Lighting board acting strange?

csjukes · 03 July 2015, 10:37

We have changed over our discovery 4 (for another discovery 4....) and our lighting board is acting strange. Exactly the same electrics connections on this car, but when you brake the left brake pad and indicator start flashing together? The indicators work fine. The right brake light wont light up. Any ideas? It is likely to be salt has somehow got into the electrics and damaged them? This discovery has different lights to the old one, has these stupid day time running lights, would that have anything to do with it?
Help!

Pikey Dave · 03 July 2015, 10:41

Hello again

Is the trailer board LED or conventional? If conventional, it sounds like a bad earth. Have you another vehicle you can try the board on, & another board/trailer/caravan that you can try on the Disco?

csjukes · 03 July 2015, 10:55

Somebody's keen today! Well because whole thing is going in for a service we'll get them to try it on another car. Going to take it all apart and see what I can do, just annoying as its more expense if its buggered

Chunk · 03 July 2015, 11:37

Best get it checked. My D4 has LED running lights and works fine with multiple boards - its currently got a light board permanently attached after the wife reversed into a skip - came out of no where apparently

Pikey Dave · 03 July 2015, 11:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chunk

Best get it checked. My D4 has LED running lights and works fine with multiple boards - its currently got a light board permanently attached after the wife reversed into a skip - came out of no where apparently

Bastuds them stealth skips, one got me recently. They lurk around corners & the reversing sensors miss 'em

VFR800i · 03 July 2015, 12:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Hello again

Is the trailer board LED or conventional? If conventional, it sounds like a bad earth. Have you another vehicle you can try the board on, & another board/trailer/caravan that you can try on the Disco?

Common problem ... Ask any caravaner,
You need one of these http://www.ipatools.com/products/ind...rush-8086.html (Shop around, they used to be commonly available in UK)
And a regular spray with WD40 ...Sorted !!!

mick · 03 July 2015, 20:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by VFR800i

Common problem ... Ask any caravaner,
You need one of these http://www.ipatools.com/products/ind...rush-8086.html (Shop around, they used to be commonly available in UK)
And a regular spray with WD40 ...Sorted !!!

WD40 is no good on electrics

spartacus · 03 July 2015, 20:55

Light boards... satan's work!

Check the connection on the car and ensure there's no oxidisation on the terminals. Use a little brake cleaner and fine 3M paper to remove.

The light board, unscrew the plastic lenses and check the bulb terminals actually make contact. Finally check the connection on the light board flex that connects to the car. The plastic ones you can open up. Check for obvious things, loose wires, etc. Then and only then... consider a new light board!

VFR800i · 03 July 2015, 21:59

Sorry Mick,
I don't know how old you are but in the days when cars had points and distributor caps the moisture was always dispelled with a blast of the aforementioned spray.
That is precisely what it does.
If you don't believe me check with "Philpot" (with respect another crumbly like me)

mick · 03 July 2015, 22:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by VFR800i

Sorry Mick,
I don't know how old you are but in the days when cars had points and distributor caps the moisture was always dispelled with a blast of the aforementioned spray.
That is precisely what it does.
If you don't believe me check with "Philpot" (with respect another crumbly like me)

It might be ok for a distributor cap but a quick search will tell you it's no good for plugs & wires as it can melt them etc ACF50 is better or a product specific spray either

neil.mccrirrick · 03 July 2015, 22:42

Aye it will work short term if moisture is the problem, but it doesn't dry it leaves an oily residue behind and that re creates the problem. If you use it and all is well then you need summat to get rid of it

Sent from my iPad using my finger

VFR800i · 03 July 2015, 22:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by mick

It might be ok for a distributor cap but a quick search will tell you it's no good for plugs & wires as it can melt them etc ACF50 is better or a product specific spray either

Technology moves on ... I stand dejected ... Sorry corrected !!!
Now where did I put those 10 stone tablets I was given.

davidni · 05 July 2015, 22:34

In my opinion the best thing anybody can do is change lightboards/lights to sealed LED units. I tow trailers and machinery everyday, all day, on and off road. Bad earths, blown bulbs, soggy electrics etc were the thorn in my side for years. I finally switched everything to sealed LED units and havent looked back. Have them on a Tipping trailer that is towed off road in all conditions and regularily dunked immersed in water and still going strong a year on.

Only recently got my boat but already have light brackets ready to weld on and sealed LED units so no more messing with light board as its annoying me already.

I agree - electrical contact cleaner is the best. But I use WD40 regularily on electrics when out working and even after multiple does its never caused a problem...but I'm sure I will be eating those words someday.

My dad made up a sealed LED lightboard - its been thrown about, on loan to everyone and generally just uncared for. Its almost 2 years old and not a hiccup.

9D280 · 09 July 2015, 13:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by mick

It might be ok for a distributor cap but a quick search will tell you it's no good for plugs & wires as it can melt them etc ACF50 is better or a product specific spray either

EH????? I (& my dad before me) have used it on numerous 23N plugs & sockets over the years and never melted anything...... The box trailer has been towed behind 8 cars and until a couple of months ago was using the same plug it had when it was bought. I would love to know how many cans of WD have been through that plug, and yep, it's still soid.....

Why did I change the plug? - Coz I was fed up messing about with 13-7 pin adaptors!

TBH the best thing to do is ditch the 23N & go Euro. The 13 pin stuff is actually designed to keep the water out! (my old Focus had just shy of 10 years / 200K on the clock when I sold it, and had a factory fit 13 pin socket on. Not once did I need to clean or "Water disperse" that socket or the plugs that went into it.

(and before the logic police jump on me, the box trailer was frequently borrowed by a mate, hence leaving the 7n on it & adapting)

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidni

In my opinion the best thing anybody can do is change lightboards/lights to sealed LED units.

<snip>

My dad made up a sealed LED lightboard - its been thrown about, on loan to everyone and generally just uncared for. Its almost 2 years old and not a hiccup.

Agreed, but the LEDs are not going to improve anything at the plug end!

And you also have the potential problem that some cars throw a wobbler if you plug in LED trailer lights...... (as mine did)