Porch light stuck on

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Porch light stuck on

January 17, 2014, 01:02:18 am

A few YEARS ago, just after I bought my coach, I replaced a burnt-out bulb in my lucite handle, only to discover that it would stay on when I put the new bulb in...so I took it back out.

I was at FOT and the two fellas they had trying to figure it out couldn't. I finally told them to stop looking, as I didn't want to pay for their searching. The light is NOT connected to the porch light and FOT didn't seem to know if my coach actually came with a touch sensor or not. I suspect someone fiddled with the wiring somewhere. I took the magazine rack apart back then trying to find whatever is supposed to serve as a controller and never found anything.

I was reminded of this old issue by a posting on another thread. Does anyone have any thoughts on where this wiring is supposed to me? What the touch sensor looks like? I need something to occupy my waiting for my cylinder, so I think I'll take another stab at this problem. Thanks for any thoughts.

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #1 – January 17, 2014, 08:43:25 am

Brad, The control for my touchlite is secured to the ceiling of the bay behind the entry door. I also have had my share of aggravation on porch lights. The way they SEEM to work is that the handle is isolated from the body of the coach, when you GROUND the coach by touching the handle that tells the controller to complete a circuit and turn the light on. ( I know, simplistic ). I found that removing the handle and replacing the rubber gaskets finally fixed it. There is a wire at the top handle screw that touches the metal of the handle and another at the bottom. Any moisture will act as a ground also. So, after replacing bulb, replacing gaskets and cleaning contacts at the control mine works, don't really know what I changed or fixed. I SUSPECT that there was moisture under the gaskets and that R and R dried out the underlying surface but I am not sure.
Good luck.
Gary B

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #2 – January 17, 2014, 10:16:28 am

To avoid having the porch light accidentally remain on, especially while bookdocking and running the batteries down, I put an additional switch to the light that cuts off all power to it. Generally the touch feature on my coach works well.
Good luck,
Rick

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #3 – January 17, 2014, 11:29:21 am

My handle doesn't seem to have the touch function. Do they all and mine is just not working (it does light up when I turn on the light over the door) or do some not have that function?

Thanks,

Rich

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #4 – January 17, 2014, 11:35:35 am

If the "module" ?? is working it will just be a ground problem as Gary mentions. Take the chrome pieces off and clean everything up. Put one of the screws back in and touch the wire with round connector to it and should lite up. If not first try a longer screw OR get out your M Meter and check continuity between the screw and another part of door ( to make sure screw is going into metal). Of course this is all on the understanding that the bulb is good first!
JohnH

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #5 – January 17, 2014, 11:51:35 am

Thanks Guys. I'll try at it again. I have had the handle apart before to no avail, and moisture isn't usually an issue here. I think the last time I was on the road and didn't have a lot of time to check into it. I will take a bit of time, this time.

Rich: That behavior is what Foretravel told me might be the case. They said that if I didn't have the touch module, it is supposed to go on with the porch light switch as yours does. Foretravel said "some coaches had it, some didn't." Frankly, I had expected them to KNOW what they did to this particular coach, but they said they had no record. But clearly, constant on wasn't the plan.

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #6 – January 17, 2014, 06:58:00 pm

Brad--Thanks for the info.

Rich

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #7 – January 17, 2014, 07:18:31 pm

I took the handle off completely. Absolutely nothing in the bottom, and the only thing in the top is a rubber light socket, completely isolated from everything. A couple inches back, the two socket wires connect to a green ground and a white wire that has 12 volts to it. All the time. I took loose the door frame and found 5 wires going up the edge of the door. Two green grounds, one for the map light and one for the aforementioned handle light. Of the other three white wires, one has PORCH LT on it (and runs all the way up to the porch light), one has MAP LT on it and is the passenger map light, and the final white wire, slightly smaller in size, has nothing printed on it and it goes out to the socket in the handle.

I cut and terminated that wire and used a splice to the PORCH LT wire. Now my handle is lit, just like Rich's. I'm happy...but I sure don't know what FT did.

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #8 – January 17, 2014, 08:11:28 pm

Brad sometimes those 2 green wires may be the ones for the bell. Today along with other things I decided to find out why the bell on this 240 did not work. Pulled the button out and of course it was rusted away at wire connections. I was able to pull about and inch of these 2 grn wires out and shortewd them, ding dong the bell works!!! So I will gewt a new button, like I needed for our 2000 U295 and pull the centre out of a residential one with led light and connect up. All will be ok then. I am also working on the handle as the grab bar was broken, so have epoxy'd that together and a new bulb plus I drill 2 small drain holes in the bottm chrome piece as water does find its way into that"socket" for handle. I also filed out a little groove at the very bottom of the lower piece so watwer that passed thru those holes can escape out.Should work.
John H
ps my lower piece has the ground connection wire contacting thru one of the screws to body of coach!!

