outside entry light

Topic: outside entry light (Read 1214 times) previous topic - next topic

outside entry light

July 28, 2011, 10:00:11 am

Three years and I still can't figure out how this light is supposed to work. The switch inside doesn't seem to do anything. The switch on the fixture, when on, will allow the light to come on if the lower part of the handle assmembly is touched. Rain hitting it will also allow the light to come on. I'm not really sure about what the switches do or do not do as when I mess with them I end up with the light not working at all and eventually I get back to it coming on briefly only when the lower handle housing is touched. I cannot get it to stay on no matter what I do. How is this supposed to function with regard to the inside switch and the push button on the light fixture itself?

Re: outside entry light

Reply #1 – July 28, 2011, 10:24:40 am

On each of my coaches with SlimLine florescent porch lights, the switch near the door turned the porch light on and it stayed on till turned off. If the porch light is not on, then touching the bottom of the door handle completes the ground to the light and turns the handle and the porch lights on for 2-3 minutes.
Both bulbs in the porch light must be functional for the light to turn on, I think.
The switch that sometimes comes attached to the bottom of the fixture has been removed and a rubber dam inserted.

Re: outside entry light

Reply #2 – July 28, 2011, 10:30:28 am

Thanks. I'll check both bulbs. Maybe that is the problem.

Re: outside entry light

Reply #3 – July 28, 2011, 11:45:43 am

Quote from: Dwayne – July 28, 2011, 10:30:28 am

Thanks. I'll check both bulbs. Maybe that is the problem.

Dwayne,
If the switch at the bottom of the fixture is still there you might want to take it out. Horace mentions that his was removed. I found that switch to be the problem with mine and took it out. It was corroded and not working. Several others have also removed the external switch. Unfortunately I believe you have to pull the fixture to get at the wires and the fixture is held on with a couple of screws and about 2 tubes of caulking. Once you take the switch out just connect the two coach wires together, plug the hole and reinstall the fixture.
Good luck,

Re: outside entry light

Reply #4 – July 28, 2011, 12:37:26 pm

Thanks

Re: outside entry light

Reply #5 – July 28, 2011, 12:57:22 pm

Dwayne,
If the light comes on when you touch the outside handle then the switch on the light is in the on position and the bulbs must be good. Let the light time out then try the switch inside the coach, if it won't turn on the light I would look at that switch.
John Duld

Re: outside entry light

Reply #6 – July 28, 2011, 01:04:31 pm

It doesn't matter about the inside switch. The light comes on when the handle is touched. Cannot get the light to stay on no matter what. The only thing that totally kills the light is the switch on the fixture. I think that if the switch on the fixture is on (hard to tell cause it is just a push button), then the light will come on by touch regardless of inside switch position. Nothing will turn the light on and allow it to remain on.

Re: outside entry light

Reply #7 – July 28, 2011, 02:16:24 pm

Quote from: Dwayne – July 28, 2011, 01:04:31 pm

It doesn't matter about the inside switch. The light comes on when the handle is touched. Cannot get the light to stay on no matter what. The only thing that totally kills the light is the switch on the fixture. I think that if the switch on the fixture is on (hard to tell cause it is just a push button), then the light will come on by touch regardless of inside switch position. Nothing will turn the light on and allow it to remain on.

Dwayne, from what you have described I'm pretty sure your inside switch is not working. When working properly the porch light will come on any time someone touches the base of the outside handle. This works independently of the interior switch.

Just remove the screws and use a test light or VOM to see if the switch is getting 12V power. Turn the switch on and make sure the 12V is getting through the switch to the other contact point. Both side should be hot. If the switch is working properly then the problem is the touch light fixture. Mine is in the bay next to the door. It is a little brown plastic box about 2" X 3" with a 4 or 5 wires running out of it. I got tired of messing with the touch light and disconnected it on my old coach so the porch light would just operate with the interior switch.

Re: outside entry light

Reply #8 – July 28, 2011, 02:23:18 pm

I suspect the inside switch is bad or one of the wires to that switch is broken. An easy way to check it out is to access the wires on the backside of that switch and short them together. If the light comes on, replace the switch and life will be good again.

