I've decided to replace my taillights with Command Electronics LED model. I've reviewed the previous post on the subject and couldn't find my answer. While I know that Command is a good company, the web site isn't much help with wiring.
I haven't yet pulled apart the OEM light, but I'm assuming there are three hot leads (tail/brake/backup) and three grounds. The new light also has 6 wires (see pic) but there is one for ground [white] and one for backup [purple], leaving two red and two black. Logic would say these are for tail/brake/turn but how to wire them is the question.
So, has anyone wired one of the new lights and if so, could you provide a little guidance?
No experience with the new light, so I would have to go to trial and error to see which wires feed what on the new. No directions on wire colors?
But this snip of the drawings may help ID the exisiting wires? Detail BA is passenger side but it appears to be the same on both?
With "some" ideas from the drawing, I like to verify how each works by seeing a meter show changes when I turn on each light and then try matching those to what I 'think" the new might need.
Keep in mind that LED will NOT work if the power is turned over.
__________________
Richard
Why no RV year, make and floorplan on MY signature as we suggest for others?
I currently DO NOT have one!
In the video they say the wiring diagram is written on the back of the light underneath that black backing material.
__________________ The things you own control your life.
2021 Winnebago Vista 35U towing a 2022 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 2010 Cadillac SRX 2003 Itasca Sunova 30B
I did the same upgrade on my Vista. There should be a wiring diagram on the back of the new light under the gasket material.
The real challenge will be when you take the old light off, you are going to have 3 ground wires from the coach wiring that all need to connect to the 1 ground wire on the new light.
FWIW the new light is brighter, but more importantly far more watertight then the old one it replaced. I think I went through 6-7 lightbulbs for the backup light due to water leaks in the 1 year had owned the coach before replacing.
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2015 Winnebago Vista 35B. "The Vistabus!"
Thanks for all of the good suggestions. We're on a short trip now but I will work on it when we return and report back.
Morich, always like your snips, it will help a lot.
OP here, I wanted to post an update on the completed project. Everything works as it should, and while it wasn't an easy peasy job (for me), it wasn't hateful. The physically hardest part of the job was self-induced, so no one to blame but me for that one. I blew a fuse and had to get under the dash to replace it which is less fun every time I do it.
In no particular order, I'll go over what I did and what I'd do differently, were there to be a next time.
1. Yes, the new Command light has the wiring code on the back of the light. Purple = backup lights, as an example.
2. As you can see in one of the photos, Winnebago did a good job of labeling the wires on both sides of a connection. Of course they did it with numbers and not function such as brake or ground. This is further complicated by Winnie only using white and yellow wires for everything! Good news is that there is plenty of wire to work with when the old light is removed.
3. If I were to do it over, and weather wasn't an issue (I had off and on rain), I would bare and test a small section of each (Winnie) wire with power supplied to (tail/brake) and mark each by function and not a number. You would need to identify power and ground for each function, for a total of 8 wires.
4. One other issue was that ALL of the screws on both lights were loose and unable to be tightened! I believe they were only holding on by the silicone on the top edge of the light. The problem was that the screws initially went into the Luan(?) backing behind the fiberglass body. Time/moisture got to it and the screws wouldn't hold. I cut small pieces of flashing, coated them with epoxy and shoved them between the body and the old Luan and clamped them in place. I then drilled the flashing with a hole just big enough to start the new SS screws. All screws now tighten very tightly.
5. Yes, you would need to make up an adapter for the ground wires. It wasn't a problem. I included a pic.
6. Obviously, the new lights are much brighter, the lenses are nice and clear, and hopefully everything will hold up for a good long while.
If you have any questions, I'll see if I can help.
Very nice! I like the use of the metal for backing but I also use more wood than metal. I tend to always have wood more than metal and each has an advantage, so what we feel best works best?
But a big point for others who have not looked at their lights? You should check them NOW, before you have damage which is much more difficult!
I'm guessing half the RV over ten years old will have leaks and damage that is getting worse! A leak will let water follow the wires inside and down the wood of the back wall and it can get to be a mess to replace/repair the wall, especially if it gets to the inside wall parts that you see!
__________________
Richard
Why no RV year, make and floorplan on MY signature as we suggest for others?
I currently DO NOT have one!
Great job! I too had the “loose screw” issue, I did the old toothpick trick which worked very well. I did also do a run of sealant around the unit when done.
I’ll second Morich’s comments, if you Google command light leak you will find a bunch of hits. The unit is not unique to Winnie either, many brands have the same light and the same unit.
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2015 Winnebago Vista 35B. "The Vistabus!"
Thanks! Reading your replies made me take a look at what actually had water/moisture damage, and I believe it was almost exclusively around the screw holes.
In one of the pictures you can see the Luan which is likely the back of a cabinet in the bathroom has no damage to it. I also didn't see any indication of further water intrusion.
So, I'm going to go back and remove the screws and put a dab of silicone on each of them. I don't expect they would loosen up anyway, but this would also help keep them tight but allow removal if necessary.
It looks like you have a better setup on the light mounting as there is a free space. On our Vista, there was a solid foam behind the light with the wires just being poked through the foam and that led to the water getting in and following the wires to the inner side of the foam and against the interior panel.
The first clue we got that we had a problem was "bubbles" in the plastic like wall covering inside. We were semi-lucky as both sides were damaged but the damage was in pass through storage on both sides and that allows for less drama on the fix.
Since that area was used for bulky storage like grills and other semi dirty stuff, I was able to just place thin metal flashing to cover the damage as well as make the storage less prone to being damaged by rough treatment!
__________________
Richard
Why no RV year, make and floorplan on MY signature as we suggest for others?
I currently DO NOT have one!
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2. As you can see in one of the photos, Winnebago did a good job of labeling the wires on both sides of a connection. Of course they did it with numbers and not function such as brake or ground. This is further complicated by Winnie only using white and yellow wires for everything! Good news is that there is plenty of wire to work with when the old light is removed....
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