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Outside Shower leaking into hull
GarryandKristi replied to dfdouglas's topic in Mechanical & Technical Tips
We had the same leaking problem with our 2018 elite 2. Yes, the shower box is riveted, and I am not sure what the rivet grin length would be since the back side is not exposed inside the trailer. But it is quite easy to replace the assembly within the box. It’s only $17 from ITC The key for me was to finally discover that what looked to be one piece hot and cold knobs with a press-on spline fitting actually has a pop-off cap that exposes a screw hole. The “aha” that’s what those 2 small screws are for in the assembly package. So 1. Remove the hot and cold knobs 2. Unscrew the outside retaining nuts just behind the the knobs 3. Go inside under the street-side forward hatch and unthread the hot and cold supply line and shower head flex line 4. Back out th’e entire assembly installation of the new assembly is essentially reverse although I secured the outside retaining nuts prior to reconnecting the inside hoses. Finally pressure check with a city water connection while operating. I believe the tube vent acts primarily as a drain as when I turned the knob(s) off water poured out. Since the supply lines would be under pressure, I am not sure it serves much as an anti-siphon valve. I think it just drains the mixing point downstream of the hot/cold valves. In the photos the new assembly is shown near the bed hatch. -
This spring as we were prepping for a new road trip, I noticed the battery box door seemed to be sticking out further than normal. I thought I would adjust the latch to pull the door in a bit tighter. What I found was that the battery box had started to tip forward away from the main hull as shown the pix below. All the rivets up both sides and all across the top of the box had sheared and the box was tipped out about 1/2". I contacted Oliver Support to understand how the box was designed, mounted etc. They cleared me for travel after having me check the support strut inside the trailer (under the pantry area) . After some further consultation I was able to perform a repair. Here's a sketch of how the battery box is installed in our Hull 505 (2019 Elite II) trailer. The repair steps I took following Oliver instructions were: 1) Remove the batteries from the slide tray to get weight off the box. 2) Drill out all sheared rivets. (3/16" bit) 3) Release the 2 support bracket bolts inside the trailer under the pantry (one of which is adjustable). (This step is a pain and requires some long extensions for the ratchet wrench to make reaching nuts possible.) 4) Tip box back into position. (Check that the box base still has a slight outward tip for water drainage.) 5) Re-tighten support bolts. 6) Re-rivet all around the perimeter. 7) Clean seams and add a bead of boat life white sealant around the battery box seam. (See pix below). Repaired Box Above: Door closes with a good seal all around and the box sealed to the body. We are going to keep an eye on this as we travel this next year, and make a trip to the Oliver factory for them to inspect and repair if necessary. I'm not sure of the root cause or mechanism by which the box tipped out in the first place. One concern would be that the box is putting too much pressure on the outer hull while bouncing down the highway. I don't see any indications of cracking in the glass hull or box at this point. Hope this helps if anyone else see's an issue. Craig Hull 505
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A couple of weeks ago we took a short trip to Tennessee (battery box repair at Oliver). Our hot water tank worked fine on the way there, when we picked our trailer up after a day at the Oliver service our hot water wouldn’t work on shore power. Propane worked fine. At first I thought maybe the repair guys had done something but it turns out they had nothing to do with the problem. Before the trip I installed two new Epoch 300aH batteries and in my zeal to turn the PD4045 on to equalize I hooked up to my home 30a forgetting that I was winterized, empty hot tank but the switch left on! The heating element burned out. I ordered a new element, replaced the burned out element, problem solved. So why did I not have hot water with a new element that was working fine for a week? So, I started checking. First was the new element, measured resistance across the two terminals with the wires disconnected and got about 10.4 ohms, so it was good. Then I took the cover off of the thermostat switch and measured resistance for it and the ECO (emergency cut off) switch and they were both good. You can remove the cover for the heating element but if you want to take the element out you must remove the gas tube in front of it. To remove the cover for the thermostat switch I had to loosen the propane inlet tube that covers the bottom cover screw. Behind the cover is a thermostat switch and ECO for the 120v side on the left and the same set up for the 12v/propane on the right. I popped out the on/off switch and measured across the two terminals and it checked out okay. So, I turned on shore power and measured voltage across the terminals on the back of the heating element. I got a variable reading that bounced around between about 60v and 80v. When I touched ground (tank mounting screw) the voltage went to a steady 120v. So now I had to find the loose wire that was causing the low, fluctuating voltage. I started at the fuse/breaker box under the dinette. I checked all the connections, everything tight. I