Mystery LEDs/Lights on side

[Minno]

This one has me puzzled. What are these two orange colored LEDs/lights for? They are located on the curb side of our 71 Sovereign, above the water heater. They are only on the curb side - nothing similar ont he road side. Maybe if I had the trailer lights in working order, instead of the aftermarket (i.e., highly jury-rigged ) running and tail lights I installed for the trip home from Mobile, AL, I might know what these are used for?

[maccamper]

Those are indicator lights. They are an early form of fiber optics. On the back of the metal can that holds your turn/brake lights, there is a thick, black wire that connects to the center of the metal can.

Inside that wire is a fiber optic thread. If you take out the bulb in your turn/brake lights, you should see a clear piece of plastic that touches the bulb. That clear plastic focuses the light to the fiber optic thread. If the plastic has become clouded or dirty, the indicator lights will be dim.

The idea is that you can test your brake lights and turn signals from the tow vehicle without going around to the back of the trailer.

Andy with Inland RV sells a plastic cover for the indicator light, which is missing in your picture. The replacement cover is white plastic, but you can paint it silver or gray with Krylon spray paint and it will look much better.

Laird

[HowieE]

They may be turn signal indicates. Back in the 70s there were several attempts to use fiber optics as remote indicates of lights that the driver could not see.

If the are fiber optic you should see them in your mirror while the turn signal is on.

If they are light bulbs tapped into the turn signal wiring they may be dead bulbs.

[Minno]

Thanks! The taillights currently do not work. In fact, one of the red lenses is missing, and the inside of the tail light is total rust. Several of the running lights are in the same condition. Some of those things to replace as we go through the refurb. I'll probably replace all the exteror lights with LED versions, so these indicators may become a moot point, but I'll try and make sure they work as we want to keep the exterior as vintage as possible. Replace it would mean one less hole to patch, so that's a good thing.

Chris

[Jim Foster]

Originally Posted by Minno

This one has me puzzled. What are these two orange colored LEDs/lights for? They are located on the curb side of our 71 Sovereign, above the water heater. They are only on the curb side - nothing similar ont he road side. Maybe if I had the trailer lights in working order, instead of the aftermarket (i.e., highly jury-rigged ) running and tail lights I installed for the trip home from Mobile, AL, I might know what these are used for?

Strange.......These indicators are located on the street side of our '83 Excella. I can see them in the left side rear view mirror.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Minno

This one has me puzzled. What are these two orange colored LEDs/lights for? They are located on the curb side of our 71 Sovereign, above the water heater. They are only on the curb side - nothing similar ont he road side. Maybe if I had the trailer lights in working order, instead of the aftermarket (i.e., highly jury-rigged ) running and tail lights I installed for the trip home from Mobile, AL, I might know what these are used for?

I believe you will find that "tail light monitor" on the road side.

The original light cans for your tail lights have not been available for over a couple of years.

LED replacements are the name of the game today.

Andy

[Minno]

Maybe I should stick with port, starboard, forward, aft, etc., etc....

Kay pointed the road side/street side error as soon as she read my post. btw - we need some Navy smily faces!