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Old 04-15-2020, 07:01 AM   #1
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Adding captain lights later ?

I know anything can be done but how hard is it to add captain lights after the build? can you relocate the factory lights? are they cut into wood or just a small hole for wire. Me and the wife really cant decide witch way we would want to sleep in the 19' head on fridge side or the opposite. of course i need to know to place lights but i rather spend some time in the camper before we decide.
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Old 04-15-2020, 08:02 AM   #2
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Normally the captain light are installed in the corners of either front or rear o/h cabinets. The stock pancake lights are located in the middle of each o/h side and the kitchen o/h.
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Old 04-15-2020, 08:22 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
Normally the captain light are installed in the corners of either front or rear o/h cabinets. The stock pancake lights are located in the middle of each o/h side and the kitchen o/h.

There 8 location you can have captain lights installed. My plan is to have one on each side of the bed on the pillow end. problem i dont know witch that is untill i lay down.
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Old 04-15-2020, 08:25 AM   #4
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Remember they drop down if you place them anywhere other than the corner you maybe hitting your head on them. The stock lights are almost flush mount.
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Old 04-15-2020, 09:23 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by NEWYORKHILLBILLY View Post
I know anything can be done but how hard is it to add captain lights after the build? can you relocate the factory lights? are they cut into wood or just a small hole for wire. Me and the wife really cant decide witch way we would want to sleep in the 19' head on fridge side or the opposite. of course i need to know to place lights but i rather spend some time in the camper before we decide.
The problem is the wiring for the captain's lights is run between the floor of the cabinet & the outside facing. This is a difficult space to access. To install in the corners afterwards, you will need to remove the inside cabinet end pieces.
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Old 04-15-2020, 09:33 AM   #6
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For what it's worth, we sleep with heads on the passenger side. Reasons are that that's where the thermostat is, so I can reach up from under the covers to turn up the heat. And, my feet fit under the flip up counter extension.
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Old 04-15-2020, 09:43 AM   #7
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My suggestion is to have them mount the captain lights in the corner and stock pancake lights and later you can always switch them. There is just a round hole for the wires and 2 screw holes for the lamp, either light. The stock pancake lights under cabinet are singles in the bed and dinette areas and double on the ceiling and kitchen on some models.
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Old 04-15-2020, 09:49 AM   #8
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The problem is the wiring for the captain's lights is run between the floor of the cabinet & the outside facing. This is a difficult space to access. To install in the corners afterwards, you will need to remove the inside cabinet end pieces.
This is helpful ,looks like i better figure out where i want them.


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For what it's worth, we sleep with heads on the passenger side. Reasons are that that's where the thermostat is, so I can reach up from under the covers to turn up the heat. And, my feet fit under the flip up counter extension.
in my case the thermostat will be on the drivers side. but thats a good point it be nice to reach that.
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Old 04-15-2020, 10:13 AM   #9
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Here is what I did. Bought my two lights on eBay.
Attached Thumbnails
capn05.jpg  
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Old 04-15-2020, 10:42 AM   #10
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If you sleep with the head by the emergency window(driver's side) you can open it in the rain as it is an awning type window, you may not be able if you sleep on the passenger side, depending on which window set up. Also the corner of the refer is a great hand hold to pull yourself up from horizontal, something that you do to have on the kitchen side.
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Old 04-15-2020, 10:51 AM   #11
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What we found in our previous trailer is when the captain light is mounted in the corner, the one my wife uses to read here book shines across it and right into my eyes while I am trying to go to sleep.

What we did in our Escape is to replace the pancake light in the middle with a double captain light. This way each captain light faces away form the other person possibly wanting to actually sleep in bed.

You could keep the pancake light and mount a double captain light between it and the wall. Plenty of headroom and the power is right there.

You can also make your own captain lights if you need a hobby. You can see how to do that in this link. https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post270434
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Old 04-15-2020, 11:30 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
If you sleep with the head by the energy window(driver's side) you can open it in the rain as it is an awning type window, you may not be able if you sleep on the passenger side, depending on which window set up. Also the corner of the refer is a great hand hold to pull yourself up from horizontal, something that you do to have on the kitchen side.

That is a good point i am thinking slider windows so that be the only one i could open in rain. Be nice to have air close to face.


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What we found in our previous trailer is when the captain light is mounted in the corner, the one my wife uses to read here book shines across it and right into my eyes while I am trying to go to sleep.