found the cable connected to the hot water breaker and followed in down to a bundle that ran under the pantry, bed and around the back of the trailer, under the furnace and up to the hot water tank. It looked like a continuous run so I took the cover off of the junction box where the cable connected to the tank. Bingo! The cable has three wires, a bare copper, a black and a yellow. The bare copper was connected to the ground screw, the black wire was connected to the tank black wire but the wire nut was melted through to the coil in the nut. The yellow wire was totally burned and not much was left of the wire nut. It appears the wire nuts were not properly installed during installation, it was the first time I removed that cover. Pictures below. There was enough slack in the trailer cable to get to new wire. On the tank there was no slack so I didn’t have much to work with once I cut back the burned wire. The tank had solid wire, the cable was stranded wire. That can be tricky. I made sure I had a bit more of the stranded sticking above the solid so the nut would grab both. I did a serious pull test when finished. Hot water restored. Fortunately I had help during this process. Ken @mountainoliver was answering my texting and offering sage advice while I was scratching my head and rubbing my chin trying to figure out what was going on. Bottom line, don’t be afraid to tackle issues with your trailer! Also, if you have a hot water tank, it might be a good idea to check your power connection. It’s one screw and easy to do. The simplicity of the Suburban hot water tank makes it fairly straightforward to troubleshoot and repair. Plus, there are a bunch of YouTube videos that go over everything. Here’s the mess I found in the junction box. This box is on the upper right side of the tank as you are looking at it from the back bed opening. The cover is held on with one small screw. Another view… One more… What was left of one of the wire nuts…
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It would help if you showed a picture of the "flat plug" on your new bike rack. Without seeing that, I might guess it could be the 4-pin trailer connection (for small trailers without brakes). Here is an example: Curt Vehicle Wiring Harness with 5-Pole Flat Trailer Connector - 60" Wire Lead CURT Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring C58531 What you're attempting is not an easy job! Most trucks that have the 7-blade connector also have a 4-pin connection zip-tied somewhere above the bumper. But the Oliver doesn't have one! 🤣 You can pick connections for brake lights, turn signals, reverse and running lights in one of two locations. 1) tap into the lights at the rear of the Oliver, or 2) at the junction box where OTT splices the 7-blade harness into the Oliver trailer wiring. I believe this junction box in newer Olivers is inside the bathroom vanity, but who knows on a 2026. In our hull it's easily accessed under the front dinette seat (see picture). If I was doing this for our hull, I would pick option #2 since you can see these wires are easily accessible (likely not so in your Oliver). The link I supplied shows a 60" wire which is fine for rear wiring. If you are going up to the front harness, you want something like this that has longer wires. It's actually rather easy to run wiring from the rear, along the streetside basement, all the way up to front junction box. 35 Ft 4-Way Trailer Wiring Harness - Wishbone Style - 42" Ground Optronics Trailer Wiring A35W42B The hard part front or rear is to tap into the existing wiring. I rarely recommend using 3M Scotchlok™ connectors, but I would in this case since secondary rear wiring on a bike rack is not exactly "mission critical." Hope this helps! 😎
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During the hot weather this summer, our Norcold refrigerator was also struggling to keep cold while on propane. The fridge fan could not remove enough heat for it to work properly, so it was time to install more cooling fans! I ordered the $75 Beech Lane fans based on the positive reviews, but there was no way they would fit in my Norcold’s lower vent area as intended. They could fit in the upper vent with modified mounting brackets and reversed air flow, but why pay for something that didn’t fit as designed. In addition to fitment issues, I didn’t like the control box being mounted outside behind the vent cover where the blue LEDs can be seen glowing. I wanted the ability to turn the fans off, but the control box didn’t remember the last setting when the power is switched off, and I didn’t want to be opening the vent cover to reset it. These are multi speed fans with 3 wires so switching the fan wire wasn’t a good option either. I returned the Beech Lane fans and bought 2 similar (water resistant) fans and a Normally Open 500c (1220f) thermo switch for lots cheaper. I made a rectangular frame of 1/2” aluminum angle bar for the fans, and installed them in the upper vent. Because the upper vent has an angled back, I used long deck screws with short PEX pipe standoffs on the bottom screws to keep the fans mounted vertically. The Beech Lane fans would have to be mounted the same way if I had kept them. The fans are powered from a new switch in the master panel and it’s in series with the thermo switch so they will only work when the switch is on, and the temperature is above 1220. I used a laser thermometer on the condenser fins when the refrigerator was operating on propane. The temperatures were significantly higher on the right side above the