'77 Sovereign rear lites

[wallooner]

Hi, Just aquired my first Rv a
77 Sovereign which was well cared for by an older couple who's health required that they sell the beauty. I can't get the turn signals and brake lights to operate. I noticed a post by LI Pets in 2006 who seemed to have the same problem. In removing the tail lights I notice that a yellow wire on the outboard light is disconnected. He noticed that also. Furthermore the outboard lite has two eliments while the inboard lite which is the stop and turn signal has only one. Same comment he made. In my situation it does look like someone was altering it as there is duct tape and wire nuts used. I guess I need a diagram to figure it out. Any help would be appreciated.

[J. Morgan]

The trailer lights work off of three wires. One wire for the running lights, one for the the left turn, and one for the right turn.

The brake lights work off of the the turn signal wires.

My 72 only had turns and brakes on one pair of lights.

Straighten up the wires in back, and check the junction box under the gaucho. This is where I found most of my problems in the 72.

Oh, if you don't have one, get a test light. You will need one!

[arktos55343]

Could also be that your TV 7-pin socket is not wired to the standards used on 70's Airstreams. Use a 12v tester to map your TV plug...and then match that to the Airstream's 7-pin wiring. You may just need to rewire your umbilical.

[wallooner]

Thanks for the post. What color should the wires be also what is a gaucho if you would excuse my ignorance.

[J. Morgan]

I wish I could help with the colors, I cant remember the standard that AS uses.

You can accomplish a lot of detective work with a test light.

For example say you want to trace the left turn. Turn on your left turn signal.

Go to your TV socket, find the terminal that flashes.

Plug the wire into the TV and check which terminal flashes on the other end of the wire.....

Plug both ends in, go to the jct box under the gaucho, you can find the wire and its color here by its flashing of the test light.

Go to the same color wire at the rear of the trailer. It should make the test light flash.

This will be your left turn.

If the tail light sockets are typical the black or brown wires coming from the fixture will be running lights, and the red will be turn/stop.

[adonh]

Originally Posted by arktos55343

Could also be that your TV 7-pin socket is not wired to the standards used on 70's Airstreams. Use a 12v tester to map your TV plug...and then match that to the Airstream's 7-pin wiring. You may just need to rewire your umbilical.

This is correct. The seven pin connector on your 77 Airstream is wired differently than what current 7 pin connectors are wired. Here are two diagrams showing the 7 pin wiring up through 1981 and then the changes after 1981. If you have the original pigtail that came with the 1977 Airstream, leave the connector that plugs in to the trailer as is. Then cut off the old style connector that plugs in to your TV and replace it with a current style connector an match the wiring using the current style connector from the chart.

7wayplug1966-81.pdf

7wayplug1982-84-1989-02[1].pdf

[joqin]

should the black wire on the trailer side plug always be 12v? if so, is this black wire connected directly to the battery? right now , I have 0 volts at this connection. thanks...............joe