

Surely there is 12 VDC behind the rear partition in the passthrough.... LED lights don't use much wattage, so there's probably at least a couple of choices to "tie into power" behind that panel. All you'd need to do is find a 12 volt source, jumper from there to the lights and then to ground.

Id you do that, realize that leaving the lights on will deplete your battery and cargo in the passthrough can "turn on the lights inadvertently" just as easily as you can "forget they're on"... So, if you power them, make sure you start checking them when you store the trailer and in the evenings when you're dry camping.....

[bsmith0404]

There are options for lights with motion sensors. I’m thinking about changing mine out. I always have trouble finding the switch on mine, usually get my phone out for a flashlight. A motion sensor light would be so much nicer and then I don’t have to worry about forgetting to shut it off.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by jasin1

Did you check for voltage from each wire to the metal frame? Could just be a bad or missing ground connection…if that’s the case you could just add a ground somewhere in the pass thru.

Originally Posted by bsmith0404

That’s what I was talking about when I said to check them with a meter. The fixtures go bad all the time. Checking power at the fixture will only verify if the bulb is bad. You need to check for power at the wires.

The reason I said to check from each wire to frame is because if you have a wire running into the light fixture with two conductors and you just use your meter between each conductor or even each connection at a fixture you would not show 12 volts if the ground connection was missing or corroded 20ft away at the source….you may very well have a 12 volt hot wire still present at the light fixture or in the wire but just need to add a ground someplace close by to power the lights.

That’s why you can’t just check for voltage at the wires…if you have a non contact voltage reader, that will pick up 12 volts, that will work also

If you already know this then please disregard.

[jxnbbl]

The funny think is that on my initial trailer there was a light at both ends of the pass through. For whatever reason with this first trailer, I was aware of the light in the "utility/water' bay...but not the other 2. So for almost 6 months and two long trips the 'led switch lights' that i installed in the 'roof' of the bays is what I used. Worked great, then I found the standard lights feeling like an dork...but now having 2 lights at each end was even better.

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by jxnbbl

The funny think is that on my initial trailer there was a light at both ends of the pass through. For whatever reason with this first trailer, I was aware of the light in the "utility/water' bay...but not the other 2. So for almost 6 months and two long trips the 'led switch lights' that i installed in the 'roof' of the bays is what I used. Worked great, then I found the standard lights feeling like an dork...but now having 2 lights at each end was even better.

I know the feeling. I know mine has one on each side, but for some reason the one on the door side is hard for me to find. I also have one in the docking station, but have never used it since the one on that side in the main pass through is more than enough to provide needed light. I guess it’s just habit to turn that one on instead of the one in the docking station. If I install motions sensor lights, I won’t have to worry about thinking.

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by jasin1

The reason I said to check from each wire to frame is because if you have a wire running into the light fixture with two conductors and you just use your meter between each conductor or even each connection at a fixture you would not show 12 volts if the ground connection was missing or corroded 20ft away at the source….you may very well have a 12 volt hot wire still present at the light fixture or in the wire but just need to add a ground someplace close by to power the lights.

That’s why you can’t just check for voltage at the wires…if you have a non contact voltage reader, that will pick up 12 volts, that will work also

If you already know this then please disregard.

It’s all good, I was trying to get the OP to check all of that, I just wasn’t as detailed as you were. I guess too many years of working electronics just made me take certain things for granted when it comes to checking power.

[whiteGIANT510]

Check the actual wire splice connection. I was installing led lights on my scooter yesterday and used those splicer things and 1 of them didn't quite bite through the wire housing. I used a different splicer and it was all good. Try removing the splicer and test the wires they are attached to