Need Help on Electrical Issues

[DanEC]

Coincidentally it was my right front parking light I found unplugged and it caused all sorts of mal-functions, although I'm not sure as many as you are reporting. The trailer relay was not an issue on mine. ERA used a white foam tape - sticky both sides to fasten the relay to the bracket. I went back using adhesive backed Velcro.

[strictlypersonl]

Originally Posted by DanEC

I went back using adhesive backed Velcro.

That's a great idea. I'll check out the feasibility of changing my design. The only thing I'll have to check is whether the adhesive is heat-stable enough.

[Whodeeny]

Bob Putnam has been helping me troubleshoot this problem. I think we are both struggling to figure out what is wrong. I thought I would run this by the ERA community on Club Cobra for ideas.
I have made the following checks –
1. Jumped 12v to each parking/signal/brake light element to verify operation – all okay.
2. Verified that each light was grounded properly at all four corners of the car.
3. Verified that all the fuses are good.
4. Verified that with the parking lights on the left and right side were equal brightness side to side.
5. Swapped the B/W and B/G wires at the ERA steering column turn signal switch, the lighting problem did not change sides.
6. Using a test light with a pointed probe I penetrated the wire insulation on the 3-to-2 wire relay to check for voltage on the wires –
a. Brake on
i. trailer side yellow – 12vdc
ii. trailer side green – 0vdc
iii. car side red – 12vdc
iv. car side green – 0vdc
v. car side yellow – 0vdc
b. Right turn selected
i. trailer side yellow – 0vdc
ii. trailer side green – 0vdc
iii. car side red – 0vdc
iv. car side green – 0vdc
v. car side yellow – 0vdc
c. Left turn selected
i. trailer side yellow – 0vdc
ii. trailer side green – 0vdc
iii. car side red – 0vdc
iv. car side green – 0vdc
v. car side yellow – 12vdc
Based on the checks above we decided that the trailer relay may be bad. I received the trailer relay assembly from ERA yesterday and tried it today. I still have problems. The left brake light works, the right brake light doesn’t work. The right rear turn signal light works, the right front signal doesn’t work. The left rear signal light doesn’t work and the left front signal light does work. I made the above voltage checks at the new 3-to-2 wire relay with these results –
a. Brake on
i. trailer side yellow – 12vdc
ii. trailer side green – 0vdc
iii. car side red – 12vdc
iv. car side green – 0vdc
v. car side yellow – 0vdc
b. Right turn selected
i. trailer side yellow – 0vdc
ii. trailer side green – 12vdc
iii. car side red – 0vdc
iv. car side green – 12vdc
v. car side yellow – 0vdc
c. Left turn selected
i. trailer side yellow – 0vdc
ii. trailer side green – 0vdc
iii. car side red – 0vdc
iv. car side green – 0vdc
v. car side yellow – 12vdc
This seems to indicate to me anyway that this new trailer relay isn’t working either. It is hard for me to believe that two relays in a row are bad.
Does anybody have any other ideas or suggestions?
BD

[patrickt]

Damn, that is ridiculously complicated. If you pull apart the 12 wire plug that connects the trailer/flasher contraption that we use, and then, with the plug completely apart, feed 12v+ to each of the eight hot feed wires that go to each corner bulb, can you get each corner bulb to light each of the two filaments (eight separate filaments in total)?

[Whodeeny]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Damn, that is ridiculously complicated. If you pull apart the 12 wire plug that connects the trailer/flasher contraption that we use, and then, with the plug completely apart, feed 12v+ to each of the eight hot feed wires that go to each corner bulb, can you get each corner bulb to light each of the two filaments (eight separate filaments in total)?

Patrickt -
You gave me a slap up side the head! Apparently that is what I needed. I started jumping 12vdc to each of the plug pins as you suggested. I got to the right front park/sig light and it didn't work when I jumped 12vdc to it. I was applying the 12vdc to the pin in plug #7. I looked further downstream and discovered a pin on #27 plug pushed back so that it wasn't making contact. With it pushed in properly every light on the car is working now. I guess I was making it too complicated. I will recheck it in the morning as I still can't believe it. Maybe I am in a dream right now.
THANKS!
BD

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Whodeeny

Maybe I am in a dream right now.
THANKS!
BD

Well that's good. Now if we can just get ACHiPo up and running.