flame chamber, and they got progressively cooler towards the left side. So I hung the temperature switch between the condenser fins just right of center. It can easily be moved left to cooler fins if the fans are running too often. I installed a terminal block as a centralized connection point for all the wires, but they could be spliced together in any manner of ways. “Y” spade adapters worked well to connect to the refrigerators existing dc power terminal via a 5 amp fuse. The fans use less than 1 amp combined. The microwave was removed (six screws) to get wires up to the new switch on the switch panel. The tension jack to hold the microwave in place has to be loosened too, it’s accessed through the round marine hatch behind the switches. Just takes a couple of minutes to take it out. We have been testing the fans in 100 degree weather for the past week, and they've been working great! I hope someone finds this useful! Cheers! Geoff
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While preparing for an upcoming trip, where I’ll probably need to run a generator for AC, I decided to utilize some unused space in the dog house to store my RotoPax 2 gallon gas can. I used to carry it in the tongue tray with the generator, but now I’ll always carry it for emergency fuel. I made a rectangular box that's sized so there is just enough friction to hold the gas can snugly in place without needing a strap, and narrow enough to fit between the propane tanks and the front of the doghouse. The tank can’t come out anyway because of the doghouse cover. I measured the can after leaving it in the sun for a while to account for any expansion. The fuel can holder is made from 1/2” void free plywood (baltic birch), and it’s put together with glue and screws. It was rattle can painted with primer and plenty of white gloss, then attached to the frame with self drilling 1/4” screws, like the ones holding the propane tank tray. It can be locked through the handle if desired. The RotoPax gas cans were originally made for off-roaders, and they are pricey at around $85 each. But they are practically indestructible, and they come in different colors for diesel or water. I’ve had mine for around 7 years and it’s never leaked a drop. There are knock-offs available on AZ for about half the price, but I can't vouch for their quality. From the plywood scraps, I also made a little box for the luggage scale that I use for weighing the propane tanks. It was made in the same way with magnets to hold the hinged lid closed. It was mounted in the doghouse in front of the propane tanks. Hope someone finds this useful. Cheers! Geoff
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There are two types of generator transfer switches, ones that break the hot wire only, and ones that break both hot and neutral. If a hot wire only switch is used, then the generator must have a floating neutral or there will be dual bond condition as @CRM mentioned. Conversely, a double pole switch needs a bonded generator or the bond is lost. This is why some generators come with a bonded or not option. It’s difficult to explain why neutral-to-ground bonding works, but I try in the simplest terms with plausible scenarios. If a hot or neutral wire becomes shorted to a conducting element of the trailer, such as the skin or frame, then a person touching the frame could create a current path to earth and get shocked. However, the ground wire is bonded to the trailer frame — so with a normal properly bonded power supply, a fault to the frame would result in a direct short that would trip the breaker. If using a power pack such as the Bluetti, then there is no path to earth and such a fault would energize the frame. There is no current path to trip the breaker. You could touch the frame and create a shocking path to earth. This is where a bonding plug comes into play. With it installed, a hot-to-frame fault becomes a direct short back to the source's neutral — this collapses the frame's voltage to near zero and may trip the breaker outright. Either way, the frame is no longer dangerous to touch. I hope this helps explain a very complex, but interesting, subject! Cheers! Geoff
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To make sure that if the generator is connected to a residential service that will always be code complainant. You can't have more than one neutral/ground bond in a system, and since a residential main panel is already bonded you would be violating code and creating a possible hazardous condition. Edit- I shouldn't have said "always be code compliant" since there are ways to connect a generator to a residential system that will violate code even if you use a floating neutral generator.
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Yes, using a bonding plug makes it safer by providing a low resistance path back to the generator to trip the breaker in the generator if a short to the metal case of an appliance inside the RV or the generator itself occurs. When it comes to the ground rod system in a residential system, it is there for voltage stabilization and surge dissipation, not to trip breakers. In fact, if the neutral and grounding electrode system are not bonded in the service panel you could connect a hot conductor straight to the ground rod and it will not trip the breaker. You need the bonding in the panel to provide a path back to the transformer for that to happen. You get that path when the ground and neutral are bonded in the service panel, completing the circuit back to the utility transformer's neutral point.
