Door entrance bulb out

Topic: Door entrance bulb out (Read 1287 times) previous topic - next topic

Door entrance bulb out

July 16, 2018, 08:11:51 am

Does anyone know how to remove the plastic cover of the entrance light that's above the door on the outside of the coach? I need to replace the bulb.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #1 – July 16, 2018, 08:37:03 am

It helps if you identify the year and model of your coach when asking this kind of question.

From your "name" we might assume a '98 model?

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #2 – July 16, 2018, 09:31:20 am

If the cover is yellow and plastic and kind of rectangular then carefully pry from the bottom with a small screwdriver and its should pop out. It should then snap back in.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #3 – July 16, 2018, 10:28:33 am

It's a 98 U320. Yes it's a yellow plastic cover.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #4 – July 16, 2018, 10:33:06 am

Using both hands squeeze the cover and it should pop out

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #5 – July 16, 2018, 10:49:53 am

Or............in one of the black plastic end caps is a phillips screw. Remove this screw, pop the end cap off and it slides out.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #6 – July 16, 2018, 11:28:23 am

I wonder how brittle those covers become over the last 20 years. It doesn't kill me that the light doesn't work but it sure would if I break it trying to remove it.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #7 – July 16, 2018, 12:09:50 pm

Maybe it's the ballast not the bulb?
The whole thing is old so may be better to just replace it with an LED fixture.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #8 – July 16, 2018, 12:36:20 pm

Good point. I was going to try bulb first. It worked when I purchased it a year ago. Is it major to replace it with LED?

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #9 – July 16, 2018, 01:19:30 pm

We couldn't go without a front light. After replacing the bulb twice over 3 years we decided to switch it to LED. it's brighter and draws much less power.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #10 – July 16, 2018, 01:58:53 pm

It is usually just a bad connection. I'm assuming your light is florescent with 2 bulbs. Every one I've fixed have been the prongs the bulbs plug into. I replaced mine with LED/motion detector and glad I did.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #11 – July 16, 2018, 02:18:45 pm

Take your time getting the cover off, it will come off. Pry up from the bottom as I recall. These fixtures need both tubes to be working for either to work. We switched ours to a warm white (3000° K) LED strips. Much easier on your eyes and your neighbors than the daylight or cool white (6000°K) at night. This is a good place for soldered wire connections to the strips.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #12 – July 16, 2018, 02:28:49 pm

on my 95 the light comes on when you grab the handle. It shuts off after 30 seconds. You can also manually turn it on or off.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #13 – July 16, 2018, 03:52:33 pm

Yes. Mine came on with the grab handle too and shut off after 30 seconds

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #14 – July 16, 2018, 03:57:49 pm

If I switch to an LED strip, will I have access to the ballast once the plastic cover is removed to access the bulbs?

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #15 – July 16, 2018, 05:08:02 pm

Quote from: Roger & Susan in Home2 – July 16, 2018, 02:18:45 pm

We switched ours to a warm white (3000° K) LED strips. Much easier on your eyes and your neighbors than the daylight or cool white (6000°K) at night. This is a good place for soldered wire connections to the strips.

That's good to know, sounds like a fairly easy fix. I really don't like keeping the light on at night while outside because it is so bright... almost like a spotlight on our neighbors... wish the fixture focused the light down rather than lighting up the whole area.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #16 – July 16, 2018, 08:25:55 pm

I think I took the fixure off to get rid of all the flourescent bits. All you need for the LED strip is the + 12v and ground wire. One strip the about the length of the fixture is probably enough. Probably not too hard to add a dimmer. There are internet connected Alexa enabled switch/dimmers that you can control from you phone or by talking to your Echo device. Pretty neat.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #17 – July 17, 2018, 06:40:40 am

The yellow cover bleaches out and becomes brittle with time. FT Parts has replacements.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #18 – July 17, 2018, 11:15:22 am

I got tired of replacing my florescent bulbs in my door porch light and found this LED replacement...
LED162AP - Thin Lite Inc.
It was an easy one for one replacement. I've had no problems since (over two years now); nice and bright. There also is a white version if you want to replace the engine compartment light.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #19 – July 17, 2018, 12:33:25 pm

Wow. That looks just like what's up there now. Thank you all. That may be the way to go.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #20 – July 17, 2018, 12:34:59 pm

Quote from: 98Fore – July 17, 2018, 12:33:25 pm

Wow. That looks just like what's up there now. Thank you all. That may be the way to go.

To remove the lens on that style light, no tools. Just pry a little on the yellow lens with your fingers and it will pop out of the groove.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #21 – July 17, 2018, 02:13:58 pm

Ron,
where did you purchase the LED light? I want one. Thanks

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #22 – July 17, 2018, 02:15:23 pm

Be careful. I'm purdy sure there is a screw on the end cap possibly covered with a cap. I've been wrong before, though. If you're going to throw it away, however, it's moot. Pry away.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #23 – July 17, 2018, 02:32:25 pm

Just found a good one on ebay. Thanks, Twig. I wanted to buy one at the Big Tent at Q, but thought it was too expensive. I am changing out my fluorescents to LED, and this is on the list. I will be careful.

Re: Door entrance bulb out

Reply #24 – July 17, 2018, 03:42:02 pm

Here is the inside scoop of the light over the door. Two short LED strips in mine after removing the flourescent guts. I put a loop of wire between the two strips so if they were too bright (they are) I could just clip a wire to the second strip and have only one. I did not use waterproof strips here, they are well enough protected and I have found the the waterproof strips can overheat if you leave them on for a long time.

The yellow lens comes off from the top. Once you get it started from one end it will flex a bit and pop out. The hook edge goes down, the flanged edge up.

Ron's LED replacement is $104 at Amazon!
Amazon.com: Thin-Lite OEM-LED162AP Weather Proof LED Ramp & Entry Light -...

$76 on eBay
Thin-Lite 162 A P 12 or 24 volt d.c. LED outdoor light made in U.S.A. rv...

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