Almost had a fire

[Joel Weiss]

My 2000 Patriot Thunder has 12V incandescent bulb fixtures in each of the basement cargo bays.  There is a slide switch on each fixture but as far as I can tell there is no "mater switch" controlling all of them.  In the engine controls compartment (passenger side rear bay) there is a switch labeled "compartment lights" but it has no function that I have found.

The problem is that the slide switches on the light fixtures hardly take any force to move.  As a result occasionally the lights get turned on either because things were jammed into the bay (I'm sure no on else does this) or because things pushed against the switch while traveling.  A couple of weeks ago I discovered that a light had been on for hours and had melted the diffuser portion of the light fixture and had scorched a dog bed that was in the storage compartment.  Luckily the bed was made of a tough nylon that didn't ignite, but it scared the dickens out of me.  At the moment all the bulbs have been removed until I order LED replacements.  

I'm making this post both as a warning to others but also as a request if there really is a master switch in my coach that I am not aware of.

[LarryNCarolynShirk]

Joel,

On our coach, there is a bay light switch on the dash.  I only turn it on if I plan to us a bay light.  Digging in the bays at night is not my favorite.  I appreciate your concern of a bay fire, and your solution.  LEDs are much cooler.

Larry

[Jeremy Parrett]

Joel, my Marquis also has a dashboard switch. I forget the number of times I have forgotten to switch these lights off. LED's would be a great improvement.  

[Jeremy Parrett]

I am considering fitting SS30 Halon extinguishers.  One in the fridge ,two in the engine compartment and one near the generator.  They are triggered by heat sensors.  One of these units costs $125 and up.

[Jerry Carr]

Hi Joel

We have an '06 Pat Thunder with the same issues.  We have never had the lights get this hot, but my bay lights have all been off for months,  I think we may have a master switch or a master fuse some place. I did check with the forum about a month ago, with no luck,  I, also, contacted Beaver Sales in Bend and Monaco, all with them same results, we don't have any master control other the the slide switches at each light.

Your idea of using a LED light is a great idea, and the same approach I have used on the patio/entry light. The LED is never hot, uses no amps, so for these applications, they are great.  But, you can't use the LED in a dimmer circuit.  They flicker at the lower power.

[Richard And Babs Ames]

Great suggestion to use LED bulbs in these locations. Do not forget, there may also be some exposed 12volt cable connections.  I know of one case, where tossed in BAC wire sign holders shorted against one, and almost caused a fire.

[LEAH DRAPER]

It is hard to believe so many coaches don't have a master "bay light" switch and further that neither Bend Service or Monaco has no knowledge of such.  My 2008 Contessa, a step down from the Thunder and Marquis, has one right by the exit door.  I found this out after I bought 8 new bulbs for the bay lights and couldn't figure out they didn't work either.  I think it is a great safety feature.

[Gil_Johnson]

I didn't think halon was still sold in the US.  The marine industry has done a lot with automated extinguishers.  As you can imagine, a fire on a boat out on the water is critical.  Here's the major supplier of boat systems http://www.fireboy-xintex.com/fire_extinguishing.html  They could certainly be used in RVs.  FWIW, an electrical fire is hard to extinguish given it can spread the length of the affected electrical circuit.  That's why fuses or circuit breakers near the power source are so critical.

My Contessa has a master switch for the bay lights on a panel just inside the door.

Gil
08 Contessa

[George H. Wall]

Joel,  Where do you plan to order your LED bulbs?  

[Gil_Johnson]

George,

This place seems to have any variant you want.  I'm looking to change my brake lights out.

Not Joel,

Gil

[MarcRodstein]

[size=14]I added a master switch for my cargo bay lights for this very reason. For safety, I almost always have the cargo bay master switch turned off. On my coach, the bay lights have their own fuse, so I wired the switch in line with the fuse. The only downside is that the fuse box is in the bedroom so that is where the switch is. But it is better than not having one.

Marc Rodstein
2003 Monterey[/size]

[Joel Ashley]

Gil, here is a partial repeat of a quote regarding Halon that I posted on a thread last month:

"Halon 1301 and 1211 are being replaced with new halocarbon agents which have no ozone depletion properties and low atmospheric lifetimes, but are less effective. Currently Halotron I, Halotron II, FE-36 Cleanguard and FM-200 are meant to be replacements with significantly reduced ozone depletion potential."

And I have to agree with Leah - I was surprised to discover, from posts in similar threads in this Forum, that some Beaver coaches don't have master bay light switches, even on recent builds.  Like Leah and Gil's Contessas, our Monterey has a master bay light switch among those beside the entry steps.

Those without master switches should try and locate a wiring diagram book (our coach came with one), perhaps from another Forum member with the same model and year, and a scanner, and see where a switch could be put in the circuit, like Marc added to his.

-Joel

[Joel Weiss]

Joel,  Where do you plan to order your LED bulbs?  

I've ordered mine from LED Wholesalers.  Here's the item that I need for the lights in my bays: http://www.ledwholesalers.com/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=597.  They arrived at Port Aransas after I left last month, so they're holding them for me until we return in December.  So I won't have any performance data for a few months! LOL