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04-16-2011, 10:57 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Beaver, PA
Posts: 911
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Need a light or mod for bathroom for the kids
All of our lights are on the ceiling with the build in switch. Great for me as I"m 6 foot, but my wife is 5' and our kids are, well, kids and they can't reach them without climbing on things.
This came to light (pun intended) last night (our first night) when my son needed to use the toilet after we'd all gone to bed and couldn't reach the light switch on the ceiling.
I guess we're finding all those little reasons why our camper was $5,000 less than some others. Next time I'm at an RV show or dealer I'm going to be doing some research. It just seemed common sense to me that swtiched would be located where, well, swiiches can be reached.
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Chris, Wills (16) Evie (13) & Toby our collie (6)
2011 Grey Wolf 28BH
2013 Chevy K1500 Crew w/ Reese StraitLine Dual Cam
Nights camped 2011: 11 2012: 18 2013: 12 2014: 12 2015: 13 2016: 56 2017: 8+
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04-16-2011, 10:48 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Upstate (Albany Area) NY
Posts: 832
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A simple temporary solution (low cost) might be to pick-up a 3' wooden dowel. Get one that you can put a little rubber "foot" on, and it wont scratch or mar the light. Hold it in a storage location with a couple of spring clips.
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Fire Instructor
2022 Coachmen Leprechaun 319MB
2022 Ford Ranger toad
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04-17-2011, 07:32 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 349
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I did a mod for a friend a few years ago where I installed a pull string switch in the light fixture. I removed the fixture, drilled the hole next to the existing switch, moved the wires to the pull switch, reinstalled fixture, job done. His wife is under 5 feet tall and the light in the bedroom was unusable. Problem solved, cost was about $3.00(US).
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Kirk, KN1B
2013 Cardinal 3800FL
2009 GMC 3500HD CC LB SRW
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04-17-2011, 07:48 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Picton
Posts: 714
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Quote:
Originally Posted by prof_fate
Next time I'm at an RV show or dealer I'm going to be doing some research. It just seemed common sense to me that swtiched would be located where, well, swiiches can be reached.
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As life goes, by then, the kids will be able to reach the switches and you'll struggle to reach them
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Denis & Diane
* Happy Campers *
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04-17-2011, 08:52 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Lake Charles, La.
Posts: 1,536
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someone had a post abt a remote that was very inexpensive to turn the lights on and off.
the unfortunate thing is that u will always find things u should have looked for. when i bought mine, the dealer had had the 2nd air electrical run and the ladder installed. didn't know at the time but these things had to be ordered when it was built.
now i am trying to figure out how to put a rear view camera on it and run the wires so that they are hidden. guess there is always something that should have would have....
enjoy ur trailer; i see if i can find the post.
check this out: http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...tch-10911.html.
(still haven't figured out how to copy the exact thread to another post).
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04-17-2011, 03:41 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 7
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bathroom light mod
hi ya,
had exact same issue/disappointment. didnt look close enough before traded my other trailer. anyways, i modified the light in the bathroom using wire mold, project box, and a switch. drilled hole in side of light and wired new switch in series. by placing new project box switch on wall with high strength velcro, my kids can turn lights on/off.
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04-18-2011, 09:35 AM
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#7
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Anacortesians
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Anacortes, WA
Posts: 1,166
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I haven't done detailed research yet, but I saw a post on either RV.net or iRV2.com that identified "Thinkgeek.com" as a source for a radio-controlled remote. The switiching module is small enough to go inside the light fixture.
Only downsides are that it can only handle 60 watts, and I'm not sure yet if the remotes can be identified to work a specific switching unit. Have bought quite a bit of stuff from them and always been satisfied.
__________________
Frank and Eileen
No longer RVers or FR owners
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04-18-2011, 10:46 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Jacksonville Florida
Posts: 1,264
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Just make sure that any switch or switch accessory you buy is 12 volt DC powered. Some people don't realize that all of the lights in the trailer are 12 volt operated....EVEN when plugged in to external 120 volt AC, from a campground or garage. The CONVERTER changes the power supplied to the camper to 12 volts DC for the lights, and a few other things, as well. Randy
__________________
/SIGPIC]'08 V-lite Flagstaff 30WRLS
'06 Ram 1500 QC hemi Reese dual cam sway control,
K&N series 77 intake, Hellwig helper spgs. LT tires,
Flowmaster "true duals", 380 h.p., Bilstein shocks
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04-18-2011, 12:00 PM
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#9
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CampeRooo
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Colorado
Posts: 454
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What about purchasing one of those puck LED lights? I know it's not a permanent fix, but we've used these in our popup camper during that short spurt between turning off the fixture and climbing into bed. My wife loves them because she doesn't have to climb out of bed to turn a light on to see why our dog is doing circles on its sleeping bed in the middle of the night.