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Does anyone have one of these? It only weighs 50# and 58-60dB. https://www.maxpeedingrods.com/product/4000-watt-portable-dual-fuel-propanegas-generator-inverter-bluetooth-e-start.html Specification Running Watts 3200W(Gas)/3000W(LPG) Starting Watts 4000W(Gas)/3600W(LPG) Fuel Type Gasoline/LPG 25% load Runtime 7h(Gas)/20h(LPG) 50% load Runtime 4h(Gas)/12h(LPG) Starting System Recoil Start/Electric Start/Bluetooth Start Running Amps 26.7A(Gas)/25A(LPG) Peak Amps 33.3A(Gas)/30A(LPG) compatible for AC voltage 120V Compatible for AC Frequency 60hz Fuel Tank Capacity 4L(1.06Gal) Oil Capacity 0.45L/0.12Gal Engine Type 4-stroke, OHV, air-cooled Engine Displacement 145cc Oil Type 10W30 Volume Level (23 Feet) 58-60dB Net Weight 23kg/50.7lbs Gross Weight 27.5kg/60.63lbs Generator Size 18.9x12x17.32inch (L*W*H) Package Size 20.08x13.19x19.09inch (L*W*H)
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The 3K model is enough, especially with your efficient Turbro inverter A/C (or your new Chill). I hope you bought one of the open box/used MP2s at half price! With the 4K model out, look for deals on the 3K models coming soon! I just looked again at the picture of your beautiful hull #45! Remove that king antenna and mount solar panels sideways. I'll bet today you can get near 800W up there! Install two drive motors so you can pitch the panels up on both left or righthand sides! Would be so cool. Consider my brain picked (just for now)! 😎
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Enclosed Aluminum Box Front Mount
Wandering Sagebrush replied to Tim and Christie's topic in Ollie Modifications
A lesson learned. As much as I like the storage box on our Ollie, it will never go back on the trailer. We are planning on venturing into some rougher country later this year, so I thought I’d check the spare. Long story, short… it took over two hours to get the box disconnected. I had to remove the box from the aluminum frame, then take many many strokes with a dead blow hammer to get the frame out. I can’t imagine doing that on the road. The good news is the tire still had over 60 PSI. The bad news is my back is sore. -
Love to hear suggestions for a generator. Any thoughts?
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This is very important. Greater interior room is nice, but do you want it at the expense of maneuverability? Summer of 2005, I towed a 26' cargo trailer to move our home from VA to AZ. It wasn't fun. The only positive was selling the trailer at a profit vs. renting a U-Haul! 🤣 At 7 ft the Oliver is the same width as a full-size truck/tow vehicle. If your truck can make an opening, the Oliver will too, following behind in the same space and tread. You only have to worry about height differences in tunnels or under trees. At 8 ft, like all the BOX trailers, the body is wider than the TV. Can your truck can make it between parked cars on a narrow city street or the Scrub Oak on a FS dirt road? If yes, then the Oliver will, but would the wider trailer? Also, the Casita is probably light enough, but not true of many Airstream trailers. Some of them are beasts! And you'll need towing mirrors to see around that big box. And there's a point where a bumper pull trailer doesn't make sense, hence all the 5th-wheels on the highway. I don't want to tow anything wider, ever again! Our Olivers are "right sized!" 😎
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@taylor.coyote It sounds like you have an RV tech on the way. That's the best I think in your situation, especially if you are not familiar with these parts, and on the road without all the tools. As @John Dorrer mentioned, many of us owners with older Olivers have had to replace their Automatic Transfer Relay (ATR) switch, AND SHOULD!!!! I've attached my pic of the old style box (insides) and my new style switch box. I changed out the box myself (with shore power disconnected!!!!). It took me maybe 20 or 30 minutes. I've also noted in my pics that my front shore power receptacle does NOT go thru my Electrical Management System (EMS) box. Many do have their front port going thru the EMS, mine was just not done like that at the factory, which proved handy last year in the hot July whether in Georgia, when my EMS kept over heating and switching off. I think it's time for a new one (to-do list). But, I always carry an external EMS to place on the exterior camp ground pedestals. When I realized it was not the camp ground killing the power and it was my EMS, I just used the front inlet port to run the power and used my external EMS for the rest of the trip. Worked like a champ. So, I guess I will NOT re-route that front port thru the EMS in the future, lesson learned. Not everyone has that front port. If folks do not have the front inlet power generator receptacle, then they will not have an ATR box. Hope this helps a bit, and you get help quickly. Reminder, the ATR switch box should be an annual inspectable item. I just checked mine too since I could not find my old pictures. My old box was very difficult, and scary, to push in the sides of the box to release the tabs. The new box is MUCH easier to push in and release the tabs. Here is the new style ATR switch box (I only order this type of important items. from eTrailer, NOT Amazon: https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Transfer-Switch/Progressive-Dynamics/PD5110010Q.html
