T1N Modification

[Rob775]

Hello, we have 2005 AI that we've had about a year (rear bath unit). When we sleep in the rig with the sliding doors open (or the back door), the courtesy lights stay on. I'm sure someone has added a switch to turn this off. I haven't found a discussion yet of someone doing this. Where have you added the switch? Any switch recommendations and placement? Appreciate the suggestions.

[InterBlog]

Welcome to Air Forums!

We don't have any such courtesy light (or our previous owner disconnected it / them). Do you mean the light in the headliner, the same one that comes on when the cab doors are opened?

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

Welcome to Air Forums!

We don't have any such courtesy light (or our previous owner disconnected it / them). Do you mean the light in the headliner, the same one that comes on when the cab doors are opened?

The mid-sleeper/rear bath has a step light on the side door that is actuated with the opening of the door. I thought they were tied through the headliner dome light switch, but honestly I've not paid that much attention. I know it doesn't come on when the main 12v coach kill switch is off. I'll have to go do some investigating on mine later today when it warms up a little and see what I can figure out.

[Rob775]

The courtesy lights are near the floor. One is located next to the sliding door and the second is at the base of the bath. They come on when either the sliding door is open or the rear door is open. If you leave the doors open at night, it's annoying. I assume it's easy to add a switch to turn these off. Thanks.

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by Rob775

The courtesy lights are near the floor. One is located next to the sliding door and the second is at the base of the bath. They come on when either the sliding door is open or the rear door is open. If you leave the doors open at night, it's annoying. I assume it's easy to add a switch to turn these off. Thanks.

Make no assumptions. NOTHING is easy with either an Airstream OR a Sprinter.

Ok, I checked mine today while replacing the driver's side convex mirror, and those are in fact NOT wired through the dome light. And that they're wired through the Sprinter door switch system as well as the on-off switch, yet powered by the house battery and not the chassis battery presents another layer of complexity to chase down.

I have no idea how to suggest you proceed on this one. If you figure it out, please let us know what you did.

Roger

[Lotus54]

My 2006 mid-bath has that floor lamp.
But it can be turned off with the middle of three switches by the sliding door.

Yours does not turn off?

If not, perhaps just some gorrilla tape over the door switch?

[InterBlog]

Same. We have three floor lights, one of which is positioned at the slider, but they are all on the same switch. Very unusual bulbs in those, too - not easily replaced with LED. They get VERY hot if turned on.

We never use them. The OP's best solution might be to pull the bulb, tape the fixture, and fuggetaboutit.

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by Lotus54

My 2006 mid-bath has that floor lamp.
But it can be turned off with the middle of three switches by the sliding door.

Yours does not turn off?

I believe that the mid sleeper is very different from the rear sleeper in switch position and wiring. We mid-sleepers have two switches on the couch bulkhead panel by the sliding door near the floor; one for those floor lights and the other for the overhead lights. On yours, does the switch turn the lights off while a rear or the sliding side door is open? On mine, the door switches override the bulkhead switch. You can't turn the lights off if one of the back coach doors is ajar. I suspect that to be the issue for the OP as well.

[Rob775]

There are also two switches by the sliding door. One controls the outside light and the second controls the overhead lights.

These courtesy lights are definitely on their own circuit and only turn on when either the sliding door is open or the rear door is open. I thought with one of the courtesy lights at the base of the sliding door, I could just go in and splice a switch into the circuit.

But maybe pulling the bulbs might be the easiest.

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by Rob775

There are also two switches by the sliding door. One controls the outside light and the second controls the overhead lights.

These courtesy lights are definitely on their own circuit and only turn on when either the sliding door is open or the rear door is open. I thought with one of the courtesy lights at the base of the sliding door, I could just go in and splice a switch into the circuit.

But maybe pulling the bulbs might be the easiest.

I stand corrected... you're right. The second switch is the awning light. My bad.

Let us know how that works out if you do that. It could be useful info.

[Lotus54]

BTW, I found LED bulbs to replace those. Much lower draw and run a lot cooler.
But of course does not help with having them OFF.

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by Lotus54

BTW, I found LED bulbs to replace those. Much lower draw and run a lot cooler.
But of course does not help with having them OFF.

That's excellent. What LEDs did you find that work? Please share with us. I've replaced as many as I've been able to find, but I haven't found LEDs for those.

[ArmorMan]

Hi,
New (well 2011) Interstate owner. I too am having problems with the courtesy floor lamps. Can you point me to the LED replacement that you found?
Thanks,
ArmorMan

[Lotus54]

Im trying to find where i got them, but not located yet. Still working

[MMSsprinter]

1st did anyone get the LED bulb information. 2nd a broken wire caused the the lights to be on 24/7. I repaired the wire, it was shorting out to the chassis, now the lights don't come on. Any idea how Airstream intersected the factory wiring? There is a wire behind the power panel that when connected to the chassis powers the lights but it's bypassing the door switch. Thanks for any input.

[MMSsprinter]

As far as turning off the floor lights you can splice a switch into either wire going the light breaking the circuit. In one by the slider would be easy the one by the bath would take some more work but very doable. You could put a switch on the frig wall.