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Old 01-28-2015, 12:31 PM   #1
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19' exterior street side light

Sorry - no pictures.

I ordered the interior switch for my exterior street side light from ETI. I expected a 3-way switch, but got 2 in-line switches.

******************
Expected/Desired:
Light is off - flip EITHER inside or outside switch and light goes on, flip EITHER switch again and light goes off, ...
Requires 2 SPDT (single pole double throw) switches - on/on
Requires 3 wires (2 hot, 1 ground) to fixture
*************************
Actual:
BOTH switches must be on for the light to be on, if EITHER is off the light is off.
Uses 2 SPST switches - on/off
Uses 2 wires (1 hot, 1 ground) to fixture
********

I had some wire and I bought 2 switches from a local RV place:
JR Products 13075 - white SPDT - replaces inside switch
JR Products 12805 - black mini DPDT - replaces outside switch
(I wanted a mini SPDT switch but could not find one.)

I removed the lens cover and both switches, and cut the wires to the external switch since they were soldered on.

I ran an extra wire between the fixture and inside switch. I pushed it from the outside through the existing hole in the fixture where the other wire comes out. This appeared to be sealed and resisted until the wire pierced the sealant. I pushed the wire in 1-2" and was able to see the wire pushing out the vinyl liner inside the overhead kitchen cupboard near the door. I fished the wire between the liner and the shell and got about 15" of wire inside. I fed it through the hole in the door upright beside the other wires and solar cables. I used a wire hook, mirror, flashlight, some mild epithets and some luck to snag the wire and pull it down to the original switch location. (I did remove the switch above it which was for the other side light to get more access.) I used caulk to seal the wire from the outside at the fixture hole.

I crimped connectors on: both ends of new wire, original hot wire at the fixture, and bulb wire at the fixture.

Fixture bulb wire goes to middle terminal on mini switch. The fixture original and new power wires go to the end lugs - 1 to each, doesn't matter which. Inside the original power wire goes to the middle terminal. The new and original fixture wires go to the end lugs - 1 to each, doesn't matter which.

I have the ETI external LED "bulb: which is actually a panel. I had to angle the socket up a bit, bend the switch lugs, and use electrical tape to avoid the LED panel contacting (shorting out) on the switch connectors.

Re-installed the new switches and lens cover.
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Old 01-28-2015, 01:25 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jamman View Post
, some mild epithets and some luck to snag the wire and pull it down to the original switch location. .
Seems to be the way many projects go but in the end; success.

Good write-up. I'd like to get both sides on the same interior switch but I'm kind of sitting on the fence getting going. I still have to track down where to pick up the wires that go to the driver's side etc.

Ron
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Old 01-28-2015, 01:25 PM   #3
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I did much the same with the outside light on my 17B. Some pictures under the 2012 Modifications part of my Trailer Modifications page. I was lucky - I already had an inspection camera I bought to rerun the cell antenna through the bathroom. Since I didn't already have inside switches, I included pilot lights to remind me the outside lights were on.
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Old 01-28-2015, 01:49 PM   #4
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Ron - I have an inside switch for the road side light so the wires are right there. If you don't I suspect it is spliced off under the front dinette, or behind the furnace/bath. Good luck. I have decided not to try and rewire it.

Jon - I would like to have an "on" indicator (LED) right beside the inside 3-way switch. ETI uses different interior wall switches than yours. Can you post or PM the details? Thanks.
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Old 01-28-2015, 08:04 PM   #5
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All I did is run an extra "hot" wire from the hot side of the lamp) to the pilot LED & ran a ground to the wall plate. The type of switch doesn't matter - if the pilot LED is paralleled with the lamp, it will indicate the lamp status.
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Old 01-28-2015, 08:50 PM   #6
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Thanks Jon, I was afraid you'd say that. Not sure it is worth running the extra wire now that I have sealed everything back up. I should have just run a second wire while I was at it. 20/20 hind sight!

I was hoping for a shunt/resistor to sense the current flow at the inside switch (feed wire) and an LED or something like that.
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