Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Sven and Kristi on September 15, 2020, 05:42:51 pm

Title: Touchlite/grab handle
Post by: Sven and Kristi on September 15, 2020, 05:42:51 pm
I don't think my door handle touchlight has worked since I've had it.  I never knew about it.
While working on my porch light (recent discussion topic), I pulled off the interior door trim which revealed all the wires.  I found two that were disconnected, and there was no clue as to their purpose.  I'm guessing that it had to do with the touch pad.  I don't need the touchlite and am not concerned with fixing it, but there is an issue.
When I removed the lighted handle, I pulled the wire to the light through from the inside, since there appeared to be some corrosion.  After cleaning checking for continuity I tried to push them back through and found that there was no direct path to the exterior.  Poking around with a screwdriver was not useful; there is no hole, off set or otherwise.  There appears to be a flat plate and I am assuming this has something to do with the touchlite.  The only solution I can find is to drill through the plate, since I can't expose enough of it to go around.
Anyone have experience with this?
Title: Re: Touchlite/grab handle
Post by: turbojack on September 15, 2020, 05:54:24 pm
We need pictures.

From what I am thinking is you can fish for the wires from the outside when you push them back in from where you pushed them out of.
Title: Re: Touchlite/grab handle
Post by: Michelle on September 15, 2020, 05:55:58 pm
While working on my porch light (recent discussion topic), I pulled off the interior door trim which revealed all the wires.  I found two that were disconnected, and there was no clue as to their purpose.  I'm guessing that it had to do with the touch pad. 

Or possibly the doorbell, which has caused fires when the button got stuck/corroded so many have disconnected it.  Are the wires labeled at all?
Title: Re: Touchlite/grab handle
Post by: Sven and Kristi on September 15, 2020, 06:01:31 pm
The door bell works and the wires are not labeled.  I'm guessing that they were disconnected when the coach was repainted.  Since one wire had a plastic cap and the other was clean cut, it was done intentionally. 
It would extremely difficult to fish the wire out, since both holes are smaller than a dime.  I wouldn't even know how to go about it or which way I would go.  Any reason not to drill straight through?
Photos won't help - they would only show two small holes.
Title: Re: Touchlite/grab handle
Post by: craneman on September 15, 2020, 06:24:54 pm
Try some dental floss and use a vacuum from the outside and see if it will suck it back through. then use the floss to pull the wires.
Title: Re: Touchlite/grab handle
Post by: dsd on September 15, 2020, 07:41:23 pm
Tie a little piece of plastic bag to the end and it will act like a mini parachute. Used many times with tiecord. Dental floss would be even better.
Title: Re: Touchlite/grab handle
Post by: Journey, Roam, Explore on September 15, 2020, 07:56:39 pm
Sven I had very difficult time getting wires to go through for my overhead porch light. I tried everything wouldn't go. The new light that I had bought had a different kind of wire and I was able to push that through from the outside. When I worked on my touchpad I removed the doorbell and used that access to fish the wires through for it and I don't remember having any problems there. I like craneman's idea with the dental floss vacuum thing. just like they do them big shifts a thin line goes to a slightly thicker line to a slightly thicker line and before you know it you're able to get big lines across. I would try that I know I will the next time I need to do something like that. Craneman to the rescue again.
Title: Re: Touchlite/grab handle
Post by: Sven and Kristi on September 15, 2020, 08:26:36 pm
The idea of using dental floss is brilliant, but is there a reason to go to the trouble?  I could easily drill through the metal plate.