Newmar Bedroom Reading Light

[behlman1]

I have a 2000 Mountain Aire 3780 (front engine gas). The reading light over our bed stop working. All other lights in the bedroom work. Does anyone know where the wire travels too? I check for it (orange / white) wire and it disappears into the back wall. I am thinking it goes into a junction box behind the head board or to one of the other lights. My main fuse and wiring travel from under the bed aft and into the back wall about 4 feet below reading light. The wire from the main is just orange, so there must be some junction point. Looking for that location, any ideas........

[Shaun and Amy]

Did you check the bulb?

["007"]

Welcome behlman1 to the Newmar forum & irv2.
Have you pulled off other lamps on either side of bed?


The center reading lamp would be on same fuse for all your lamps in bedroom.
The wiring could be loose in finish panel between hollow space in cabinet floor.
You have to drop lamp and pull carefully on wires there should be some slack in wiring.
Enjoy the forums and do post often.

[GaryKD]

Hi behlman1,
Welcome to iRV2 and the Newmar owners forum.

I do not know how the wires were run in your coach. In addition to what has been posted, a meter would be handy. It the problem is not the bulb, determine if there is power to the switch controlling the light. If there is power to the switch, the problem is the switch or the bulb socket. My bedroom reading light switches are very delicate. Unless they are worked every couple of days they do not work. It has gotten to the point of having to remember to at least turn the light on and off each night. That keeps the switch passing electricity. If there is no power to the switch, my next step is to go to the fuse panel and see if all the fuses are good. If all the fuses are good, then the detective work starts to find where power is being lost.

[bdaball]

Try a test light first to the colored wire.

Second: Make sure the bulb contacts are making contact with the socket and that the elements in the bulb are okay.

Third: check switch. Many times the switch contacts become lose. Try taking the light out, removing the switch and spaying it with contact cleaner. Mine needs occasional cleaning.

If all else fails, buy a newmotor home!

[behlman1]

I have removed the black reading light and it works. VOM shows no power to at light hookup, but I do have ground. All other lights in the bedroom - colsets, sconces, overhead - work. The power wire from the reading light is dead. I have removed the sconces an check wiring, color code on wire is different - must change at some junction box location. My next step is to remove the head board, I have seen on factory tours that a "J" box was located there. Due to other commitments I can not remove headboard until the 1st week in Oct.
Bob

[bdaball]

after looking at your pictures a second time it looks like that is a replacement lamp. All of your other fixtures and handles are gold colored. Why is that one black? Could it be a new and or replacement? If an add on, could a wire have been run down to one of the side sconces for a ower source?

[tbussche]

Bdaball that is the original reading lamp that newmar installed in the 1999's and 2000's model years.

[donmfish]

My bedroom light will turn on at the light. Will also turn on an off from a wall switch.
I've had to replace a bulb which are push in's.

["007"]

donmfish welcome to the Newmar forum & irv2.
Thanks for your first post of many in future. Enjoy the forums and do post often.
The picture by the way is off my 99 MA. FORD chassis.

[Magic]

You might want to check the inline connectors, we had fits with our Fantastic Fan in the bathroom until Bob Berrata at their place changed them to regular connectors.

[behlman1]

Well, I could not find a "J" box, even removed the headboard for a look see. Fixed problem by running new A+ wire from left light and capping old wire. All works now.

[GaryKD]

Hi Bob,
Congrats on getting the light to work. Your solution is usually the simplest and quickest way to get the appliance to work. Some day, by accident, you find out what the original defect was.

["007"]

If a j-box in not viewable, which they usually are, a wire connection can sometimes be behind the wall or ceiling access hole and may take a little work in getting it out, if wiring has enough slack.
Rewire is the best route and quickest I have found to resolve wiring problem.
Wires are stamped as to what they are for and where they are going if your in the middle of wire route.