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Old 08-13-2023, 06:20 PM   #261
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The Curt 56236 is the one you want, it's fully sealed and should eliminate the problem. I've had mine installed since 2016 and have not had any issue since.
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Old 09-27-2023, 07:32 PM   #262
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2012 Solara MB Tail light controler

I had a 2012 Solara 24 MB that suddenly had a very dim left turn/ brake light. The measured voltage was 7.5 volts at the input of the led fixture. The right side rear lights functioned normally. After spending nearly $1000 with service people from Mercedes to a local RV repair place I found a fellow that located a fuse panel with a bad fuse. The panel in behind the back wall of the right rear lower storage compartment. There are 4 screws that hold the panel in place. Inside is a fuse panel. Hope this helps someone.
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Old 11-10-2023, 11:17 AM   #263
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Seeking location

I took out all the "Garage" interior panels seeking the circuit board/fueses you are referencing. Cannot locate this circuit board. Do you have a picture or better description of the location? My 2012 Solera just lost all tailight and running/clearance lights. All MB headlights accessories work fine so power is being lost between connection and tailights.
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Old 11-10-2023, 11:38 AM   #264
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Friendly Tex View Post
I took out all the "Garage" interior panels seeking the circuit board/fueses you are referencing. Cannot locate this circuit board. Do you have a picture or better description of the location? My 2012 Solera just lost all tailight and running/clearance lights. All MB headlights accessories work fine so power is being lost between connection and tailights.
What model Solera do you have?
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Old 11-10-2023, 02:14 PM   #265
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Friendly Tex View Post
I took out all the "Garage" interior panels seeking the circuit board/fueses you are referencing. Cannot locate this circuit board. Do you have a picture or better description of the location? My 2012 Solera just lost all tailight and running/clearance lights. All MB headlights accessories work fine so power is being lost between connection and tailights.
Replied to your PM. Others have had difficulty finding the interface board - but eventually found it “buried” fairly deeply behind screwed on panels in the utility compartment.
Additional thought - several years ago another forum member came up with an “emergency countermeasure “ (assuming you are not towing anything). He got a trailer connector and wired the 12 volt “hot” terminal through an inline fuse to the running light terminal. Plugging that connector into the vehicle trailer connector turned on his running lights (of course they are not controlled by the light switch - have to unplug the trailer connector (or pull the fuse) to turn them off).
FYI, Jim
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Old 11-14-2023, 03:30 PM   #266
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Mikegjax

What model Solera do you have?

2012 24S
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Old 11-14-2023, 03:36 PM   #267
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Seeking picture of Solera Hopkins replacement for Curt tailight controller

I have the 2012 Solera S with the pre-Curt circuit board. Board is shot as evidenced by one hot side and all fuses and outputs being cold. According to FR customer service the board is replaced by HOPKINS MODULE PROTECTOR FOR SPRINTER TAIL LIGHT HARNESS 40E16695A.

Anyone have a picture? I bought the Hopkins 48895 (found in another post) but wonder if the FR version mentioned above has a circuit breaker or fuse inline? Old blown board had 5 fused items.

Would appreciate a wiring diagram if anyone ha done this replacement.

Thanks, Ed
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Old 11-14-2023, 03:41 PM   #268
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2012 Solera 24S Tailight Circuit Board Location

FYI- FR customer service said circuit board was under unit behind passenger side rear tires in a box. Not true.

Found it on passenger side wall of utility compartment above shelf. two screws to remove panel to access.
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Old 11-16-2023, 11:29 AM   #269
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Lights circuit board 2012 Solera 24R-Forest River Parts-

Mia Culpa.
In my prior post I mentioned a Hopkins 48895 as a possible replacement that I had seen in another post. That is wrong. The outputs on that unit are only rated for 2.1 amps and will not support this application. The correct replacement is Hopkins 21146375 which has 8 amps per output line. Waiting on the part and will do the install and post a pic.
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Old 12-09-2023, 03:30 PM   #270
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EE Help Please: Replacement of FR Circuit Board on 2012 Solera24R w/ Hopkins 21146375

Per my last two posts. Got two different answers from Forest River. Customer service said a Hopkins replacement and they gave me the part number which I posted. I called back to parts to order and they said no, the Hopkins part # provided by customer service was incorrect and I needed to go back to the orginal board made by AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY (only sold thru FR) AT-RLM-078.

