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12-16-2017, 04:25 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 880
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Control Panel Backlight Isata 3
I found the switches on the control panel down low by the stairwell somewhat hard to see, even in the day time. So with a little experimenting with a flashlight I discovered that the engraved labeling on the switch panel would illuminate when lit from behind.. I had some LED light tape laying around and with a little trial and error came up with a fairly successful way to backlight the control panel.
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12-16-2017, 09:56 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 240
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Great idea, like your mod.
Just ordered 18 inch led light bar
Now I have other option.
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12-17-2017, 01:24 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 333
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Brilliant.... pun intended. I will definitely do this; they are currently very hard to read at any time of day. Great mod.
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12-17-2017, 07:39 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 918
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"I had some LED light tape laying around and with a little trial and error came up with a fairly successful way to back light the control panel."
Looks interesting , how do you control the light bar?
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12-17-2017, 10:35 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 850
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It may be a good idea to install a momentary contact switch somewhere near the control panel to switch the LED light on temporarily so it is not left on by accident.
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12-17-2017, 10:58 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 240
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Light bar has on/off rocker switch.
Really like chroniecon mod.
Ordered led strip 12 inch, need insulated piggy back spade connectors.
Photo's shows common on heater switch thinking to use step switch to turn light on and off
Have to open panel do some testing
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12-17-2017, 01:15 PM
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#7
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2020 Isata 5 30FW 4x4
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 49
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Chroniekon,
Where did you tap in / power your light strip?
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12-17-2017, 01:16 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 880
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I have mine wired into the entry light switch. It's the first switch on the panel, so easy to find in the dark and also easy to find when reaching in from the outside. It's also a 3-way switch paired with the switch to the right of the stove that controls the upper row of lights nearest the kitchen. The downside is, it needs to be spliced in at the switch to the right of the stove and that requires fishing a wire up the wall between the stove and fridge. I thought about adding a dedicated switch just for the backlight, but I thought it might be too easy to forget, and leave it on. Magnatudes idea of a momentary switch would solve that issue.
There are a couple of other subtleties. You will find when you first turn on the backlight that there is some light 'leakage' around the level indicators to the right of the panel. Also it will make the indicator light on the Magnum remote switch light up, even when not turned on. I used some black electrical tape to mask off these items from the back. Another issue was getting light up to the 'HOURMETER' engraving for the generator. My fix was to fashion a reflector (you can see it in the picture) out of tin foil. It looks cheezy, but works.
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12-18-2017, 09:34 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 850
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chroniekon, what a great idea. Gonna put it on my list of improvements.
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12-18-2017, 12:16 PM
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#10
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,878
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pffttttt. You would think for the amount of money you spend on these things, they wouldn't use cheap blue painters tape and aluminum foil.
Once we convert these over to multiplex, the switches will be LED backlit (PS. before anyone asks, no I can't add it to one you have coming, its just an idea right now), but in the meantime...great mod.
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12-18-2017, 12:22 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 850
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12-18-2017, 02:13 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 880
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[QUOTE=bclemens;1690249]pffttttt. You would think for the amount of money you spend on these things, they wouldn't use cheap blue painters tape and aluminum foil.
Hey, I'll have you know this is the Expensive 3M painters tape. And I was living on the edge when I stole that aluminum foil from the DW's kitchen!
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12-19-2017, 10:34 AM
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#13
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,878
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Ahhh...well why didn't you say that in the first place. that's a top notch tape job then.
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12-19-2017, 06:50 PM
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#14
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2020 Isata 5 30FW 4x4
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 49
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hhl,
"Just ordered 18 inch led light bar"
What light bar did you order (part#)?
Amazon?
The picture you posted makes it look like a simple install.
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12-19-2017, 07:05 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 240
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12-19-2017, 07:07 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 240
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Also in white LED only
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12-19-2017, 07:31 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 880
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Another handy place for some extra lighting is under the rear corner on the drivers side just behind the generator. I used led rope light, but your light bar would work good too provided it is rated for outdoor use. I wired it into the switch that controls the light that's near the outdoor shower. It beats having to hold a flashlight while hooking up the utilities on those late night campground arrivals.
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12-19-2017, 09:04 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 240
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Other good idea to mount led bar light to bottom of rv wall and light up
Service area campsite.
Light is waterproof designed for boat and rv.
Right now I am using head lamp.
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12-19-2017, 10:23 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 240
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I chose a red and white LED bar light. When we are camping in dark sky areas I want to turn red LED on at bedtime and late at night so when we go outside we do not lose night vision.
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