Mystery Wall Switch by entry door

[FHP_AB1]

Sent: 3/1/2004

I've tried searching the messages but haven't found any reference to a switch that I can't determine what it does. The wall switch (standard light switch) is located just to the right of the door as you go out. I've tried all the outlets and can't find any that are "switched" and on or off, it seems to have no effect on anything. It looks identical to all the other original plates used for the plugs so I suspect it was original.

If anyone can shed some light on what this switch might be for or perhaps once was for, I'd certainly appreciate it. Being on the outside wall, you can't tell where it goes to inside the wall.

This is in a 1973 Brave

[denisondc]

Sent: 3/1/2004

On my 72 Indian there are two wall switches by the door, close to the latch. One of them turns on the outside light that is sort of above the door. The other one turns on the ceiling light that is above the kitchen area - IF it is already turned on itself. That is to say to have the overhead light come on, both the switch on the light fixture and the switch by the door frame have to be on.
The outside light fixture is a small metal goody missing its lens, and which took a lot of socket cleaning and a new bulb before it would work at all. denison

[FHP_AB1]

Sent: 3/2/2004

Got the little exterior switch figured out. Mine is in good shape so I guess I lucked out there. I will check out your suggestion on the wall switch switching the main overhead light off and on when the light itself is switched on. Sounds like it makes too much sense. I was thinking it switched a plug and never checked it against the light fixtures. I'll give it a try next time I am at the storage lot.

Thanks

[Oz]

Sent: 3/2/2004

Mine is the same as Denison's.  Went through the same head scratching you did until I accidentally figured it out. - Sob

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Sent: 3/2/2004

My 78 Chieftain works the same way.  Only difference is that I do not have a separate switch on the light itself.  If you stop and think about it, just like a house, the overhead light switch is by the entry door.

Dave

[doc]

Sent: 3/2/2004 7:16 PM

My '79 the switch turns on the light built into the grab handle on the outside of the coach.
Doc

[FHP_AB1]

Sent: 3/3/2004

Thanks Denison but my switch had no effect on the overhead lights. Perhaps it did at one time. Rechecked all the outlets and no effect there either. Maybe when I get more time I'll try and see where the switch leads to.

Thanks

[BonneauBago]

Sent: 3/4/2004

I had the exact same switch in my 79 Brave, when we repaired the interior we found that it was the switch to turn the light on in the exterior grab handle.  My socket was rusted out so we just removed all of the wiring.  See if you have a light socket in your exterior grab handle.  Hope this helps.

Mark
BonneuaBago
Bonneau, SC

[Ksnarf]

Sent: 3/4/2004

i have the same switches on my 83, the top switch turns on the hall lights (small lights by the carpet that are spread throughout the rv) and the bottom light turns on the grab handle light. I was only able to get these working recently as the fuse's were blown and would not connect until i clean the connectors on the box and re-attached.

kris

[FHP_AB1]

Sent: 3/24/2004

I don't have an exterior light on my handle...maybe did at one point but not now. I do have the exterior 12v light and that works fine. Decided I'd better pull the switch and try and trace the wires. It turned out the switch wasn't connected...hence nothing seemed to happened when I used it.

There are two wires leading into the box. One is a hot 12V and the other is ground...which is kind of useless since if I connect them I'll just short out the 12v. It doesn't appear they there were any other wires but being so close to the handle outside, I suspect it was for a light that may have been there at some point and perhaps when they replaced that, the wire just got pulled out with the old handle. So...mystery solved...sort of.

[Sea Hag]

Sent: 3/24/2004

Are you sure one was hot and the other ground - it was common to use the same cable for a switch in one color wire to switch for power and the other going to the fixture . I would check it with a meter the normally ground wire may be used as a hot . - Sea Hag

[FHP_AB1]

Sent: 3/24/2004

Sea Hag. It would be better if it was that way but the second wire is ground for sure. I checked it with a meter and it is a grounded to the frame for sure. I suppose it is possible that if the outside handle is a replacement for one that had a light, then they may have stuffed the wires back in and it just happens to be grounding. In any case, not much use as it is and don't plan on replacing the handle with a lighted one so I guess the switch will continue to be of no use. At least if I ever find a need for a 12v receptacle in that area, I'll just need a new face plate and a 12 v socket.

[Thundercloud]

I was going to say maybe its the electric step that goes up and down but if you say it looks like a regular light switch maybe it turns power on or off for a built in vacumm or acc. device. The only way you'll probably figure it out is follow the wires. I had a brain fart with my lights once and thought I blew a fuse so I checked all my fuses and they were good so I sat down and I was all bummed out thinking something in my wall fried then I thought...." oh yeah the light switch must be off". Sure enough when I went to shut the porch light off I accidently hit the ceiling switch too. D:oH!

[Oz]

it's a 76 Winnie.  They didn't have electric steps.  I think most of us that had this switch took a while to figure it out.  Mine was 2 switches.  One for the exterior door light and the other for the interior lights - a "master" switch, if you will.  You could turn all the lights on or off independently, or you could leave them on, and use the master to turn them all on or off at the same time.

[joev]

I have the same set up with two switches one for the outside light the other is for the light above the kitchen table only

[Stripe]

Labels would have been a good idea back then..  i?? Heck, even now..

[TripleJ]

the PO was kind enough to label mind by hand. "inside" "outside" and "step"

[Stripe]

Lol!

[xerofall]

I'm glad I read this... I too was wondering what it was. I tried the switch on the top light itself and nothing, so I thought I needed to buy a new pair or tubes... but nope, I read this and played with the switches until it came on... and it was BRIGHT and brilliant. I haven't had the RV powered up since I bought it, so it was nice to see all the electrical stuff still worked off the batteries.


(excuse the mess, as soon as the power came on the water pump sprang to life and none of the pipes were connected, so it shot water all over the place, haha!)

[Stripe]

(excuse the mess, as soon as the power came on the water pump sprang to life and none of the pipes were connected, so it shot water all over the place, haha!)

Pfft, if I had a nickel...  Nuff said..

[Wbago]

Had mine 8 weeks now, still dunno what my odd switch does lol ...

On mine, i got a 3-switch plate, switches are porch/ceiling/floor, next to them is one for the gas alarm, then i got a 2-way rocker switch, with a yellow lamp. ..when i click it, a relay goes clunk in the battery box, but i got no clue what its attached to lol
then i found a hand written note in my documents, telling me not to turn the yellow lamp on while connected to 110volts . .. still got no clue lol

[Alaskan Itasca]

I have a mystery switch in the bedroom on mine, I think it may have run the floor runner lights that no longer work (some of the wires to them are broken. I followed the wires back to the power box, but beyond that I have no dea what it goes too. Someday I'll pull out the volt meter and figure out wires it powers up.

[burt6666]

My 73 Indian has 2 switches by the door...one for outside light...other for  i??
does nothing so removed wire...

[xerofall]

My 73 Indian has 2 switches by the door...one for outside light...other for  i??
does nothing so removed wire...

Did you see my post above? Could it be for an overhead?

[burt6666]

Tried everything...had no effect....