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06-21-2018, 12:17 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: Escape 21, behind an '02 F250 7.3 diesel tug
Mid Left Coast
Posts: 2,940
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RV porch light switches
are *ALL* of the common RV porch lights, like used on Casita and Escape (and most every other RV I've seen) flakey with a couple years of age?
both my Casita and Escape have a flakey switch. if I've not used th elight for awhile, I have to 'flick' that switch a dozen times before the light comes on. I squirted some DeOxit D5 on/into my Casita's switch and it worked better for a few months, but its back to just as flakey.
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06-21-2018, 12:22 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 7,056
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I've had mine for about 12 years and no problems with the switch.
Many years ago I saw a relay filled with ants that stopped it from working. I believe it had been someplace in the south, maybe even southern California.
Spiders can also wreck havoc with electrical switches.
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
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06-21-2018, 06:07 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
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Original 40 year old porch switch in my Trillium 4500. The ON and OFF lettering is partly worn off. It is a panel mount, snap in and out, so easy to replace.
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06-21-2018, 12:26 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: Escape 21, behind an '02 F250 7.3 diesel tug
Mid Left Coast
Posts: 2,940
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my 2 samples are from 2008 and 2014, and they both look the following...
if I've not used them for a few weeks, just switching them on, nada. I hold one finger lightly on the 'on' side, and use another finger (other hand) to repeatedly flick the off side so the first finger acts as a spring and hammers the 'on' side until they light. half dozen of these, then the switch starts working again.
on the escape, there's an indoor switch also, so if I leave the outdoor switch on, and use the indoor switch, I've not had any issues yet.
btw, both of mine have an amber/yellow LED in them. Maybe its the much lower current of the LED (probably 80mA for about 1 watt?) thats exasperating the problem, the standard bulb is likely 1 amp or so.
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06-21-2018, 01:47 PM
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#5
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Member
Name: David
Trailer: Currently shopping
New York
Posts: 31
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Open them up and put a little dialectric grease on them, they will work fine.
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06-21-2018, 02:18 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Trailer: Escape 17 ft
Posts: 8,317
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Captain Dave
Open them up and put a little dialectric grease on them, they will work fine.
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Dialectric grease does not conduct electricity. It is an insulator meant to be used on the rubber boot of a spark plug to keep water and debris out.
I use electrical contact cleaner in a spray can for problem contacts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silico...lectric_grease
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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06-21-2018, 03:04 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp 16 ft Side Dinette
Posts: 1,279
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Both our Scamp's and this Parkliner's porch light switches have gotten hard to turn on. But once on made good contact. Turning them off is easy.
A squirt of WD40 seemed to help.
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06-21-2018, 03:48 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Name: Greg
Trailer: 2008 Casita 17' SD
Washington
Posts: 1,997
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Here's a picture to visualize what Jon said.
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06-21-2018, 07:19 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: Escape 21, behind an '02 F250 7.3 diesel tug
Mid Left Coast
Posts: 2,940
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on the escape, I'm very tempted to bypass the switch on the light, and just use the doorjam switch, its only a couple feet away.
on the casita, well, we're selling that
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06-22-2018, 06:17 AM
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#11
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Junior Member
Name: Bob
Trailer: Scamp 13'
New York
Posts: 19
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2017 Scamp Porch Light
I was hoping to respond to a previous thread, not to start a new one. That said, the problem I have is getting water inside the porch light. This happens even if the Scamp 13 is just sitting on my driveway and there is a moderate rain. I'm sure that eventually I will have a problem with the switch. Any suggestions on what to use to get a better seal around the switch are more than welcome.
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06-22-2018, 06:48 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
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John in Santa Cruz, another option is to replace your porch light with an identical porch light WITHOUT the switch. I found the switchless version of the porch lights available at etrailer and also at delcity:
https://www.delcity.net/store/Utilit...iABEgKzS_D_BwE
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06-22-2018, 06:54 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Name: Jon
Trailer: Escape 21C
New York
Posts: 2,387
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Greene
I was hoping to respond to a previous thread, not to start a new one. That said, the problem I have is getting water inside the porch light. This happens even if the Scamp 13 is just sitting on my driveway and there is a moderate rain. I'm sure that eventually I will have a problem with the switch. Any suggestions on what to use to get a better seal around the switch are more than welcome.
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While it might be the switch that is leaking, it is more likely the lens, or condensation. I drilled a drain hole in the bottom of mine, which seemed to help.
As to adding the 3 way rather than using the door switch, in my 2011 17, no door switches, and I wanted to be able to turn it on from the bed.
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06-22-2018, 06:57 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Greene
I was hoping to respond to a previous thread, not to start a new one. That said, the problem I have is getting water inside the porch light. This happens even if the Scamp 13 is just sitting on my driveway and there is a moderate rain. I'm sure that eventually I will have a problem with the switch. Any suggestions on what to use to get a better seal around the switch are more than welcome.
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Re-install the fixture after covering the backside with butyl tape OR seal the top and side edges with polyurethane sealant
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06-22-2018, 10:48 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Name: Greg
Trailer: 2008 Casita 17' SD
Washington
Posts: 1,997
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Vermilye
As to adding the 3 way rather than using the door switch, in my 2011 17, no door switches, and I wanted to be able to turn it on from the bed.
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I also completely removed the switch in my porch light and filled in the switch hole with white marine grade sealant. The ONLY switch to turn it on or off is now located inside my entry "hallway" where only I, and not someone outside, can turn it on or off. After all, why would anyone want a porch light with an outside switch? If some unknown stranger is knocking on your trailer door at night, are you really going to open the door to reach outside to turn on the light? Do you have to go outside to turn your porch light on in your home? To me it makes no sense and could be dangerous. I want total control over my porch light, not someone outside.
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06-22-2018, 01:23 PM
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#16
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Member
Name: David
Trailer: Currently shopping
New York
Posts: 31
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Dielectric grease is used on insulators, yes, but it also prevents switch contacts from corroding and failing. Say what you may, I have been using it for over 40 years with no problems and good results. If the light switch contact is cleaned a little with sand paper and dielectric grease or lithium grease is applied there will be no more problems!!
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06-22-2018, 02:57 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Name: Greg
Trailer: 2008 Casita 17' SD
Washington
Posts: 1,997
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Captain Dave
Dielectric grease is used on insulators, yes, but it also prevents switch contacts from corroding and failing. Say what you may, I have been using it for over 40 years with no problems and good results. If the light switch contact is cleaned a little with sand paper and dielectric grease or lithium grease is applied there will be no more problems!!
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The problem with using dielectric grease, or any other "coating" lubricant, is that the swipe contacts on the switch would have to push the grease out of the way and off the contact surfaces to make an electrical connection. These little RV light switches are so cheesy and weak, it would be debatable as to whether they had sufficient spring strength to do it. We're not talking "heavy duty" equipment here.
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