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TXduo · 02-01-2014, 08:00 PM

What would cause the basement bay lights to come on and stay on regardless of the dash switch position? I know for a fact 2 nights ago they were out. Tonight I saw light spilling out the slide out arms and all the basement bay lights are on. If I toggle the dash "Bay LIghts" switch, no change but the lighted dash "Bay Lights" illuminated switch light goes on and off as I would expect, but the actual basement bay lights stay on. Are they powered from house or chassis side? I pulled a 15A fuse in the front run bay that said "Bay" but that did nothing for the lights (I did NOT see anything looking like "Bay Lts"). I didn't see anything sounding close in the rear closet that does interior lights, etc. This is a 2007 Beaver Patriot. Where would I look to kill power to them? Better yet, where would I look to see why they are stuck on?

Thanks
Allen

obwahn · 02-01-2014, 08:51 PM

On my coach there are switches in the water bay and next to passenger seat, if that helps.

fastcat · 02-01-2014, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by obwahn

On my coach there are switches in the water bay and next to passenger seat, if that helps.

What he said. Switch in the wet bay marked cargo, if I remember correctly.

texnet · 02-01-2014, 09:23 PM

The bay lights have a very high curent draw. A couple of years ago I had a bad switch on our Dynasty that would not turn the lights off even though the switch felt like it was turning off, i.e. clicked. The contacts inside were melted together.

The switch went out again a few months ago, it wouldn't turn on the lights. I just replaced it tonight. Next step I have planned is to replace all the bay lights with LEDs and put a relay in between the switch and lights. I know... I won't need the relay with the low draw of the LEDs but I have the relay so I might as well put it in also!

DtBt · 02-02-2014, 04:55 AM

My bay lights were coming on by themselves. It turned out to be a mounting screw on one of the fixtures in the basement backing out slightly and shorting out the reflector body that is connected to the GND side of the bulb. The switch controls the the GND side of the circuit so all of the lights came on.

Gorlininc · 02-02-2014, 07:39 AM

You should have 2 switches. One on the dash and one in the water bay. They are 3 way switches. If the dash switch is bad the bay switch should turn them off. If not, it does sold like a ground is shorting somewhere. I changed all my bay lights to LED. It takes away the high current draw off the switch contacts.

TXduo · 02-02-2014, 11:08 AM

I can't say I know what happened other than perhaps the relay (where ever it is located) was stuck. I eventually found two 10 amp fuses in the front run box for "Bag Lts" (p/s and d/s) which after some thought I came to the conclusion were for the "baggage" basement bay lights and not some warning light about an air bag for driver's or passenger's side. I pulled them and the lights went out (a little sparking as current was flowing on both fuses.) As for the water bay, the flourescent light by the sanicon still comes on/off with its door switch independent of the bay lights. I looked all around for some other hidden switch some place but found none. On the passenger side wall is only the step cover, two ceiling lights over passenger, and passenger shade. By passenger's foot is only the salesman switch and external TV up/down. Eventually I put the two 10 amp fuses back in (which did not spark as they did when I pulled them .. so was hopeful no current was being drawn) and lo and behold, the bay lights were off. I toggled the front center dash switch (by the docking lights, fog lights, etc) and they came on. Toggled it again and they went off. They weren't on very long, so it could be the relay contacts heat up with current and stick after a while. Dunno. Wish I knew where that relay was, maybe buried in the dash. Beaver wouldn't have grounded 20 amps through the dash switch without a relay someplace would they? I have a feeling the lights will stick on again sometime in the future.

Thanks to all.

DtBt · 02-02-2014, 01:57 PM

I don't know about your 2007 Thunder but my 2005 Panther has two 10 amp circuits with a single Carling switch controlling the ground to both circuits. I do not think I have a relay in the circuit and I have my schematics and I just checked again.

tricotec · 02-06-2014, 02:43 AM

Just a thought:

If the coach has two switches they are wired just like 3-way switches in a house. Care has to be taken in this setup to wire the switches correctly or they won't work as expected. If someone replaced one of the switches at some point they may have crossed a couple of wires. One of the common side effects of this is that the light may not be able to be turned on or off on one switch when the other is in a certain position. Try finding a second switch and if you do re position it to the other position and try your inside switch again.