Switch on passenger side rear door?

New to camping and have questions? Wondering what the switch in the control panel does? Post your questions here and we'll (try) to answer them.
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weekender
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Switch on passenger side rear door?

Post by weekender »

My side door ( the right door from the outside of the double doors) has a small black rocker switch near the speaker and on the inside edge of the door- anyone know if it is supposed to operate anything?
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craigmar
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Post by craigmar »

The rocker switch on mine turns the power to the outside light on and off so that I don't need to mess with going outside and shutting it off. Just turn the light on with the switch on the light itself and then turn it on or off from inside the van.
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weekender
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Thanks

Post by weekender »

I'm not sure we are talking about the same switch. I have one down near the fire extinguisher for the outside light. This switch is on the entry door to the back cab. The switch is on the inside of the door, to the left of the speaker. If you are looking at the door from the inside of the camper and the exit door is closed, it is on the left of the speaker- small rocker switch, not labeled in any way. --- I have a picture, but cannot figure out how to upload it.
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sdmike
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Post by sdmike »

That door has no rocker switches on my 1994. The only switch in that vicinity that I can see is the aforementioned outside flood light switch. Unless someone else knows otherwise, could it perhaps have been an aftermarket add-on by a previous owner?
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craigmar
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Post by craigmar »

Sorry, my mistake. I don't have a rocker on that panel, just a regular type household switch that alternates between the air conditioner and the microwave when its plugged in. I do have a rocker on the cabinet next to the overhead bunk and that controls the lights in the bunk area. You can leave them on and just use the rocker to turn them off. I'm sure someone will post exactly what your switch is for. Again, sorry for my mistake.
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weekender
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No problem--- really

Post by weekender »

Can anyone tell me how to post a picture-- that would make it very easy to see which switch I am talking about. I fully expect that the switch does not control anything, just left over from the Ford shell before the conversion

Steve
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skater
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Re: No problem--- really

Post by skater »

weekender wrote:Can anyone tell me how to post a picture-- that would make it very easy to see which switch I am talking about. I fully expect that the switch does not control anything, just left over from the Ford shell before the conversion

Steve
The easiest thing to do is, when typing a message, look below the message box and you should see a "browse" button - click on that, navigate to the picture file, click "ok", then click "Host it". That will upload it to Imageshack, and on the page will be code that looks like this:

[img ]http://something.something.something[/ img] (without spaces)

You should be able to cut and paste that text into the message and it'll show the image.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
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weekender
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Here is a picture

Post by weekender »

Image

(Corrected the link - skater.)
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skater
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Post by skater »

That's really odd. I'd be tempted to pull the speaker and see if I can see anything about the wires.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
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chadseld
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Post by chadseld »

My guess is someone installed a switch to disable the door open sensor. Thus allowing you to keep the doors open while camping and not drain the starter battery. I would like to do something similar with the side doors, but instead have a battery disconnect under the hood. Its good enough, but every time I use it I have to reset all my radio presets.
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Planck
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Post by Planck »

My 1993 does not have this switch. Possibly to cut off power to the speaker. Only way to find out is to take that rear panel off and see where the wires go. Or, play the radio and go to the rear speaker to see if the switch turns it on or off. It will not control the interior lights, as that switch is a plunger switch on the door jamb.

To prevent draining the battery with any door open, I removed the bulbs from the lower front door courtesy lights. The overhead lights can be turned off.
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