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #9 – January 17, 2014, 09:14:35 pm

John,

My doorbell button didn't work and was rusted out just like yours. I replaced it with a Heath/Zenith push button lighted doorbell #455G-B from the local hardware store. Costs about $3.00 and fits perfectly. Just need to make it waterproof with dielectic grease and clear silicone sealant. I also spliced in a 1 amp inline fuse to the 12v power wire for the chime inside the cabinet in case it shorts out from being stuck on and will prevent a possible fire hazard as others have stated. Tested by holding the button in till it blew and then put in another good one. That was a year ago and it has worked fine ever since.

Jerry

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #10 – January 17, 2014, 09:41:22 pm

My doorbell is the wireless kind. Works like a champ.

The two green wires I found were just grounds (one directly to the map light and one directly to the handle light). I figured they must have grounded the porch light somewhere in its mounting up above the door.

All lit up like Christmas now. I may have too bright of a bulb in there. Does anyone know the correct bulb number for the handle?

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #11 – January 17, 2014, 10:07:09 pm

Door bell??? I don't have no stinkin door bell.

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #12 – January 17, 2014, 10:27:49 pm

Brad I will get the bulb # in morning for you
John H

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #13 – January 17, 2014, 11:11:27 pm

Quote from: Brad & Christine Slaughter – January 17, 2014, 01:02:18 am

I was reminded of this old issue by a posting on another thread. Does anyone have any thoughts on where this wiring is supposed to me? What the touch sensor looks like? I need something to occupy my waiting for my cylinder, so I think I'll take another stab at this problem. Thanks for any thoughts.

Porch light repair

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #14 – January 18, 2014, 12:09:01 am

Thanks, John...and thanks Barry. I am 99% sure they just didn't put a touch light in my U270. I'm happy to have it connected now, in conjunction with the porch light. I might consider changing that yellow porch light to a white lens...at least that is what DW tells me.

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #15 – January 18, 2014, 09:08:34 am

Brad, I matched up the bulb for the grab handle at an ACE hardware, found it in the flashlight bulb section.
Gary B

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #16 – January 18, 2014, 10:58:04 am

Gary, my socket is one of the automotive push in kinds, but since I had removed the old one and misplaced it, I just grabbed one that I found laying around and it is probably too high of wattage.

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #17 – January 18, 2014, 11:49:09 am

Brad, just took the new one out and it is 5712v2cp, so I guess 2 candle power. Have not replaced handle yet but will do in a few hours then I can see it working and will report if it looks right.
John H

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #18 – January 18, 2014, 12:27:43 pm

Quote from: John Haygarth – January 18, 2014, 11:49:09 am

Brad, just took the new one out and it is 5712v2cp, so I guess 2 candle power. Have not replaced handle yet but will do in a few hours then I can see it working and will report if it looks right.
John H

Is your bulb a wire base...like the old flashbulbs? Not sure what they call those. The only 5712v2cp I could find in a search online looked to be a screw in bulb, and mine is the push-in wire base. I think you are right about the 2 candle-power. I can't seem to find it in my wiring diagrams for some reason.

On edit: The bulb I temporarily put in and pulled out says it is a 912. Near as I can figure, that is a full 1.0 amps. I did find the specs for a 914 "wedge" that is 0.25a, so maybe that is a better fit? I suppose I could use an LED even.

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #19 – January 18, 2014, 05:10:36 pm

Went to Autozone. Their "wedge" bulbs are nicely labeled with their amperage and they had several to choose from.

Instead of using the 12.8 watt, 1.0A bulb I had laying around (the 912), I chose a Sylvania 168. Physically smaller bulb and it is rated at 4.9 watts (at 14.0 volts), so 0.35A will take a little less current when I forget and leave the lights on.

I'm still not sure if others have screw-in or bayonet type bulbs, but this is a definite push in wedge bulb holder. Someone told me once that in the 2002 "lean" era, FOT used up a lot of older parts they had around. I dunno if that is true or not, but that could explain some of the difference.

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #20 – January 18, 2014, 06:01:06 pm

It is a push in turn with 2 pins (just like the rear bulbs) style with a centre contact. 12v .24 amp 2 cp #57
JohnH

Re: Porch light stuck on

Reply #21 – January 18, 2014, 07:13:17 pm

Quote from: John Haygarth – January 18, 2014, 06:01:06 pm

It is a push in turn with 2 pins (just like the rear bulbs) style with a centre contact. 12v .24 amp 2 cp #57
JohnH

Wow. You'd think something like this would be the same on our coaches.

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