Walmart.com: LED Wireless Puck Light, Three Pack, Grey: Sustainability
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Where we've been:
2000 Rockwood Roo M-18 Hybrid
2006 Dodge Ram 2500 Auto 5.9 Diesel
Gone but not forgotten -1986 Rockwood 1003 PUP
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04-18-2011, 12:36 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Beaver, PA
Posts: 911
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the molding looks interesting...i wonder how hard it would be to fish a wire down through the wall?
I've thought of the 'tap light' idea too.
Still thinking.
__________________
Chris, Wills (16) Evie (13) & Toby our collie (6)
2011 Grey Wolf 28BH
2013 Chevy K1500 Crew w/ Reese StraitLine Dual Cam
Nights camped 2011: 11 2012: 18 2013: 12 2014: 12 2015: 13 2016: 56 2017: 8+
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04-18-2011, 02:12 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 517
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__________________
2009 Dodge Ram Mega Cab 2500 6.7 cummins
2011 Forest River Cherokee 28BHKS
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04-18-2011, 02:32 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 855
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Quote:
Originally Posted by prof_fate
the molding looks interesting...i wonder how hard it would be to fish a wire down through the wall?
I've thought of the 'tap light' idea too.
Still thinking.
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Easy. Only need to cut a small hole to fish the wires through. Where the wall meets the ceiling you can cover any holes with a piece of inexpensive crown molding.
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04-18-2011, 07:00 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 10
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On my 28bh the left bathroom wall is an inner wall so no insulation to deal with. I carefully removed the 1" molding at the top and drilled holes behind it. I was then able to fish the wire into the wall. I removed the plastic sky light framing in the ceiling which gave me access to the wires. As long as I was at it, I put in a switch for the fan too. A duel light/fan switch cost me $14 on Ebay. I put the same molding back on and you can't tell it was removed.
Happy camping! (If the weather ever breaks!)
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kmzad
2011 Cherokee Grey Wolf 28BHKS (Melanie)
TV 2007 F150 5.4 L Tow Package
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04-18-2011, 08:06 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,031
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RV NightOwl Motion-Activated LED Lights 2 pack
( 5 reviews)
President's
Club Price: $49.99
Reg. Price: $55.55
These are available at Camping World. I know they are a bit expensive but they are motion activated so you would not have to worry about finding the switch in the dark. Because they are a two pack you could install one out side the bathroom and one inside. It would make is safer at night.
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Terry and Janet
2008 3001W Windjammer
2007 Ford F150
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04-18-2011, 10:03 PM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Manassas, VA
Posts: 51
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If you don't want to go the tap light route check out Mobi TykeLights. They are portable nightlights. They throw a decent amount of light - especially the green ones and stand up on a counter. My kids really like them.
__________________
Chris, Karen and the 3 boys
2011 Rockwood Roo 233S
2008 Sequoia 5.7L
Manassas, VA
2011 camping days booked - 18 and counting
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04-19-2011, 02:36 AM
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#16
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SoFL
Posts: 28
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We plugged a fancy little carved sea shell night light into the bathroom outlet. It goes on every night at sunset and off first thing in the morning. It throws enough light to perform most imperative bathroom functions without having to turn on lights and disturb other sleepers.
__________________
2009 F150 Supercrew - 2007 Shamrock 23RS Hard Slide -buh bye!
2011 Outback 260FL
Cleo & Isis - Jack Russell Terrorists
Nights camped in 2010 - 54
Nights camped in 2011 - 93
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04-19-2011, 09:53 AM
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#17
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Anacortesians
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Anacortes, WA
Posts: 1,166
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I looked briefly at ThinkGeek and it's not clear if their unit will work on 12VDC. I sent a query in. A family member has used that device on 115VAC.
A web search for "12V remote-controlled lights" got me about 12,000 hits, so there are some devices out there.
__________________
Frank and Eileen
No longer RVers or FR owners
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04-19-2011, 09:56 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Picton
Posts: 714
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I am still waiting for the 12V version on the Clapper
Would be great.
__________________
Denis & Diane
* Happy Campers *
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04-19-2011, 09:58 AM
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#19
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Anacortesians
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Anacortes, WA
Posts: 1,166
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Chris:
A trick I used for "fishing a wire" in our stick house was to get a length of Romex-type house wiring, solder a small flaslight bulb across one end and a flashlight battery across the other. I added a length of string to the lighted end.
With about 1/2" diameter holes at each end of the proposed run for the wiring, I then pushed the stiff house wire, with the light on, down the wall while DW looked for the light to show at the other hole.
When the light appeared, I was able to snag the string and pull it through and use the string to guide the wiring I wanted to install into position, then removed the piece of Romex.
__________________
Frank and Eileen
No longer RVers or FR owners
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