What we did in our Escape is to replace the pancake light in the middle with a double captain light. This way each captain light faces away form the other person possibly wanting to actually sleep in bed.

You could keep the pancake light and mount a double captain light between it and the wall. Plenty of headroom and the power is right there.

You can also make your own captain lights if you need a hobby. You can see how to do that in this link. https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post270434



The double a good idea thanks
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Old 04-15-2020, 02:06 PM   #13
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Per my current build sheet discussions with ETI, they will run the 12VDC wiring to the 'standard' reading light locations and terminate in the cabinet, then provide the reading lights loose with cabinets undrilled (no cost option).

That'll get you 'pre-wired / pre-fused' likely close to the vicinity you'll want the power, leave you the lights to install exactly where you want or use different fixtures if wanted.

Just one of the many accommodations they'll make for folks wanting to mod-to-suit personal detail preferences while also getting things 'staged / prepped' in anticipation of those mods.

So far all of my 'asks' relating to 'partial assembly' and 'deliver loose' of standard items have been met with "no problem, no price change". I can more than live with that, appreciate the accommodation and elimination of holes that I'd have to deal with in pursuing my after-purchase DIY personalizing.
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Old 04-15-2020, 02:59 PM   #14
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Not being able to decide where we wanted the captain's lights in our dinette we mounted them in all four corners. Guess what, we use all four for different reasons.

It's only money anyway!

Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 04-15-2020, 05:53 PM   #15
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Per my current build sheet discussions with ETI, they will run the 12VDC wiring to the 'standard' reading light locations and terminate in the cabinet, then provide the reading lights loose with cabinets undrilled (no cost option).

That'll get you 'pre-wired / pre-fused' likely close to the vicinity you'll want the power, leave you the lights to install exactly where you want or use different fixtures if wanted.

Just one of the many accommodations they'll make for folks wanting to mod-to-suit personal detail preferences while also getting things 'staged / prepped' in anticipation of those mods.

So far all of my 'asks' relating to 'partial assembly' and 'deliver loose' of standard items have been met with "no problem, no price change". I can more than live with that, appreciate the accommodation and elimination of holes that I'd have to deal with in pursuing my after-purchase DIY personalizing.
Don’t expect a separate power line just for the captains lights unless you asked for it. It will be just a short stub of wire from the pancake light nearby.
Even our power awning did not get a separate power line and is shared with other things.
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Old 04-15-2020, 06:21 PM   #16
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Even our power awning did not get a separate power line and is shared with other things.
This is off the OP's subject but Ken Wetzl and I did some research with Dometic on this a while back and found out that the 9500e is required for warranty to be on a dedicated 15 amp circuit run with min. of 12 gauge wire.

When Escape wired my trailer, guess what didn't happen. Easily fixed but I feel I shouldn't have had too.

Back to OP's subject. You might want to consider not using the captain lights that Escape supplies - the light is sometimes a little too harsh and not dimmable.

Here is a post that references a good replacement.
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post314854

p.s. I think I'm still a little ticked at all the rewiring I had to do on the trailer to get it right. How could Escape do such great fiberglass work and yet really screw up wiring like they used to do.
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Old 04-15-2020, 06:53 PM   #17
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Yes I remember the posts the both of you did about the awning not on a separate circuit and that stuck in my mind.
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Old 04-15-2020, 07:23 PM   #18
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Not being able to decide where we wanted the captain's lights in our dinette we mounted them in all four corners. Guess what, we use all four for different reasons.
......Perry

That's what we did. They're in all 4 corners, and many times, we aim them at the wall corner, and get great indirect lighting.
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Old 04-15-2020, 07:43 PM   #19
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Not being able to decide where we wanted the captain's lights in our dinette we mounted them in all four corners. Guess what, we use all four for different reasons.

It's only money anyway!

Enjoy,

Perry
We did the same. I think I am going to buy some different bulbs that are not as bright and try them out as the stock ones are quite bright.
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Old 04-15-2020, 07:47 PM   #20
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so i don't think i understand the bottom cabinet construction. is there a hollow area in there. is it possible to fish a wire between the pancake lights over to where the captain lights installed? Or is it like Jon stated that you have to remove the bottom of the cabinet. If the stock lights our harsh maybe be better to figure a way to install ones that where linked from amazon
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