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Gary.Jones · 03-07-2017, 07:41 PM

I need a little feedback from other owners. My coach a '15 Classis Anthem.

I have assumed that I have a very small problem but one that I would like to resolve. I am wondering whether the grab handle on other coaches (specifically 15s but also other years) lights at night or when the buttons are accessed. Now, this might be confusing me. On my Dynasty, the clear plastic grab handle would illuminate whenever you started pressing the buttons to unlock or lock. Also it seemed like it lit up all evening or while I had the step lights turned on. Now back to my 14 Anthem..... the backlights behind the pushbottons on the bottom light-up when pressing the buttons, but the clear plastic grab handle never lights up, so not when pressing buttons and not when I turn on the step lights. However, I know that there is a clear LED in the top part of the metal grab handle anchoring the top part of the handle because I have a new one and I can see it pointing down into the cavity for the lucite pillar of the grab handle. So there is a light that could come on, but mine never does. Does yours??

Now, a second question. There appears to be no general owners manual for our grab handles..... I have three or four manuals and I have talked to TriMark about the handle, but none of them are a general owners manual, and TriMark says there isnt any. Now, in one of the other manuals I have, there is a brief mention of a "switch" or a set of codes that go into the pushbuttons which turns the LED for the plastic grab handle on or off. The tech I talked to today at TriMark does not know if it can be switched on or off through some means.

Soooo, fellow owners, one simple question and one more complex question, but I believe someone out there knows. Thanks up front.

Gary

BFlinn181 · 03-07-2017, 10:18 PM

I installed LEDs in my grab handle myself. I wired them to come on with the porch light, not the step lights. Have you checked your LEDs for power when either porch or step lights are on? LEDs can go bad.

brobox · 03-08-2017, 03:44 AM

The light comes on when unlocked with the key pad and turns on to stay on with the porch light switch.

I don't use the fob (never carry it) so I can't answer how it works with that.

Cruzer · 03-08-2017, 06:55 AM

Mine is exactly like Chuck's. The LED bulb that illuminates the clear gab handle is not part of the TriMark system. It's simply a 12 volt bulb that can be connected by the coach builder any way they want to. In my case it is connected to the porch lights switch. On our previous coach Tiffin connected it to a second illuminated grab handle in the inside step well and controlled it with a dedicated rocker switch.

However, the TriMark controller does have a relay that can be used to control porch or dome lights. Entegra has connected that relay to the porch lights, which is why the light comes on for 30 seconds whenever you unlock the entry door electronically via the keypad or key fob. This feature can be programmed to be enabled or disabled.

If you have some other idea on how to light the handle it's easy enough to door by just adding a rocker switch someplace and connecting it to the grab handle bulb.

voltdoc · 03-08-2017, 07:46 AM

Gary,

My handle light is like Chuck and Cruzer, comes on with the porch light.

Here's the manual I've been using:

http://www.trimarkcorp.com/en/media/...3-07-Rev_5.pdf http://www.trimarkcorp.com/en/media/...3-07-Rev_5.pdf

Code you mentioned is perhaps the Access Code followed by 9? That turns on the "dome light" relay for 5 minutes (not the grab handle light).

Gary.Jones · 03-08-2017, 07:56 AM

Mark and Chuck:

Thanks for the information. I knew the answer was out there somewhere. Was surprised that the company had no idea what I was talking about. So, it sounds like either my LED has burned out (although now that I am thinking about all of this, I'm not sure that the lucite grab bar ever lit up on this coach) or the LED was never wired up correctly or at all...... Thank you.

Although I expected that the grab handle would illuminate from the bottom where the other lights and electronics are located, ours actually illuminates from the top. Given that I have a complete new grab handle here in front of me, I can see easily that the LED is in the top part of the mounting chromed pod "anchor" and the LED appears to have been epoxied into a hole drilled in the fitting (or cast). It does not appear to be a user servicable change.... I would guess that the LED is epoxied in and will have to be drilled out of the channel it is in, rather than something that is plugged into a socket and easily removed. Not sure if I will replace the top section or try to drill it out and glue in a replacement. Kinda dumb that there would not be a socket, but I am guessing that this is simply a "very small, pointed, candle shaped" LED with a red and black lead soldered onto the other end and then cemented in.

Will be fun to see if the LED was ever connected or rather burned out. If it is up to me, I think that I will wire it in so I can turn it on all evening as we might go in and out and turn it off at bedtime. I used to like how the Dynasty handle looked "glowing" at night. Also, I did find that while virtually all the major coach manufacturers have the lucite handle ground (etched) with the company name and stained or painted the etching in black paint (and you can get replacements), they don't have that option for Entegra. May look into whether they can do that for anyone, like me, who likes what that looked like.

Thank you both for the information. That gives me the big picture and I will let you know what I find.

Gary

brobox · 03-08-2017, 08:09 AM

Gary, I did something a little different. I changed the porch light bulb to a dimmer LED bulb. Makes it nice when we want soft light for just going in and out which also lights up the handle with the porch light switch.

For bright porch lights, I added Cool White LED's to the door awning on a separate switch. I think the 2015 already have that feature as that is where I copied it from.

Gary.Jones · 03-08-2017, 08:39 AM

Oh you guys...... Drats! Now, you have given me the manual that I needed (I looked all over their web site and even signed up for an account to get access to their "dealer information" but never found that manual), and you have also given me four or five additional ideas on other things I can do......

which means I have more thinking and work to do. Darn!

Actually, thanks so much for the information. Chuck, I think I do have what you are suggesting.... My door awning has LEDs across it, but they are tied into the LEDS on the Girards and they call come on or off with the "awning multiplex switch" right inside the door. It might be nice to control those LEDs separately.

Gary

RubiconTrail · 03-08-2017, 08:42 AM

Go programmable LED, Gary! Rainbow fade inside the handle. You'll always be able to find it at night.

Cruzer · 03-08-2017, 10:22 AM

One other possibility for the LED not lighting - It could have been wired backwards at the factory. LEDs are polarity sensitive and won't light if the ground and hot wires are switched.