Re: outside entry light

Reply #9 – July 28, 2011, 04:59:52 pm

I would do as Tom Lang posted.

Re: outside entry light

Reply #10 – July 28, 2011, 05:55:40 pm

Just came from the coach and can't believe it but it is now working as it is supposed to. I guess when we were on vacation in the campground at night where we needed it to work, switching the switch a bunch of times to no avail did something. It must be in the inside switch. Does anyone else experience rain causing the light to come on? The only place I can touch the handle to activate the light is on the bottom mount. The handle doesn't do it.

Re: outside entry light

Reply #11 – July 28, 2011, 07:45:47 pm

That's the way mine works but I have never noticed it going on during a rain storm. Of course being here in Oklahoma, I sorta forgot what rain is.

Re: outside entry light

Reply #12 – July 28, 2011, 08:20:15 pm

If I hit the door handle on my coach with a stream of water, the light will come on. I expect rain against the side of the coach would cause the light to come on.

I have been told it is important to keep water from getting behind the door handle mounts.

Re: outside entry light

Reply #13 – July 28, 2011, 08:47:36 pm

On my 95 U320, the touch feature is not working. I turn on de switch, the light sucks up the darkness. I turna de switch off, the darkness wins.

Re: outside entry light

Reply #14 – July 28, 2011, 11:29:06 pm

Dwayne,
The touch sensor is in the bottom mount, which is metal. The plastic handle doesn't conduct a current. Whenever I wash my coach and water sprays on it, it lights up. Fortunately it does shut off within 30 seconds.

Within this past year, the light did begin to come on during a moderate rainfall. I waited for dry weather, removed the bottom mount, cleaned and dried the contacts and put everythng back together. Hasn't stayed on in rain ever since.

Re: outside entry light

Reply #15 – July 29, 2011, 12:46:33 pm

Dwayne (not Duane, He lives in Tennessee) Seems working the indoor switch broke the corroded contacts loose and now your light is working properly, great!. Touching the bottom metal portion of the entry handle completes the 12 v circuit to ground and causes the light to come on. When water gets into the assembly, that, too completes the circuit. As long as it shuts off after appropriate interval, fine. Mine, however didn't turn off and it was necessary to take the assembly apart and dry it out and try to seal the unit to the coach wall. Be careful, the gasket around the mount is NO LONGER available from FT or the manufacturer. It is necessary to jury rig some sort of seal. I put lots of silicone around the contacts on the screw.
I suspect that the switch you have on the bottom of the light fixture needs to stay in the "on" position.

Re: outside entry light

Reply #16 – July 29, 2011, 01:38:49 pm

Quote from: Horace B. Cupp Jr. – July 29, 2011, 12:46:33 pm

...
I suspect that the switch you have on the bottom of the light fixture needs to stay in the "on" position.

When we bought our coach, the "porch" light did not work. I replaced the bulbs and it still didn't work. I removed the rubber boot from the switch on the bottom of the fixture, sprayed it with WD-40, and exercised it. All started working. I leave that switch on all the time. If the switch has failed, just wire around it.

Subsequently, I disassembled the grab handle, cleaned all connections, used dielectric grease on the socket, renewed the bulb, and reassembled with a bit of silicone caulk in a few places. All has worked fine since the cleanup.

Re: outside entry light

Reply #17 – July 29, 2011, 01:51:23 pm

I think my grab handle is solar powered 'cause it don't work at nite.

Re: outside entry light

Reply #18 – July 29, 2011, 04:52:33 pm

Quote from: nitehawk – July 29, 2011, 01:51:23 pm

I think my grab handle is solar powered 'cause it don't work at nite.

Maybe you could use a flashlight to see if it is lighting up. It might be working, but it is too dark to see it.

(Is my turn signal working? yes - no - yes - no - yes - ...)

Re: outside entry light

Reply #19 – July 29, 2011, 08:35:24 pm

JD, I tried that but my flashlight is solar powered without a battery backup. What's a guy to do? It seemed like a good deal at the time so I bought one for each of us.

Affiliate Notice