83 Dolphin license plate light and driving lights

[Kaelauilani]

We are renovating our rv and can’t find the wires to the license plate light, would it be the red and white wires that are similar to the fog wires? And we know that the green wire is for running lights but forgot how it’s put together. Can anyone point me in the right direction? 

[Derek up North]

These are the only wiring diagrams I've got for the Dolphin. I'm always suspicious of where the motorhome manufacturers extended from the Toyota Factory harness.

 

 

 

 

[Derek up North]

This is the wiring as used by Winnebago:-

 

 

[Kayla uyeshiro]

Unfortunately it’s very hard to base it off of those colors, any ideas  of where I can obtain a 83. Toyota dolphin wiring diagram?  

Edited June 26, 2020 by Kayla uyeshiro

[Derek up North]

Other that the Dolphin wiring diagrams I posted above, I've never found any others. Sorry.

 

Your best bet is to find someone with a multimeter and a basic understanding of 12v electrics. Fortunately, the circuits are simple.

[fred heath]

You only need the wiring diagram for whatever year truck your chassis’s made from.

Haynes manuals usually carry a factory wiring diagram in the back section.

Your license plate light should run off the same circuit as your parking lights. An inexpensive multimeter is a must have.

[Derek up North]

4 hours ago, fred heath said:

You only need the wiring diagram for whatever year truck your chassis’s made from.

 

The problem with that theory is that the motorhome manufacturers had to extend the OEM Toyota wiring to reach the extended 'house'. Wiring colours was a free for all.

 

This is an example of Winnebago's version:-

 

 

Yes, a multimeter and operator is essential.

[fred heath]

4 hours ago, Derek up North said:

 

The problem with that theory is that the motorhome manufacturers had to extend the OEM Toyota wiring to reach the extended 'house'. Wiring colours was a free for all.

 

This is an example of Winnebago's version:-

 

 

Yes, a multimeter and operator is essential.

 

Agreed. But someplace (under the frame usually) will be the original pigtail that was extended by the coach manufacturer. Find that, which will have the factory wire colors, and see which extension wires perform what function.

Or a shortcut, tap into any wire which provides side marker or tail tights and use that for the license plate light. Again, a multimeter is a must have.

Automotive lighting circuits are pretty basic. You still need the basic knowledge of how 12V automotive lights function.

[Derek up North]

Both Dolphin and Winnebago used green wires to the tail & side marker lights. Perhaps there is an RVIA 'standard', though I never found one when I looked.  The license plate light (as seen in the Winnebago drawing) is (logically) on the same circuit, also using a green wire. I can only guess that the 'red and white' wires originally referenced are the wire colours on the license plate light. If so, connect the red (+) wire to the green (+) wire and then find a ground somewhere. Dolphin used white for the ground (-).

 

My 'theory' can either be tested by wiring it that way and perhaps blowing a fuse or by using a multimeter.