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03-19-2018, 10:41 PM
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#1
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37YT
State: Tennessee
Posts: 82
THOR #10421
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Added lights to grab bar.
I know some MH's have lighted grab bars but mine wasn't, although it has a clear handle. I decided to light mine up so I took it off and both ends were hollow down to where the clear middle mounts. I had some LED's I use in my pinballs so I rigged one up for both ends, ran them down inside, then sealed them so the light will show through. I drilled through the wall behind the handle and ran the wires to the step light. Right now it is on all the time but I'm going to buy a dusk to dawn sensor and hook that to it. I thought about doing a motion sensor but I'd rather have the lights stay on when it's dark. I think it turned out pretty nice, all the wires are hidden and you can't tell it didn't come that way from the factory.
It's nice to do things you WANT to rather than HAVE to in order to keep these things going!
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Bill, Christine and Bella (Chihuahua, thinks she's a Rottweiler!)
2018 Thor Challenger 37YT
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03-19-2018, 10:48 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: S.O.B.
State: California
Posts: 1,368
THOR #3483
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That is what we call real dedication to tweaking your rig. Very cool.
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03-19-2018, 11:26 PM
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#3
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37YT
State: Tennessee
Posts: 82
THOR #10421
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Quote:
Originally Posted by axis earl
That is what we call real dedication to tweaking your rig. Very cool.
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Earl, I am the king of tweakers, I love to piddle like this and stay busy. My wife rolls her eyes at me every morning when I tell her I'm "going to work". I'm retired and I get up early still. I watch TV or I'm on the computer till she gets up at 8 and fixes my breakfast. As soon as I eat, I'm out the door, "going to work". When I come in at noonish to eat, I eat and relax until my "hour" is up and I tell her my lunch break is over!
I've done many more things and I'll probably post them because I like to read the posts and see what others have done as it gives me ideas. For example, I put a curtain up behind the drivers area so you can close off the bunk area when you let it down. I fashioned a propane cylinder rack to hold extra propane bottles, I have a Coleman BBQ grill and rigged quick connects so you can run it off the bottles or the MH gas connection by just plugging in and swapping hoses.
The manufacturers just generically make these things and I think most of us like to customize things to our tastes. It's all a labor of love until it's something that's broken and has to be fixed before you can take the rig out!
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Bill, Christine and Bella (Chihuahua, thinks she's a Rottweiler!)
2018 Thor Challenger 37YT
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03-19-2018, 11:41 PM
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#4
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Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
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I think I'd poke a small hole on the bottom piece and put a phototransistor there to turn the LEDs on/off based on the light level. You'd still want to be able to turn it on/off while in storage (of course any battery disconnect would do that as well).
Looks nice.
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03-20-2018, 01:32 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 35C
State: Maryland
Posts: 252
THOR #3227
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Great idea! I was thinking of that since I saw our clear handle but wasn't sure how to do it. I'm thinking I can get the parts at RadioShack???
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Jim K - Avenue, Maryland
2016 Thor Hurricane 35C
2015 Ford F-150 King Ranch
2013 Chrysler 300 "S", 1936 Chrysler C-8
2012 Jeep Liberty Limited Edition
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03-20-2018, 01:44 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: S.O.B.
State: California
Posts: 1,368
THOR #3483
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Sounds like a good routine Bill. Somewhat similar to mine but throw in a few days of running herd on three grandkids. Just replaced one of the loose low quality USB plugs in the aft charging station and got the idea from the latest Motorhome magazine to get a brighter, more directed LED porch light that I will install this week. Yes, it is fun most of the time.
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03-20-2018, 10:53 AM
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#7
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37YT
State: Tennessee
Posts: 82
THOR #10421
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brakeman48
Great idea! I was thinking of that since I saw our clear handle but wasn't sure how to do it. I'm thinking I can get the parts at RadioShack???
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Yep, RadioShack should have all you need. It's really easy to do, worst part was routing the wires to be hidden but even that wasn't too difficult.
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Bill, Christine and Bella (Chihuahua, thinks she's a Rottweiler!)
2018 Thor Challenger 37YT
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03-20-2018, 10:57 AM
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#8
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37YT
State: Tennessee
Posts: 82
THOR #10421
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JamieGeek
I think I'd poke a small hole on the bottom piece and put a phototransistor there to turn the LEDs on/off based on the light level. You'd still want to be able to turn it on/off while in storage (of course any battery disconnect would do that as well).
Looks nice.
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Thanks Jamie, yes, it needs something to switch it on and off rather than being on all the time. Since it's LED's, I doubt it would run the batteries down unless the lights were on for months with no charger running. In My situation, it's always plugged into 50A at home or will be plugged in while camping; doubt I'll ever have a situation where it'll be stored without power running to it.
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Bill, Christine and Bella (Chihuahua, thinks she's a Rottweiler!)
2018 Thor Challenger 37YT
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03-20-2018, 11:06 AM
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#9
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Site Team
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: ACE 27.1
State: Florida
Posts: 14,360
THOR #7035
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brakeman48
Great idea! I was thinking of that since I saw our clear handle but wasn't sure how to do it. I'm thinking I can get the parts at RadioShack???
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RadioShack still has stores?
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Ted & Melinda
2016 ACE 27.1
2016 Chevy Sonic Toad - Selling
2020 Chevy Colorado Z71 Trail Runner Toad
2024 Chevrolet Trax 2RS - Soon 2B TOAD
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03-20-2018, 05:57 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 35C
State: Maryland
Posts: 252
THOR #3227
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bharrisv65 - When you hooked it into the wire at the step that is 12 volt correct? What if I went to the switch for the porch light that would be 12 volt also correct? That way I could switch it OFF.
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Jim K - Avenue, Maryland
2016 Thor Hurricane 35C
2015 Ford F-150 King Ranch
2013 Chrysler 300 "S", 1936 Chrysler C-8
2012 Jeep Liberty Limited Edition
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03-20-2018, 10:41 PM
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#11
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37YT
State: Tennessee
Posts: 82
THOR #10421
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brakeman48
bharrisv65 - When you hooked it into the wire at the step that is 12 volt correct? What if I went to the switch for the porch light that would be 12 volt also correct? That way I could switch it OFF.
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Yep, it's 12V and you could hook it up that way. I went to the step wiring because it was easy to get to and I only had to run the wires about 2 feet. I don't know if I could have even gotten to the porch light wiring without doing major surgery. That would be better because, like you mentioned, you could turn it off and on with the porch light. I have the Firefly system in my MH so the switches are electronic and on a moveable, remote control pad. Good luck with yours, you'll like it when you do it.
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Bill, Christine and Bella (Chihuahua, thinks she's a Rottweiler!)
2018 Thor Challenger 37YT
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