2015/16 Grandby Porch Light

P

pawleyk

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2015
Messages
190
Location
Reno Nevada
Hey guys,

The rear porch light on our new Grandby is giving us trouble. Its started out just taking a while to "warm up" to full strength, but now it simply puts out a meager glow no matter how long its left on.

It is an amber LED, one of those flat paddle looking ones. It doesn't have the same connector as the bulbs on the inside, however. It uses a standard, old-school RV socket.

Anyone know where I can get a replacement bulb, or if that's even my problem? I know the LEDs are supposed to last forever, so maybe I've got a bad connection somewhere in the housing?

I have tried the obvious and wiggled the thing in the socket, no luck though.

I've also looked all over Amazon and the web, but can't seem to come up with anything quite like I've got back there.

Like I said, Amber LED. Pancake shaped. The lens is clear.

There could obviously be worse problems, but we really grew to like our little amber light out back.
 
I thought there was something wrong with ours. I turned it on and no light, turned it off and back on and it came on. I will have to check it out when we load the camper up in March. jd

Sent from my SM-G900V using Wander The West mobile app
 
Have you removed and reseated the LED a couple of times. We had a similar issue with our Northern Lite. I swapped the 'bad' LED with one from another light, and then they both worked.
 
Wandering Sagebrush said:
Have you removed and reseated the LED a couple of times. We had a similar issue with our Northern Lite. I swapped the 'bad' LED with one from another light, and then they both worked.
Click to expand...
I did actually try taking it out a few times. Tried shining up the contacts and just generally jiggling things around too.

No dice. Hopefully it's just the bulb.
 
If you have the awning with awning light similar to the porch light, swap the led bulbs between them. If the problem moves, it's the bulb. If not, suspect the fixture.

Paul
 
I had a problem with my rear porch light and it turned out to be a dirty switch. I got a spray can of contact cleaner from Radio Shack and it seems to have fixed the problem.
 
Camelracer, I think you may have a solution. I too am having same issue. Seems like if I turn on and off a few times it works as desired. I will spray contact cleaner today.
 
Thanks for all the tips guys, I'll put them all to use as soon as we get back to Mexico. I didn't have and couldn't find any other lights to try out in the socket, so even if the bulb isn't the issue it will be a huge help to get Nikonron's for diagnostics and backup.

If this is the only issue we have with our Grandby, I'd say we're doing just fine. :)
 
Do you just spray the switch from the outside or do you have to take the cover off? Where do you get contact cleaner? I'm not mechanically minded so I need the A-D instructions. Thanks, jd
 
longhorn1 said:
Do you just spray the switch from the outside or do you have to take the cover off? Where do you get contact cleaner? I'm not mechanically minded so I need the A-D instructions. Thanks, jd
Click to expand...
I believe I sprayed the switch from both the top and bottom. You could just try spraying from the exterior to see if that works. I got my contact cleaner at Radio Shack years ago but you can also get it from Amazon or most electronics stores.
 
The cover should come off pretty easily and there may be other things an owner will want to do. This thread prompted me to go see whether mine is still doing ok, so I went ahead and took a few photos while checking it....

First the overview (on this rainy morning)...

HawkPorchLight.jpg

I took this next one to show the tabs that hold the lens on. The tabs showed up better with the photo taken from the back side of the lens. I removed the lens by pushing up with my thumbs near that lower tab, swinging it out, then dropping it down a bit to lift it out. (Possible complication: mine didn't have sealant around the lens but others may. I really should seal mine given how dusty that area gets).

HawkPorchLtLens.jpg

And here's a view of the switch showing the quick-disconnect connectors.

HawkPorchLtSwitch.jpg

And here's the socket. At the bottom of that socket is a disc with a spring behind it. And in the center of the disc is a contact. For the photo (and for cleaning), I pushed on the wire to push the contact out of the disc to make it more accessible.

HawkPorchLtSocketWire.jpg


Other notes:

1. My 2001 porch light had an amber lens and I replaced it (the lens) with the clear one from Camping World earlier this year. I also replaced the incandescent bulb with an LED one (also from Camping World).

2. In the past, I've had problems with mine turning on reliably. While doing the lens and bulb change, I took the switch quick-connectors apart (carefully!) and cleaned them up with contact spray and sandpaper, then added some silicone dielectric grease before assembling. Same with the bulb contacts. I also sprayed contact cleaner liberally into the switch from above and below. I can now reliably turn on the porch light (but the switch doesn't always work the first time).

3. While I'm here, I thought I'd attach this info on incandescent bulbs that may be in a porch light fixture. For example, I see some replacement porch light fixtures use a 1003 bulb and some say an "1141/1156" bulb. The chart helps us understand the differences.
 
pawleyk said:
<snip>

It is an amber LED, one of those flat paddle looking ones. It doesn't have the same connector as the bulbs on the inside, however. It uses a standard, old-school RV socket.

<snip>
Click to expand...
Has anybody figured out what the 'flat paddle looking' bulb is? I've not seen one. A Gold Stars 11568305 looks paddle-shaped, has the right base, and is marketed as an RV bulb but I've not found an amber version. Am I on the right track?
 
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