2013 electrical issue

[Super Dave]

Hi. Have a 2013 cougar 320 QBS 5th wheel. Out of no where my dock light came on and won’t shut off. Unplug the shore power and turned off the main battery power switch and it’s still on. Also un hooked switch. Anyone else have this problem before? Also, on the wall switch that turns on the kitchen island lights there’s a second switch that I have no idea what it connects to. Anyone have an answer for that?

[LHaven]

A ranch cat.

Seriously, if your dock light doesn't go off when you turn your battery disconnect off, I would suspect that Mickey has chewed the feed wire and it swung down across another circuit that is always-on despite the battery disconnect, like the propane detector, or just the pre-switched battery lead. I'd remove each light and pull gently on the feed cable to see if it comes up loose in your hand (and the light goes out).

As for the mystery switch, do you have an electric fireplace? Many rigs have a switch to select between the fireplace and the A/C, as the breaker box can't supply enough power to run both at once (why you would want to, but whatever). A photo might help.

[Super Dave]

Yeah I was afraid of that. I’ll probably just pull the belly liner down and start inspecting the wires. The previous owner lived in the country so, as for the switch is a light switch, there’s 2 switches side by side just the one I can’t find out what it goes to. Every light works that I know about but can’t find what that one goes to.

[LHaven]

Before pulling the belly... on my rig, Mickey got up inside the front cap and ate the wires right in back of a clearance light, so starting at the light hole may save you a lot of needless work. As for the light switch, if they are fireplace/AC selectors, there's no telling where they put them from rig to rig; I've heard of them being on the back walls inside high cabinets. If you insist it's a light, remove all your fuses, hook a toner onto the switch, and go hunting.

[JRTJH]

The "problem" you have is the correct operation for your docking lights. They are designed to operate that way.....

Your Cougar has a remote control and a line of "locking latches" on the remote receiver that's probably located in the front storage compartment. Mine is in the battery storage compartment. Those locking latches "remove interior switch function" when the remote control is used. The reason is to protect the system from "accidental dual activation of a circuit". It's not "vitally important" on a light, but imagine if you were using the remote to extend a slide and someone "accidentally" pushed the retract switch on the wall inside the trailer... You'd have "two electrical sources" connected to the slide motor, one on each direction, powering the motor in both directions and risk burning up the motor.

So, those "locking latches" disconnect the switches when the remote control is used. In your situation, if you turned on that light with the remote control, you MUST turn off the light with the remote control in order to restore interior switch function.

I can't begin to count the number of times I've "fiddled with my remote to turn it on" only to push the docking light button on the remote, usually in bright daylight, so I don't even realize the light is on until that evening. When I try to turn the docking light off with the light switch, nothing happens So it's time to find the remote, turn off the docking light and, when you do, the light switches will work again.

What's a "problem without a fix" is when you either lose the remote or the remote battery dies and you're stuck with no way to "unlock the locking latch" .... BTDT

Find your remote, turn off the docking light and the switches will work again.

The "second switch that you don't know what it operates" is probably the front "scare light". It's the 8" round clear disc that's located on the front curb side of the trailer, near the top, just forward of the bedroom window, way up so it's out of reach. I'd guess that switch is either for the scare light or it may be for the "utility light" that's located on the road side of the trailer, near your dump valve handles.