Well, I figured, why go backwards when the Curt replaced the FR circuit board, then the Curt was recalled and Hopkins replaced the Curt. Well I bought the Hopkins 21146375 Pulse Width Modulation Power Converter from an
auto parts store and built a little fused board for install. The Hopkins is supposed to be a circuit protected controller but I figured why not fuse all the outputs from the Hopkins and then if one light is a problem only that fuse would blow and the remainder of lights should work. Unlike now, where one tailight got water in it and it fried the entire circuit board.

Now I need help. All my running, brake, turn lights work and are bright. However there are two issues.

1) The MB dash shows a light bulb error and the flashing of the turn signals (either side is faster than normal). Every bulb in all tails light LEDs glow as they should. Do I need to add a resistor prior to or after the Hopkins controller?

2) Also, the reverse wire from transmission to orginal circuit board and then out again has no connection through the Hopkins controller.Instead I fused this on the same new board as all tail lights with it's own fuse/circuit. When vehicle is placed in reverse, I get a very faint reverese light that goes out, then pulses with about a 50-75 second interval between pulses. Any ideas?

Thanks, Ed
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Old 12-09-2023, 04:53 PM   #271
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I believe the original board was a relay matrix. The relay coils may well have drawn more current than the (solid state) Hopkins “switches”. Maybe that difference in current drain is triggering the fault light? If this is the issue, a resistor before the Hopkins may solve (resistance close to the old relay coil impedance).
Also, you might try a relay on the backup lights. Use the Mercedes signal to activate the coil; power to the backup lights through the relay contacts.
If you can salvage any relays from the old board you can measure them to determine impedance.
Good luck - let us know how you make out -

Jim
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Old 12-09-2023, 05:26 PM   #272
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Other way round?

Quote:
Originally Posted by JLeising View Post
I believe the original board was a relay matrix. The relay coils may well have drawn more current than the (solid state) Hopkins “switches”. Maybe that difference in current drain is triggering the fault light? If this is the issue, a resistor before the Hopkins may solve (resistance close to the old relay coil impedance).
It's usually the other way round. These fault detectors check to see that current corresponding to incandescent lamp current is being drawn. If it isn't, they indicate that the lamp has failed. You could satisfy it by connecting the appropriate size resistor from the signal wire to ground, to draw the correct current, since the controller does not do so.

The common incandescent lamp, 1157 or 2057 spec'd at 12.8 volts has two filaments:
Tail-lamp: 8.3 watts -->0.65 amps. Corresponding resistor is 19.7 ohms.
Brake lamp: 26.9 watts--2.1 amps. Corresponding resistor is 6.1 ohms.

These resistors are going to be very hot, and they have to be power resistors, rated for at least 8.3 watts and 27 watts respectively.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JLeising View Post
I believe the original board was a relay matrix. Also, you might try a relay on the backup lights. Use the Mercedes signal to activate the coil; power to the backup lights through the relay contacts.
If you can salvage any relays from the old board you can measure them to determine impedance.
Good luck - let us know how you make out -
Not sure what the backup light signal is. Could it be a CANBUS signal that commands a local controller to turn a lamp on and off? First thing I would do is hang my oscilloscope on the signal and see what it looks like.
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Old 12-10-2023, 10:42 AM   #273
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EE Help Please: Replacement of FR Circuit Board on 2012 Solera24R w/ Hopkins 21146375

John,

Thanks for input. I am in over my head so please be patient with my questions. Is the central ground to the orginal board what needs a resistor? On the board I built for this install I added the orginal grounds. There were I believe 5 different grounds attached to the original board in a single location. The hopkins added one more. I also took the orginal hot wire from the old circuit board, posted to my new board and added the Hopkins to this. The only other hot wire connected to the hot post to is an accessory wire that I fused inline. All fuses on my taillights are inline from the Hopkins outputs to the connections for rear lamps. I believe that the second hot line off the hot post labelled Accs. goes to the trailer hitch plug. Attached are a couple of pictures which show the orginal and the new hopkins. I'm a limited knowledge/skilled backyard mechanic so no Oscilloscope.
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Old 12-10-2023, 10:44 AM   #274
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Larry- Thanks for input

Sorry Larry,

Wish I could see your post when responding. Got your name wrong.

Ed
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Old 12-10-2023, 11:54 AM   #275
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No pictures attached to your post.

As I think I noted before, my module has not failed - so I have not taken it out or apart (yet). My thoughts are all somewhat speculative therefore - use or ignore at your discretion.

I did Google the Hopkins 21146375 and found an installation instruction sheet.

