Reading Lights

Westwind

Well-known member
After two snowbird seasons in our Bighorn 3070 and burning my fingers every night when I try to turn off the reading lights and head to bed I decided that I needed to come up with a better way. I ordered 4 wall switches that are used for the recessed lights. I really like them they are big, easy to use, easy to locate without looking, and of course not hot.
It was a easy mod, the switch wiring was located on the ground side which allowed me to use a small wire which was easy to hide. I chose a bell wire which was a solid wire, after the fact I would recommend a stranded, it's a little sturdier. You have to soldier the wire to the switch terminals and I had one wire break off which caused me to have to undo what I thought was a completed switch installation.
I had to fabricate a wooden block to accommodate the switch terminals and the wire. The terminals extend beyond the plastic switch housing. That and the wire would not allow the switch to sit flush on the wall so that was the reason for the wooden block that was painted to match the color of the switch housing. I painted the front and sides but left the back unpainted so that hopefully the Glue would hold.
Someone recommended using the plastic wire channel that you can get at Home Depot in the electrical dept., I was easy to use and cut with a box knife. It has a adhesive strip on it and it stuck to the wall board well. I used small pieces to guide the wire behind the Lambrequin in the living room and in the bedroom to hide the wire.
I also used a LocTite gel glue which is new to me and it held the wooden blocks on the wall I let a day or two go by so that the blue dried before I finished the installation which then allowed me to screw the switch to the block.

Living Room reading light over recliner, tough to reach from the recliner.


2013-06-16  FW Light Mod 007.jpg

View attachment 27583

Able to turn on lights in bedroom without getting out of the bed.

2013-06-16  FW Light Mod 010.jpg

View attachment 27584

Switch ordered from Heartland parts department, must have Vin# handy so they can match color etc.,
second picture shows the terminal ends extending beyond the switch housing.


2013-06-16  FW Light Mod 019.jpg 2013-06-16  FW Light Mod 015.jpg

View attachment 27585 View attachment 27586

Below are the wooden blocks that are used to raise the switch to allow for the terminals and wire. They were
made from hobby wood bought at home depot which is the right depth.
Second picture is the block glued in position on the wall in the living room.



09.14.2013  Light Mod 006.jpg 09.14.2013  Light Mod 002.jpg

View attachment 27587 View attachment 27588

Below is the glue used and the plastic wire channel.



09.14.2013  Light Mod 009.jpg09.14.2013  Light Mod 008.jpg

View attachment 27589 View attachment 27590


The picture on the right shows the factory switch for the recessed lights over the couch , the switch
on the left is the mod with the mounting block installed and the switch mounted on it.
The wiring
is routed in back the the window Lambrequin and up to the reading light.


The picture on the right is of the bedroom installation. The plastic channel was used to hide the brown
wire as it was routed over to the window and down the wall behind the window to the wall switch.



2013.11.15 006.jpg 2013.11.15 009.jpg


View attachment 27591 View attachment 27592
 
Last edited:

Gizzy

Well-known member
I also wired the reading lights in the LR and BR to a wall switch. I'm surprised you waited 2 seasons to do your mod. It was one of the first things I HAD to do because those light switches drove us crazy.
 

murry135

New York Chapter Leaders - retired
I can not open your attachments. Reason states administrator has blocked the file. Would like to see mod for I want to change the bedrrom reading lights to a wall switch.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
I think the file format used for all but the first image - are the wrong file type.

I get this error: Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator
 

wdk450

Well-known member
The lamps wouldn't be hot if you replaced them with LED equivalents. I replaced one last January with a LED equivalent from the Quartzsite show. It is also very beneficial for being off the grid.
 

Westwind

Well-known member
I'll work on reloading the pictures, the first was the same as the rest so they should have showed.
 

Westwind

Well-known member
I realized that if I put LED's in that they wouldn't be hot but it was also the inconvenience of having to reach up or get up out of the chair to turn them on or off. I wanted the convenience of just reaching to the side and hitting a button or switch and this mod satisfied that wish.
With the trailer being new I was also concerned that what I did not be noticeable or detract from the interior. I knew if I didn't do something pleasing to look at I was going to be serious dodo with my wife. This mod passed her inspection, I'm not done yet I still want to install more of the plastic channel in the bedroom.
Pictures are there now, I just had to reload them.
 

murry135

New York Chapter Leaders - retired
Yep, now I can see your handy work. Nice job great idea for us to go to in bedroom over head board. We have one switch that controls his and her reading lights I want to separate them. Now I have the plan.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Very nice. That's been on my Roundtoit list for a while. We have those lights over the bed and the sofa (next to the dining table). And the whoopin' will now cease. ;)
 

caissiel

Senior Member
I charged all our lights to LEDs and it solved the heat problem. I can now touch the bulbs everywhere and save energy while of the grid.

Sent from my SPH-M910 using Tapatalk 2
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
I charged all our lights to LEDs and it solved the heat problem. I can now touch the bulbs everywhere and save energy while of the grid.

Sent from my SPH-M910 using Tapatalk 2

These and the bulbs over the bath vanity are the only 12V incandescents we have left, everything else is LED. For the reading lamps, it's not just the heat but the inconvenience of the on/off switches on the lamp. Do you remember the nomeclature for the reading lamp LED's you now have?
 

caissiel

Senior Member
I payed 7$ on eBay. They can be searched by their same name with BA base. They are flat 12-5050.
I also replace the 3 vanity bulbs for 2 summer festivals without power and we just left them on. Same light but brighter.

Sent from my SPH-M910 using Tapatalk 2
 
Top