Lights Being Turned On During Fold-up

[WildWG]

When I open our TrailManor (2000 2619), I am beginning to find one or more lights on that were not on when we closed the trailer. How do I prevent this from happening?

Thanks!

WGW

[Bill]

This used to happen in our 2002 2720SL - the light over the rear bed would turn on while we drove. It seems that the rear shell moves back and forth a tiny bit due to road vibration, and the switch, which was in contact with the bedding, eventually worked its way to the ON position. Of course, the safety switch under the bathroom wall cuts off all power to the rear shell (including this light), so nothing actually got hot, but it was annoying.

For me, the cure was to replace the fixture with a fluorescent fixture, which has a switch in the end, rather than on the face. But a simpler cure would probably have been to take the quilt off the bed, so that the switch wasn't in contact with anything.

Are the lights in question over a bed? Are you finding that lights in the front half are on? If a light is actually lit while you travel, the heat buildup in bedding could have nasty consequences.

Bill

My 2619 has a disconnect switch on the folding bathroom wall which cuts all power to the rear shell lighting, fans, carbon monoxide detector,etc as soon as the wall is folded down. Trailmanor doesn't put that in anymore?

Most likely, if you have seen a fold down trailer that is along the road and on fire, it could be caused by someone forgetting to turn off a light. Or in your case, once the rear top has been folded down and the light makes a strong enough contact with anything on the bed (covers, pillow, extra mattress), as the light switch rubs these items, it can turn on your light. Whenever this has happened to me in my TM, it is the light next to the clothes closet that gets turned on. If the light bulb turns on as a result of this rubbing, the blankets, etc, can easily reach kindling temperature. Most likely, you won't be aware of the smoldering until people passing you call your attention to it. By then, it could be too late.

Fortunately, when my light switch is turned to on, the kill switch located under the folding bathroom rear wall, will have cut the power to the light and all is safe. For me, I became aware that this switch was turned to the on position when I raised the rear bathroom wall into position and that particular light would emit light.

The kill switch is a grand idea and one that you may not find on any other folding type trailers. But, there has been a little conversation about its effectiveness in only a few trailers. It was suggested that something that would add thickness to the contact point of the wall could help.

I am not aware of a single TM that has caught fire as a result of this rubbing action on the rear bed. I think it is a great enough idea for the factory to include a kill switch for the front shell as well.

Hal

The TrailManor salesman in Dinuba, CA told me about this switch when we purchased the 2619 nine years ago (1998) but my memory failed me as to the location of the switch. When we opened the trailer last month, non of the rear shell (& bathroom) lights would work, so I started researching your Forum for help and found it! After cycling the black pushbutton switch several times the lights came on and work great now! Many thanks to whoever specified the rear bathroom folding wall because I looked all over and under the front folding wall without success!