Sconce Lamp Won't Stay On

**WildWG** · 04-27-2009, 10:01 PM

In our 2000 2619, one of the front interior shaded sconce wall lamps will not stay on unless weight is applied to the top of the bulb. I have bent the two metal connectors under the bulb up several times. The lamp will work for a while and then back to it's old ways. I have tried to find an inexpensive replacement lamp with shade but have had no luck. Any ideas will be appreciated.

Also, I would like to install a radio also but can't for the life of me seem to find the radio cutout above the fridge. What am I missing?

Thanks:

WWG

**mjlaupp** · 04-28-2009, 02:43 AM

I have not had to deal with the sconce lamps for several model years. The problem with the lamps is that the shade is supported/clamped to the bulb. This puts extra strain and wear on the bulb and socket while traveling. Try removing the bulb and shade when you close the TM. You could easily do this right after you push the front bed in during closeup. Also, look around for a replacement socket for the lamps. The contacts in yours may be weakened by the repeated temporary fixing.

There were several discussions some time back about this same problem. Try searching for wall lamps or front lamps or elegant lamps. One of the members replaced their lamps with some sort of retro style wall lamp but they did not have look and feel as the elegant lamps.

If your TM is factory wired for the radio then you will have the factory installed speakers in the front overhead cabinet, a cutout over the fridge for the radio and an amplified antenna on the rear road side of the front shell. The cutout is covered by a thin piece of plywood glued to a wood block and pushed into the cutout. A little careful prying with screwdriver or putty knife should remove it. The radio power, speaker and antenna wires will be behind the cutout.

Mike

04-28-2009, 08:10 AM

If you are having trouble seeing the cutout and question whether it is there or not, you can pull the upper access panel to the fridge on the street side of the trailer, remove the insulation, and see the back of the panel - that will tell you if the wires are there. And if so, then the cutout is there as well.

**wbmiller3** · 04-28-2009, 06:25 PM

I gave up on them, they constantly flickered on and off. I replaced them with standard rectangular RV fixtures and have not missed the "elegance" one bit.

**WildWG** · 04-29-2009, 02:30 PM

Thanks much to the three of you. I am especially impressed with the analysis of the sconce lamp bulb problem. Evidently, my TM was never wired for a radio. There are no speakers in my front overhead cabinet and no cutout above the fridge. Guess I'll have to figure out a work-around; 'course, that's what keeps life a challenge.

Bill

**Bill** · 04-29-2009, 02:39 PM

You have an opportunity for some fun there, Bill. Mounting speakers in the front overhead cabinets isn't a big deal. I always thought that the radio could be there, too, especially if you get a radio with a remote control. The refrigerator location never made too much sense to me. Power is already in place - pick it up from the elegant lights. You'll need to add an outside antenna, but that's a pretty good location to do it.

And then, imagine what you could do with that wide, deep, but shallow space over the refrig. A great place for your rock collection! Your ancient manuscripts. A pizza oven. Or a warming tray for your dinner rolls. The mind boggles!

Bill

**Larryjb** · 05-19-2020, 06:40 PM

Okay, I know this is an ooolllllddddd thread, but...

I decided to look into my own flickering sconces. Yes, it does have to do with the contacts in the socket. The contacts are corroded somewhat, and probably need springing up a little. But it might be nice to upgrade to an LED bulb that would accept the same shade. This shouldn't be difficult because you can order replacement sockets of almost any size, and they make LED bulbs to fit almost any socket.

So, here is my project:

Find a replacement socket that fits with the original fixture.
Find a 12V LED bulb that has a similar shape to the old incandescent bulb, AND fits the replacement socket

This way, I can keep the look and have convenient lighting that is reachable when sleeping in the front bed. The trouble is trying to find a socket and bulb that satisfy the two requirements above.

Why do I like the old look? The plastic shade has stood up the test of time and keeps going. The plastic tube needs replacing, but you can get replacement sets for pretty cheap.

Having a shade tones down the glare. LED lighting can be glarey, which is a problem with the new lights I put in. I'm still trying to find a good method to diffuse the lighting.

Anyway, that's where it stands for now.

**Bill** · 05-19-2020, 09:07 PM

Larry -

Don't limit yourself to screw-base bulbs. Somewhere I picked up a desk lamp with parallelogram adjustable arms that could move the bulb/reflector anywhere. It had a small bi-pin halogen bulb that burned so hot it could raise blisters from a foot away. I found an LED lamp in the same pi-pin configuration, and plugged it in.

The point that I am making (slowly) is that the bi-pin socket in the lamp was about the same size as the screw socket in your lamp, and will hold the bulb much more securely than the so-called "elegant lamps" in the TM.

Good luck.

Bill

**Larryjb** · 05-19-2020, 09:41 PM

I agree fully with that Bill. When I put the socket constraint, that wasn't meant to limit myself to the existing double bayonet (that is what exists now), but rather, considering the pin type, or screw on types.

I really do like the lamp shade, not necessarily because of the look, but it is light, doesn't seem likely to get damaged by travel or being knocked around. All the replacement fixtures I've seen for RV's are using glass shades which could break, and are quite heavy.

If I did come across a nice wall sconce that wasn't heavy, had a decent shade or diffuser, I'd be willing to consider that option too. I don't want to use just another rectangular light like what wbmiller did. I've got good output from some LED replacements above. it would be nice to have something not quite so bright, and can be turned on while sitting at the table.

**Larryjb** · 06-14-2020, 08:32 PM

I'm starting to side with just sticking a couple of Marrettes on and put the sconce cover on minus the sconce. We hardly used them, and it's looking really hard to find a suitable replacement. The only replacement fabric sconce I can find is at least 3 lbs and I don't want that weight on the aluminum skin. Finding replacement parts is getting rather complicated because the existing shade is the style that clamps onto a bulb. Trying to find such a bulb is going to be difficult.