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We got lucky and only had a few Smokey days in Gunnison a little smoke in the wet mountain valley we just missed the flash floods and landslides in Ouray, Telluride and near Ridgway,and the Black Canyon……..missed the Aspen fire and the Gold Mountain fire it was a fantastic trip our only bad luck was on the way home in Oklahoma's panhandle it hit 109 degrees and the demonic squirrel cage developed a significant rattle………and was out of service Night temps dropped down and a box fan allowed us to sleep didnt have a chance yet to take the lid off the Penguin
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We got our LE2 with the bike rack mount and realized we will probably always carry our folding Ebikes in the back of the truck under cover. With that understanding we decided to add a cargo tray and locking box for general items needed for setup, and camp site necessities. Obviously weight is a critical factor so with the tray, box and gear inside we are shooting for less than 200# total. I'm sure we have succeeded after adding up the weigh of all items. The most difficult part is making the extended rails for the tray to mount on. I used the same T6061 aluminum that Oliver uses on their frame members. It's available in small sizes at local metal supply houses such as Metal Supermarket. The aluminum tubing drills and cuts easily with carbide woodworking tools. Use a little lite oil on the blade to keep the aluminum from fowling the blade. You must use good eye protection when cutting. I copied the way the bike rack rails were machined. Here's the results of the project: We have pulled the camper a couple times for local camp outs and the weight of the addition is completely unnoticeable while towing. The box is well made but light weight with locking double latch system. It has a double layer of aluminum in the lid and is foam filled to keep the contents from heating up too much in direct sun. The whole thing is very sturdy and at 220 pounds I can stand on the box lid to see the top of the camper with no effect to the box lid. Good traction and very solid. The softener tank is mounted with a tank wall mount and strap and is set up with quick connects and the standard hoses hook up in just a minute. The softener comes with a regeneration kit and it takes about an hour to perform a regeneration using a box of table salt. It will last up to 2000 gallons of water depending on the mineral content. No need to remove the tank for regeneration, just connect the kit to the external QD fittings and run the process. When done, you are good to go for a few more camping trips. No more hard water scale or rust on pluming fixtures. Remove the tank for winter storage inside the garage. I'm very pleased with the overall project. The box can be removed just as the bike mount is removed for spare tire access. You can actually access the spare without completely removing the tray assembly, Just slide it out about 6-8 inches and the cover and tire are removeable. I bought a self lit license frame and mounted to the back of the tray. I added a plug connection to the license light wire to power the new license plate light. I wanted a removable connection for obvious reasons. The connection is mounted on the lower part of the spare tire cover under the original license bracket. The old license plate bracket is still useable if the tray and box are removed. Tray: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017H9N4E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Box: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MK4F68/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 License Bracket: https://www.amazon.com/Car-License-Plate-Light-Chrome/dp/B00S1Y5TSK?pd_rd_w=jpDah&content-id=amzn1.sym.e8faeee7-63c9-4cb3-96e0-e50a41f3b35b&pf_rd_p=e8faeee7-63c9-4cb3-96e0-e50a41f3b35b&pf_rd_r=018MZ7KVYFFMGM0WSKBV&pd_rd_wg=mdsBW&pd_rd_r=eff79229-c9bb-45a5-8656-400649d9a361&pd_rd_i=B00S1Y5TSK&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_d_grid_rp_0_1_ec_t Softener: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09Y2KNFFL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 Tank Bracket: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00208DY76/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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“All” electric with a integrated gasoline generator and a 20 gal onboard gasoline tank? Not on my radar as I prefer simple but I am sure it will appeal to some who are looking for a ICE travel appliance which can be pulled by their EV. The Living Vehicle is more appealing and made in the US. Reported dry weight of 8,350-8,900 lbs. Thanks for sharing, Mike. It is interesting to see how the RV market is expanding.
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Has anyone experienced the outside shower box leaking on the inside, dripping down into the hull? It leaks on the input side around one of the rubber gaskets between two pieces. I have replaced both pieces to no avail. I may just order a complete replacement but this one from Fontana doesn't appear to be the quality that Oliver normally installs. I'll first search for a better replacement that will fit the cutout. Thanks for any feedback.
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The back of the shower box is exposed in my 2018. The hose at the shower head was leaking. I replaced the entire shower hose and it was easily assessable to unscrew the old hose and screw on the new one.
