Exterior lights 74 Argosy

[twilder]

I'm trying to track down the issue with my exterior lights on a 1974 22' argosy rear door model. I have a short in the home run. If I take the spot light off of the unit, there is a red wire, looks like a #10, that feeds the lights. Problem is there isn't a #10 red wire going to the univolt. I have a purple, yellow, blue and pink coming off of the univolt and going into the wall. The #10 Red goes up from the light, but I don't know where it ties in. I looked at the ceiling light along the same rib, but it has a purple wire to it. Can anyone give me some insight on the #10 red? I need to find where the short is. Thanks. Tom

[mesquitebean]

Does anyone know where we can order replacement tail lamps for our 74 Argosy 26'?

[Eric H]

Does it go to the switch? The red wire might terminate there, with some other color wire feeding the switch from the univolt. I'll take a look in my 74 Safari as I continue to pull the walls off and see if there is any similarity...

[idroba]

I also have a 22' rear door Argosy, but unfortunately I am not at home where it is and won't be for several months. But, in general, the wire from the exterior floodlight goes from the light to the wall switch, and then on to some circuit which supplies the power. The first thing I would do is to take the wall switch out and see if there is any power there when you pull the line to the light off. The wire color may change at the switch.

Argosy, like Airstream, did not have the world's best electrical consistency. They used one color here, and then connected it to another color someplace else. If you have a short, you must be blowing fuses. What other things are on the fuse that you have been blowing? Those lights will also best be removed and checked for issues near the light fixture. It is uncommon, but not unheard of to have a wire get a short in places other than where it terminates, that is switches, lights etc. So, pull all the non working items on the same circuit and look carefully there for possible shorts.

In my 20' Argosy I had a very occasional short which would blow a fuse. I would replace it, and a week to a month later it would blow again, always after towing someplace. When I finally replaced the Univolt, located in that nasty place under the roadside rear curved section off the closet, I found that the Univolt itself had broken loose of it's screws, and the bundle of wires exiting it had become pinched under the heavy Univolt. When bouncing up and down, the Univolt had worn the insulation off one of the wires and then when traveling would cause a short, but only now and then. I got rid of that heavy monster and re did the wiring, and that solved the issue. So, you don't know what you may find in a 37 year old Argosy.

I hope that gives you some more ideas.

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by mesquitebean

Does anyone know where we can order replacement tail lamps for our 74 Argosy 26'?

Vintage Trailer Supply carries the square Monarch tail lamps. I'm sure other vendors do as well, but that's where I bought mine for my '75. You can order the cans, the red lenses and the red lenses with clear reverse-light centers here.

[TG Twinkie]

Are you looking for the light fixture or the bulb? The fixtures are around, a lot of truck stops that have something that Bargman makes. The bulbs are available at most auto parts stores.

[Eric H]

Today I actually took that exact panel off of my 74 Safari and it looks like the red does just go to the switch. A purple comes out of the switch...(see pic)but that could be a different color on yours.
Hope this helps...

Originally Posted by twilder

I'm trying to track down the issue with my exterior lights on a 1974 22' argosy rear door model. I have a short in the home run. If I take the spot light off of the unit, there is a red wire, looks like a #10, that feeds the lights. Problem is there isn't a #10 red wire going to the univolt. I have a purple, yellow, blue and pink coming off of the univolt and going into the wall. The #10 Red goes up from the light, but I don't know where it ties in. I looked at the ceiling light along the same rib, but it has a purple wire to it. Can anyone give me some insight on the #10 red? I need to find where the short is. Thanks. Tom

[Eric H]

Here's the picture: