Scare light and marker light won't work???

shinybean · 01-24-2007, 09:48 PM

I just bought a 1964 22' Safari. When I try to turn on the scare light (big round clear light to the front of the window on the curb side), it will not come on. I have one switch inside, just to the right as you walk in the door. I'm assuming this is the switch that controls this light. The only other switch I can find inside is the water pump switch above the galley sink. The yellow marker/running light under the scare light will not come on when I'm hooked up to the tow vehicle either. I have replaced the bulbs in both of these-still no luck.

Any suggestions for how I can find out where the problem is?

camperski · 01-24-2007, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinybean

I just bought a 1964 22' Safari. When I try to turn on the scare light (big round clear light to the front of the window on the curb side), it will not come on. I have one switch inside, just to the right as you walk in the door. I'm assuming this is the switch that controls this light. The only other switch I can find inside is the water pump switch above the galley sink. The yellow marker/running light under the scare light will not come on when I'm hooked up to the tow vehicle either. I have replaced the bulbs in both of these-still no luck.

Any suggestions for how I can find out where the problem is?

You might get a 12volt test light, hook the aligator clip to the in coming line on the light and touch the "pen" sharp end to the side of your AS. if the test light, lights...its a ground issue meaning...you need to pick one of the rivets thats securing the light.....drill it out.....and install a new one. I had to do this to all my marker lights.

Dark Cove · 01-24-2007, 10:56 PM

My light did not work either. I had to drill ou tthe rivets on the switch, clean very old lube on the contacts and rivet it back in. Crimped down too much on the tangs and need to loosen them a bit to get it to slide easier.

Cheers Southern Neighbors,

dwightdi · 01-25-2007, 04:59 AM

Like they said "Check the voltage at the bulb first. I believe my light is screw mounted so it is no big deal to take it loose and look at the back. If there is no voltage there, see if you can get to the back of the switch without dismembering the trailer. The switch above the sink controls the water pump. No need to look there except to verify you have 12 volts throughout the trailer. If you can not check backwards from the light easily, start at the battery and make sure all wires are connected. There is another junction point under the trailer in the front right area. You need to take off a small square of what looks like a aluminum patch to get at the wires.

commander31 · 01-25-2007, 07:31 AM

I had the same issue with my 69 23' Safari..... Nothing when I hit the switch for the patio light.

Did the "test light" thing and found that I had intermittent power at the switch.....determined first that the switch may be bad, and/or dirty.

On the 69 model, the switch for this "scare" light

is basically right on the exact inside footprint of the light, behind the front drapes. I know this is an "Airstream" exclusive switch...not easily found at one's neighborhood "Radio Shack".... so I took mine apart....drilled out the rivets to remove the whole switch and plate assy, and dismantled the switch, and sure enuff, the tiny little coil spring on the inside of the toggle had disintegrated, after 37 yrs of service. I found a match to the spring in my trusty "junque" drawer in my tool box, installed it, cleaned all the contacts, added a smidge of die-electric grease, and then had a like new, reconditioned, perfectly functioning switch.

Disappointingly, after all was well in the voltage and continuity dept, the light still did not work.

Sooo.....next step was to remove the lens from the light....found only intermittent power at the base of the bulb socket, and it was all corroded, and the one wire was bared, and very brittle looking... I realized this was prolly a lost cause. Went online to Grote Industries: The First Name in Vehicle Safety Systems and looked up the exact OEM style light, chromed, and all shiny.....and ordered it through my nearest truck equipment parts store here in Detroit.... A week or so, I had this very nice shiny new light.....identical except for the fact that the OEM replacement has only 3 mounting screws, vs. the original Airstream unit having 6.

I had to drill a hole and attach the ground wire to the back of the new light assy, and I fabricated a gasket out of rubber, and dabbed a little silicone on for good measure....The 3 new screw holes matched perfectly so no new drilling was necessary....