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Hello kids, I have been having trouble with my Honda genset and am thinking about going to a Predator 5000 wat dual fuel, now 1099 at Harbor Chinese Freight. Does anyone have experience with one of these units, and does it require a bonding plug? Thanks!
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DC-DC Charger Installation - Oliver LE2 and RAM 1500
Grizz000 replied to Grizz000's topic in Ollie Modifications
Thanks for your kind words. Your comments about the DC-DC charger are great and my thinking as well. The 40A just keeps coming as long as you are hooked up and running. We boondock multiple days at a time quite often and I'm thinking I could even hook up in camp and charge via DC-DC if solar is inadequate and if for some reason I don't want to (or can't) run my generator to recharge. I still haven't totally ruled out adding roof solar at some point, but I'm on the fence about it since the vast majority of our camping is in areas with lots of shade. Our hull is prewired for it and has the embedded mounting plates. So far, our suitcase panels are good for accessing the sunny spots. Thanks for the link. I love reading the AC posts and your data is impressive. I figure our AC will need to be replaced at some point (already 7 years old) and I'd love to have a high efficiency AC that could run from the battery bank for an extended time. We are in the humid south, so this can be a taller order at peak summer temps, but we could expand our current 400Ah battery bank as well. -
Depending on your perspective, you will not escape the heat in the driftless area right now. This past week i went into the Superior National Forest in northern MN to " escape the heat" in southern Wisconsin. I only escaped the heat there for 48 hours and then the heat moved in and it was almost as hot there as in southern wisconsin. I own property in the driftless area and have only seen a couple of days in july where i would oliver camp there. If you want to give it a shot i would recommend an electric site at Wyalusing or Perrot or Interstate State Park. All are gorgeous and most have showers/flush bathrooms. But this time of year you are going to want the option to run your ac and generator use is not allowed in the state parks. Good luck!
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A generator. There is another option in a pinch. You can use the Bypass switch on your EMS control panel (ours is in the "attic" over the bed). This will keep the EMS from blocking power from the "ungrounded" generator, but it will also remove all protection provided by the EMS. However, power from the Bluetti is already supposed to be clean, right?
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Jd, thanks for the complimentary words as always! I mentioned the Auto Electric Specialist option because many folks may not know it’s a thing. It’s an ASE recognized field and most areas have them. We actually have three exclusive Auto Electric businesses here in small town Eureka. I also remember at least a couple of them when I lived in the Phoenix area near you. I don’t rule out that the truck has a problem, but I believe it’s the trailer because the dealer cleared the truck, and there were no other trouble codes. Wiring issues were found in the trailer and the repairs made the issue go away temporarily, so odds are that’s the source. Electrical problems can be very elusive, and often beyond DYI electric testing skills. My mention of a possible brake controller problem, or PWM digital interfaces, was merely meant to show that the problem could be almost anywhere, and one must consider that in their repair decisions. After several mechanics failed to find the problem, it’s reasonable to assume it’s not a simple problem to find. That’s why it would be “lucky” to find it with simple tests. My suggested test might find a ground problem, which would explain both the brakes and the flickering lights. However, intermittent problems, high resistance connections and shorts, degraded brake controllers, etc., could all cause similar symptoms, and they can be very hard to find. You'r right about the black wire, I must of had a brain embolism on that one. And I should clarify that the junction box is a likely place for problems to occur, but I’d probably start testing from the main ground bus under the dinette, and work backwards to the truck — only if there was high resistance or an open… keeping in mind that the brake circuit probably branches out separately from the junction box which further complicates testing. Also I didn’t mean to shut-down your emergency brake breakaway switch amperage test idea. However, it’s fed directly from the battery and a completely separate circuit from the TV. In fact, your low amperage readings didn’t compute with expected amperage for 4 brakes, so perhaps the switch only controls the brakes for one axle. Regardless, it’s doubtful that a problem in that circuit would show-up as a TV brake issue. Also, the hot side of the TV brake wire could create similar symptoms if there was a short to ground. That could be even more tricky to find. Some might use a Megger to test the wire insulation… which is over kill for 12v circuits. A jiggle test with a multimeter is the way to go, but it’s hit and miss. Anyway, see how quickly it gets complicated. I don’t like to throw out too much detailed information to confuse people, but I re-iterate that there’s more to it than folks might realize, and that’s why there are so many auto electric specialist’s. Hope that clarifies things! Cheers! Geoff
