RVJohn
Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 10/04/2003
View Profile
|
My 12 volt light above the dinning room table isn`t working now.All the other 12 volt lights work fine.I pulled one bulb out and it doesn`t look burned out from what I can tell.I`am wondering if it could be the switch??If so where could I pick up a replacement?As fate would have it this 12 volt light is the only one I use on a regular basics.Even getting the whole light replaced would work for me.Any thoughts on what it could be???
tow vehicle-2004.5 Dodge 3500 SLT Quad Cab 4x4-600 Cummins Turbo Diesel-4-speed automatic,48RE,short bed-SRW
Prodigy brake controllar
2001 3280RL Montana
reese 16K slider,roll&lock bed cover
Yahama EF300iSEB
Garmin 7200 GPS
5th Air Borne/sidewinder
|
YC 1
Yuba City Calif.
Senior Member
Joined: 01/11/2005
View Profile
 Offline
|
The bulb could look ok and still have an issue. Swap the bulb with a working one. Then in the mean time you might want to swap complete fixtures with one that is working since this is your most use position. Most 12 volt rv lights can be found online or a local rv store. Maybe not the exact replacement but something that will work. If you want a great upgrade replace it with a fluoresent light.
H/R Endeavor 2008
2007 Hummer H3 toad
Ranger Boat
|
RVJohn
Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 10/04/2003
View Profile
|
YC 1 wrote:The bulb could look ok and still have an issue. Swap the bulb with a working one. Then in the mean time you might want to swap complete fixtures with one that is working since this is your most use position. Most 12 volt rv lights can be found online or a local rv store. Maybe not the exact replacement but something that will work. If you want a great upgrade replace it with a fluoresent light.
I did as you said and swaped out both lights with working ones.Still doesn`t work.The ones I took out worked in the other light fixture.
|
BobsYourUncle
Surrey, BC Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 12/12/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Could be an issue with the switch too. Perhaps the switch failed. Being mechanical, you can take them apart and clean the contacts if corroded.
If that doesn't work, I assume you have checked the fuses. After that, take a test probe and make sure you have 12V at the fixture. If you do, there is something amiss with the fixture itself. If no power there you have a supply problem. Go back to the fuse and check again. If OK, the only other thing is in the feed wire somewhere between the fuse panel and the fixture,
Also check the wire connection at the fuse panel.
The only however I can add is that there is very little chance that a single light is on its own fuse. Usually they put several on one fuse. One out = several out.
Remove the fixture from the ceiling and examine all contacts. Look for a charred connection. If a connection had a poor contact for a while, it can eventually heat up and lose contact.
2007 GMC 3500 dually ext. cab 4X4 LBZ
Duramax / Allison
Fire Red
95 Sportsmen 25.5' TT
81 Citation 25' "Tail dragger" "Under construction"
"Workin' man's rig"
Bob's Trucks
Check Out My Rebuild Project *** Website Finally Back Up Nov. 6/09 ***
Project Feedback
|
Homer
Northwest Ohio
Senior Member
Joined: 11/23/2000
View Profile
Offline
|
Might want to check the ground on that particular light.
|
|
|
RVJohn
Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 10/04/2003
View Profile
|
Homer wrote:Might want to check the ground on that particular light.
Theirs what i did.I removed the light fixture.The switch has two post coming out of it.I pulled one wire off one of the post and touched the other post,and the light worked.So I know I have power.I just kind of fiddled around with the switch and put back the wires to the two post and its now working.Reinstalled the fixture,flicked the switch and it continues to work.I have no idea why it is working now.But I guess don`t look a gift horse in the mouth right.
|
skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/17/2003
View Profile
|
I would ALWAYS assume it's the simple stuff first. The bulb will cost you less than a buck and if it doesn't fix the problem you now have a spare.
2004 F-250 SCREW Long Bed (new)
OR 2004 F-150 HD (85,000 towing miles)
Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
We have enough YOUTH...how about a fountain of SMART
|
big dave
Soldotna, Alaska, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/15/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
skipnchar wrote:I would ALWAYS assume it's the simple stuff first. The bulb will cost you less than a buck and if it doesn't fix the problem you now have a spare.
No need to spend the buck when the other lights have bulbs you can swap
I've had at least one fixture fail that just had to be replaced.
Dave & Rose C
90 Safari Ivory 34' DP
04 Saturn VUE V6
|
wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
Senior Member
Joined: 07/04/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
There are several posiblities
I just replaced the switch in one of my side of the bed lights. About 5 bucks from a local hardware store (it is a push push, supposed to be push on push off, but the old one was a push off, push off  ) NOTE that the new 5.00 switch is about 10 times better than the old piece of junk.
You could have a fuse specific to that lamp (Check with a volt meter for power to the lamp once you remove it from where it's mounted)
The bulb need not LOOK bad to be bad (use the OHMS function on the meter or try it in another socket)
Generally, at 12 volt, they use wire nuts to connect stuff up so you won't have any problems removing the fixture and replacing the switch.. A proper screwdriver to remove the fixture and either fingers or the proper pliers to remove/mount the switches.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
|
YC 1
Yuba City Calif.
Senior Member
Joined: 01/11/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
Sounds like you had a dirty switch. Since it is 12 volts you can shoot a tiny bit of wd40 into in and work the switch on and off several times. It could have been a loose/corroded wire that you exercised when you removed the wire or even a splice that got some exercise while moving the wires around. If it fails again you can use a short piece of wire to cross the contacts of the switch instead of moving it around and you might be able to prove it is the switch without using a voltmeter or test light.
|
|
|
