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Subject Topic: Spot light replacement help Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonSwiftChallenger490s
via mobile 25/8/2022 at 10:56pm
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Hi folks I’m new here but I’m really hoping someone can help me with a lighting dilemma I’m currently having. I own a 1998 swift challenger 490se poor old girl was in a terrible state when I first bought her and I’ve spent 2hears fixing all her issues. I’ve finally got to a point where I can start to jazz her up a bit and I’ve been replacing the old 12v lights for LEDs which I’ve had no issues with at all I’ve successfully installed voltmeters and usb charging ports the whole 9yards however I’ve hit a complete roadblock when trying to replace the old 12v reading lights. All the previous lights have positive and neg wires as you would expect but these little blighters seem to be completely different having pulled them out it seems there’s is a positive and earth coming from the van and the negative wire goes from the off part of the switch to the back of the bulb?? I can find no reference anywhere online as to why this has been wired this way. This is now preventing me from removing these gastly lights and replacing them with more energy efficient leds. My initial thought was that the earth may have had something to do with the 240v lights which sit directly above the spots but alas I’ve checked again today and nope these are all wired independently. Can anyone shed any light 💡 excuse the pun on this for me? as the only way I can see around the issue is the leave the dreaded lights hidden in the cupboard and wire a new light from it however I know this will be using more battery power to pass the current trough the old light first which kind of defeats the whole objective.

Thanks ☺️


PersonFiona W
via mobile 26/8/2022 at 10:39pm
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Welcome to UKCS. You’ve done a heap of work! I’m not an electrician but we replaced the very dated looking 12v spots in our previous 93 plate MH, with modern looking spots that we bought at our local caravan place. But don’t ask me about wiring because it was just a case of one out, one in, no issues at all.

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PersonG#Winger
26/8/2022 at 11:29pm
 Location: south yorkshire
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what makes you think that the two wires comming from the van are positive and "earth"
caravan 12v wiring is not like a car, which uses a chassis earth, the lights have pos and neg wires, just wire the two wires coming from the van to the new light

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I predict a riot !!


PersonSwiftChallenger490s
via mobile 27/8/2022 at 8:58am
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G#winger because I have tested it 😊 the wires coming from the van are red/white and solid white only. if I wire these as red/white positive and use the solid white as if it was neg the new light fitting does not work. The solid white wire is connected to the back of the old light fitting by a metal disk meaning it’s earth. The only neg wire in this setup is connected to the light itself one end is on the off pin of the switch and runs to connect to the back of the bulb inside. If i connect the new light fitting to the positive and neg wires from the current light fitting the new light works. I will grab a picture to show you what I mean.

Post last edited on 27/08/2022 09:02:04

Post last edited on 27/08/2022 09:02:37

Post last edited on 27/08/2022 09:04:07


Personbirdman101
27/8/2022 at 5:52pm
 Location: Milton Keynes
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We had a 1996 490se new and from memory the reading lights were mains ones. On the 12 volt wiring all negative was white orange. Mains wires were standard mains wiring colours.

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2023 Swift Archway Woodford, MK3 Kuga ST Line X 190 ps AWD Auto
Now 52 years Caravanning completed.


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PersonSwiftChallenger490s
via mobile 27/8/2022 at 7:43pm
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Thanks for the reply birdman mine are deff 12v as work with the leisure battery 😊


Personnavver
28/8/2022 at 7:27pm
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IN 1998 or so the fashion was for two lights in the front corners to be mains voltage and all others 12 volt. They mostly had integral switches as well. So it is likely if you have two 12 volt lights they have been fitted by a previous owner probably as unskilled DIY installation.

The colours of the wires are irrelevant as electric doesn't look at the colours when deciding what to do. It is what the wires are connected to at the source that decides what they are.

I think it best if you try to trace where they come from.

On caravans the mains voltage EHU has an earth which is bonded to the caravan chassis. The caravan road lights are connected to the towing vehicle which may use the car chassis/body as negative.

The caravan internal 12 volts circuits must be isolated from the caravan road lights and from the mains voltage wiring except where connected via the charger.    


PersonG#Winger
02/9/2022 at 10:38pm
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The only neg wire in this setup is connected to the light itself one end is on the off pin of the switch and runs to connect to the back of the bulb inside. If i connect the new light fitting to the positive and neg wires from the current light fitting the new light works. I will grab a picture to show you what I mean.
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there you go then

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I predict a riot !!



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