TrailMini- Outside Lights

One of the things that has bugged me since getting the TrailMini, is the way you have to turn on the outside lights from the outside. Call me paranoid, but when I hear something outside, I would rather not have to open the door to turn on the lights to see what it is. I considered running mulitple feeds to the lights, but decided to take the easy way. I picked up a toggle switch at radio shack that had a 12v LED in the handle (I have forgotten to shut them off many times also). I mounted it in the bottom of the cabinet over the stove. There is a false bottom in the cabinet with wiring for the stove light within. In my unit, the wiring for the two nearest outside lights is powered from the stove light, so all the required connections are right there. I think I also had to move the power for the ceiling spline to an adjacent power lead in the cabinet, but that was the only other change I had to make.

I tend to leave the back porch light on at night. I did switch the lense to amber so as not to attract as many bugs. It's also a better light than the bright white one through the window on the door.

Not really a modification, but I found a toiletries hanging bag that I hang over the window to keep out the light. Used a stick on hook above the window to hang it from. It also serves as extra storage for kitchen items. ( I packed it with condiment packs and plastic utensils, and wet wipes.) During the day, I hang it on the towel rack in the bathroom.

[TexasCamper]

Your trailmini doesn't have a master patio power switch on the inside near the door? For my 3023, I have a master switch right by the door that supplies power to three outdoor patio lights. And there are switches on each of the 3 patio lights. So I can leave the outdoor switches in the ON position and then use the master switch inside the camper to turn them on or off.

I've been more inconvenienced when I try to use the patio light by the hookups, and find that I have to go back inside the camper to turn the master switch on. But thats not a big deal.

[Barb&Tim]

My, how things change, but oh so slight.

On our 2720SL the inside switch only controls the outside light next to the door, The other two lights, front & street side, are switched at the lights.

Tim

[TexasCamper]

Well Tim, you got me thinking about my fuzzy memory and I double-checked my TM manual's wiring schematics. Turns out the 12V hot wire is directly connected to the side patio light by the hookup connections. Then the 12V wire goes to the interior switch I described. From the switch, the wire continues to the two patio lights on the door's side of the camper.

So I must have something else going on with the side patio light. Obviously I never pursued it too hard.