Door switch

[campernurse2012]

Has anyone replaced the light switch at the door ? It appears mine is bad but the wires seem really short , I’m barely able to get the switch pulled out enough to get access to the back of the switch , has anyone had this problem and how do I possibly extend the wires? We have a ‘05 2619. TIA

[Bill]

My choice would be to solder an extension on the end of each wire. But if you don't know how to solder, you can easily make a messy situation worse.

My next solution would be to crimp an extension onto the end of each wire. At a hardware store or big box store, you will be able to buy a crimp tool plus an assortment of crimp connectors for a few bucks. Follow the directions closely, and squeeze the crimp tool HARD. When you are done, try to pull the wire out of the connector. If it pops free, you will have to start again, but better to find out now than when you are on the road.

For an idea of what a tool looks like, go to Acehardware.com and enter 3194636 in the search box.

I expect other members to chime in here. There are new connectors that are easier to use and more secure than what I have described. Take your time, and good luck.

Bill

[campernurse2012]

Thank you for the quick reply , I’ll try extending the wires

[Bill]

No matter what you choose, you will (of course) make sure the connection is insulated so it can't inadvertently touch a ground such as the raw aluminum edge of the hole. One good solution for insulation is heat-shrink tubing. Choose a diameter that will slip over the connection, then cut a length with some spare at each end, slip it down the wire and over the connection. Once in place, shrink it with a hair dryer on high, or a heat gun.

Crimp connectors are available with a built-in insulation sleeve, which you crimp along with the wires to make the connection.

Although not a big deal, it's probably best to avoid wire nuts, since the wire coming out of the wall is so short.

If you are looking for something really simple, go to lowes.com and enter "push-in wire connectors" in the search box. It will return more than 100 hits. You should also find lots of similar/same connectors at Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Do-ItBest Hardware, etc. Go to whichever store is handiest for you. Choose a connector that will take two wires, and make sure that it will accept stranded wire. I don't know the size of the wire, so I'm not sure what size to advise. I'm guessing that it will be number 16 or number 18 wire, probably not #14 (which is bigger) or #20 (smaller).

Bill

[Shane826]

I recommend these. You slip one over a wire, push the strands of the two wires together, slide the connector over the exposed wire, heat the connector with a lighter, and the connector solders the wires together and then shrinks insulation over the connection. These are awesome for tight spaces as you don’t have to try to get crimpers on a connector.

https://www.amazon.com/Connectors-Ha...0495303&psc=1#

[Bill]

Those look great, Shane. It was the kind of thing I was hoping would surface in this thread. I note that Amazon has a kit with fewer connectors for about $10. I plan to buy some, and ditch some of my crimp connectors.

Bill

[Kidkraz]

I decided to take Bill's comment to heart and bought a small kit, which I will share with my nephew for his new popup.
Thanks Shane.

[campernurse2012]

Thanks for all the great ideas guys! Will be ordering some soon!

[Shane826]

I figured there was a smaller kit out there. I just linked the one that I had bought…

Just a word of advice; use a regular old Bic lighter to melt them. Using a butane mini torch seems to melt through the heat shrink.

Edit: Or even better, use a heat gun like they show in the video on Amazon. But that might be harder to get into tight spaces.

[Kidkraz]

Since it's such a confined area, would a soldering iron with maybe a wide flat tip work too?
I searched around, but to have a kit with several sizes the 120's was it. Regardless, thanks for sharing.