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Old 05-02-2015, 05:59 AM   #1
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Relocate step, porch light, and interior night light switches

We've owned the "New to Us" 2001 Coachmen Mirada for about 2 hours when I darn near fell out the door while leaning way over to retract the electric step.

The three switches, step, outdoor light and entry way night light switch are all located down low on the bottom of the bench seat back near the floor.

These are convenient if you are standing outside, but you need to bend way over and darn near fall out the door if you are trying to turn these lights on/off, or trying to extend / retract the step.

I relocated these switches to the top of the bench seat, they can still be reached very easily from outside, and I don't have to bend way over to reach them from the inside.

You can read the entire article HERE


I had to remove the bench seat backing plywood. It was glued and stapled, so carefully used a sharp chiseled to pop the glue lose.

I used a 1/2 inch wood drill bit to go down through the seat support to fish the wires up into the seat back.

I cut the holes as far up as I could on the seat back to install the new switches. The old switches could not be re-used as they are to deep and there sisn't enough room for them.

I used a standard RV double wall light switch for the lights. I had a little harder time finding a DPDT RV switch that was MOMENTARY-OFF-MOMENTARY that I could use for the steps.

The Step wires were long enough to reach the new switch position, but I had to splice the light wires so they could reach the new light switch location.

I used a regular home blank wall switch plate to cover the holes where the old switches were mounted.



Original switch location


Switches moved to top of seat back

..
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Old 05-02-2015, 08:47 AM   #2
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It is not that simple on the mid 90's Coachmen Santara RV. There are also circuit breaker, relays and a PC board back there.





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Old 05-02-2015, 05:34 PM   #3
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Bill,

You could move the 4 switch panel up, and leave the disconnects where they are, MAYBE.

There is only about 1 inch depth inside the wall on the bench seat. Not enough room for my original switches, thats why I bought the new RV wall style switches, they only stick inside the wall about 1/4inch.
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Old 05-02-2015, 05:38 PM   #4
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Bill, What is that small brown thing between the disconnect switches and the 110 outlet?
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Old 05-02-2015, 08:20 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Waiter21 View Post
Bill, What is that small brown thing between the disconnect switches and the 110 outlet?
It is a night light that is turned on and off in the bath room. The night lights are mounted low through out the Motorhome and gives a dim light to all of walkways.
When traveling at night you can walk around and see where you are going.
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Old 05-02-2015, 08:28 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by Waiter21 View Post
You could move the 4 switch panel up, and leave the disconnects where they are, MAYBE.
There is a shelf just above all of that wiring and that would make it a little hard to do.
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