As I understand, Forest River treats most of the rear and marker lights on the Motorhome as “trailer lights”, including the taillights, brake lights, turn signals, and marker lights. Suspect the license plate light is combined with taillights and marker lights. These would be driven by the appropriate connections to the “trailer connector” output of the Hopkins controller. Ground should be common for all of the lights, the vehicle input power, and the trailer connector. Input connections come from vehicle wires for the related functions. These wires are 12 volt connections to bulbs (leds) and not canbus-type data lines - a volt meter should suffice (no need for an oscilloscope).

The Hopkins has no provision for backup lights. If Forest River’s original design did isolate the backup lights from the chassis lighting system, you likely will need to, effectively, add a backup light “channel “ to the Hopkins. My suggestion is to simply use a relay - matching the original circuit as best possible. Relay coil activated by the backup light signal from the chassis; relay contacts connect the chassis 12 volts to the backup bulbs. Ground is common.

Good luck and let us know how you make out -

Jim
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Old 12-10-2023, 03:06 PM   #276
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No problem

Quote:
Originally Posted by Friendly Tex View Post
Sorry Larry,

Wish I could see your post when responding. Got your name wrong.

Ed
No problem on the name.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Friendly Tex View Post
1) The MB dash shows a light bulb error and the flashing of the turn signals (either side is faster than normal). Every bulb in all tails light LEDs glow as they should. Do I need to add a resistor prior to or after the Hopkins controller?
The flasher timing is dependent on load. (Ever notice that you get this effect when one of the two turn signal lamps on a side has burned out?) You could use resistor (or just hang another light bulb) on each of the two controller turn signal lines. (I'm guessing the flasher is in the controller and not on the input. This is where the oscilloscope comes in handy, although you could use the multimeter on an AC scale.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Friendly Tex View Post
2) Also, the reverse wire from transmission to orginal circuit board and then out again has no connection through the Hopkins controller.Instead I fused this on the same new board as all tail lights with it's own fuse/circuit. When vehicle is placed in reverse, I get a very faint reverese light that goes out, then pulses with about a 50-75 second interval between pulses. Any ideas?
You want something that catches this pulse and stretches it for more than 75 seconds. The 1 minute version of this relay would stretch that pulse for you. The relay can carry 40 amps, plenty big enough.
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Old 12-11-2023, 10:39 AM   #277
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Hopkins versus orginal FR Circuit Board- pictures

I am always learning something new on this site. For example: you cannot close the box that list your attachments prior to submitting a reply.

Pics here
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File Type: pdf American Technology Turn : Brake Combiner AT-RLM-078 | pdxrvwholesale.pdf (996.4 KB, 12 views)
File Type: docx Solera- Hopkins wiring diagram.docx (12.9 KB, 12 views)
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Old 12-11-2023, 10:56 AM   #278
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Larry- A few Questions

Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry-NC View Post
No problem on the name.

The flasher timing is dependent on load. (Ever notice that you get this effect when one of the two turn signal lamps on a side has burned out?) You could use resistor (or just hang another light bulb) on each of the two controller turn signal lines. (I'm guessing the flasher is in the controller and not on the input. This is where the oscilloscope comes in handy, although you could use the multimeter on an AC scale.)

>>> What size bulb wouls be sufficient to create the required resistance? Incandescent correct? as I do have some spare LED side marker lights but don't think the resistance is sufficient. <<<< Ed


You want something that catches this pulse and stretches it for more than 75 seconds. The 1 minute version of this relay would stretch that pulse for you. The relay can carry 40 amps, plenty big enough.
>>>> Does this mean the backup lights would stay on for a minute and then cut off? <<<<< Ed

Would this board also work?

https://www.amazon.com/Qianson-Digit...ps%2C94&sr=8-3
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Old 12-11-2023, 12:31 PM   #279
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Two things

Quote:
Originally Posted by Friendly Tex View Post
I am always learning something new on this site. For example: you cannot close the box that list your attachments prior to submitting a reply.

Pics here
The picture you have posted is either:
  • Converter from 4-wire to 7-wire converter, or
  • Converter from 7-wire to 4-wire converter.
It is not a converter that converts pulse-width-modulated LED controls to the continuous controls expected at a 4-pin or 7-pin connector.

When you are creating attachments, after selecting them individually, you have to click Upload. Then you can close the attachment window, before submitting the post.
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Old 12-11-2023, 01:23 PM   #280
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Hopkins Controller

Larry,

This is the other side of the Hopkins Pulse width modulation controller.
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