Hit the switch for the first time, and By Cracky....my "scare" light was a-shinin' bright..... Even scared ME a bit!!!!

Good to go now.....ready for some Airstreamin this spring!!!

Scott Anderson
Grosse Ile, MI
WBCCI #22426
(formerly #22425 1969-76)

sequoiacoast · 01-25-2007, 05:07 PM

I had the same problem with my '68. I removed the scare light, sanded the contact under the bulb to remove corrosion, pulled on the spring to get it more 'springy', and put it all back together. It worked!!!!

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

shinybean · 01-25-2007, 08:14 PM

Thanks for the tips so far. Im heading out on a trip this weekend, but I'll try those suggestions as soon as I can. I'll have to go ahead and get a 12V tester (it was on my shopping list anyway...). I guess I'll start with the easiest of the suggestions, and move to the more involved tasks. I do have a couple of follow-up questions:

Which side of the light is the incoming line?

If I have to install an new light, would it be the "light socket" portion, or the whole back plate/light socket assembly?

Thanks again for the tips! I hope I'll learn enough soon to be able to offer some help of my own

...

sequoiacoast · 01-25-2007, 08:23 PM

If you replace the entire light it will be the whole thing, socket, trim, etc. Check VTS for a picture:

Vintage Trailer Supply - Vintage travel trailer parts and supplies!

The incoming wire for mine came from the left as I recall.
Have a fun trip!!

camperski · 01-25-2007, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinybean

Thanks for the tips so far. Im heading out on a trip this weekend, but I'll try those suggestions as soon as I can. I'll have to go ahead and get a 12V tester (it was on my shopping list anyway...). I guess I'll start with the easiest of the suggestions, and move to the more involved tasks. I do have a couple of follow-up questions:

Which side of the light is the incoming line?

If I have to install an new light, would it be the "light socket" portion, or the whole back plate/light socket assembly?

Thanks again for the tips! I hope I'll learn enough soon to be able to offer some help of my own

...

There should only be one wire, the AS body is used as the ground side of the circuit. Nice to see more people in the upstate getting into streaming, our group from Pickens is heading for Springstream, you?

davidz71 · 01-25-2007, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sequoiacoast

If you replace the entire light it will be the whole thing, socket, trim, etc. Check VTS for a picture:

Vintage Trailer Supply - Vintage travel trailer parts and supplies!

The incoming wire for mine came from the left as I recall.
Have a fun trip!!

I replaced mine a few months ago and bought from that company. Fast shipping and I have been pleased with the product. The scare light on my '86 Sovereign was really glued in with a dense caulk.

shinybean · 01-25-2007, 10:14 PM

Thanks. After I test the voltage/ground, I may end up just buying new ones anyway. I'm looking into replacing all of the running lights with LED's. If I go this route, would I still replace the whole assembly?

Camperski: Nice to see another upstater too! We're still looking into Springstream. Mountains get a little tough for the Dakota to pull our AS...

davidz71 · 01-25-2007, 10:30 PM

[quote=shinybean]Thanks. After I test the voltage/ground, I may end up just buying new ones anyway. I'm looking into replacing all of the running lights with LED's. If I go this route, would I still replace the whole assembly?
quote]

I'm not sure what type of running lights you have but I replaced my bullseye marker lights with LED units from LED-R-US LED'S FOR CARS, TRUCKS, SUV'S, TRAILERS, MOTORCYCLE, SEMI TIRE TOOLS and they were nice. They have to be modified slightly by grinding with a Dremel tool to allow the wire to lay flat but that was no problem.

emo59 · 02-12-2007, 09:51 PM

You guys seem to know what you're talking about, so how about this....

our porch light didn't work, so we replaced bulb and lens. after this it still did not work, and a couple of running lights and our reverse lights went out. checked fuse box and everything was fine - nothing tripped. took the bulb back out of porch light, and other lights came back on.

so what's up? obviously a short somewhere, but how would we go about finding it?

thnx, Jill