Scare light mystery

prstlk · 08-27-2017, 04:23 PM

New to the group here and glad to find one that is all about Keystone products.

We have a new to us 2007 Challenger 34SAQ.

Most of the interior lights had already been converted to LED bulbs but the outside ones had not.

I ordered the comparable LED replacements and replaced them, all except the little light next to the landing gear switch on the outside front under the bedroom area. All 3 of the old scare light bulbs had burnt out so don't know if this was already a problem.

There is 1 scare light in between the slides on the kitchen side. It is located between the bedroom slide and the kitchen slide. It will not go out.

We have 4 light switches on the wall at the staircase (which is the most unhandy place to have them!) and none of those will turn it off. The door light and the scare light switches work on the appropriate lights WITH THE EXCEPTION of the one mentioned above.

Also, it does not seem to be any kind of motion detector or light sensor type of light as it is on during the daytime.

Can anyone tell me where the switch might be for it? I hate to have to pull the bulb out and not use it.

Thanks in advance to anyone who might be able to help!

14george · 08-27-2017, 05:24 PM

Do you have a remote to turn and off the lights if it was turned on with remote have to turn off with remote

Whitewolf · 08-27-2017, 06:23 PM

Had the scare lights turn on one time for no reason. I called the dealer and they insisted I must have turned it on using the remote. I didn't and neither did anyone else as the remote was in the truck.

I had to unplug from the post AND unhook the battery to reset whatever caused the lights to come on. Never did it again.

**hankpage** · 08-27-2017, 07:48 PM

Welcome to the forum. If the light in question is on the side of the trailer where the utilities connect, the switch may be in one of the storage or utility compartments. I don't remember if the remote controls were offered for that model in '07. JM2¢, Hank

prstlk · 08-28-2017, 04:57 AM

We don't have a remote - at least not one that we found when we purchased the unit. Will try the other suggestions and report back.

Thanks to everyone.

prstlk · 08-28-2017, 11:35 AM

Ok - unhooked the battery and that didn't help. It's still on.

Looked high and low for a hidden switch with no results.

Hate to just unplug the bulb and loose the use of the light.

Any other suggestions?

**JRTJH** · 08-28-2017, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prstlk

Ok - unhooked the battery and that didn't help. It's still on.

Just a question: When you unhooked the battery did you also unplug from shore power? If (and I don't know if you do) there is a remote control unit, it must be completely "unplugged from power" in order to reset. So, all power to the trailer must be removed, all battery power and all shore power. Only then will the remote "brain" power down and reset.

Otherwise, is it possible that the light has a "small obscure internal switch", possibly it's on another circuit, the "other scare light", the convenience lights for the front of the trailer, or the porch light/step light ???

prstlk · 08-28-2017, 12:09 PM

John,

Thanks for the reply. We did turn off all shore power before we tried the battery test.

The only outside light switch there is is on the front hear the landing gear switch. We tried that one with no luck.

We have also tried all 4 of the wall switches and none of them turn it off. They do operate the other lights that they are supposed to though.

We do not have a remote for this unit - or at least it did not come with one.

We did not know the light had any kind of issues because all of the outside bulbs were burnt out when we bought the unit.

ctbruce · 08-28-2017, 05:58 PM

I am completely perplexed by disconnecting the battery and shore power and it still stays on.

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MarkS · 08-28-2017, 07:26 PM

Bad switch?

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notanlines · 08-29-2017, 03:59 AM

I'm with Chip here. You unplug from shore power AND all batteries and it stays on? Respectfully, I doubt this. Maybe I misunderstood something or else I don't know all that I think I understand.....

jsmith948 · 08-29-2017, 04:29 AM

When you disconnected the batteries, did you physically disconnect the cables from the batteries or did you simply turn the disconnect switch? Most factory installed disconnect switches do not completely disconnect the dc power. There are items that still have power such as slides, landing gear, brake disconnect, etc. Just trying to clarify what you did. As stated before, IF you have no shore power and the batteries are disconnected, there is no way a light can still be on unless it has its own batteries (AA, C-cell, D-cell, etc.) or you have a solar panel somewhere.

prstlk · 08-29-2017, 07:48 AM

I guess what I said might have been confusing.

Of course, when we flipped the breaker off at the shore power AND disconnected the batteries (took off the negative) the light went out.

What I meant was when he put the battery cable back on the light came back on and has not gone out since.

We have searched all over for an additional switch and there is nothing. Not in the closets, next to the bed, nothing. The only light switches we have, other than the ceiling mounted lights that have their own individual switches, are the 4 that are on the wall at the staircase. We even checked in the fuse box and nothing.

It is truly a mystery.

When we owned our motor home which was also a 2007 (Holiday Rambler) they had a tech line we called 2 or 3 times and they were able to help us.

Does anyone know if there is a help line at Keystone?

ctbruce · 08-29-2017, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prstlk

I guess what I said might have been confusing.

Of course, when we flipped the breaker off at the shore power AND disconnected the batteries (took off the negative) the light went out.

What I meant was when he put the battery cable back on the light came back on and has not gone out since.

We have searched all over for an additional switch and there is nothing. Not in the closets, next to the bed, nothing. The only light switches we have, other than the ceiling mounted lights that have their own individual switches, are the 4 that are on the wall at the staircase. We even checked in the fuse box and nothing.

It is truly a mystery.

When we owned our motor home which was also a 2007 (Holiday Rambler) they had a tech line we called 2 or 3 times and they were able to help us.

Does anyone know if there is a help line at Keystone?

Keystone will tell you to take it to the dealer. That may be your best bet or a mobile tech may be able to help.

It is possible that the switch may be under a counter or cabinet? Have you checked there? Also, is it possible that the switch is built into the light? Posting a picture may help you out.

I'm glad it went out when fully disconnected, otherwise it would have to be one of our resident ghosts having some fun.

prstlk · 08-29-2017, 10:32 AM

I finally located a number for Keystone and gave them a call. It seemed to puzzle them as well.

The stated that it should be run from the same switch as the rest of them are. They also stated that there are no other switches in or out of the unit that runs any lights with the exception of the one that is near the front storage area/landing gear switch.

Their guess is that someone may have rewired it to stay on all of the time. I'm not sure what the logic to this would be unless they were plugged into shore power 24/7. Judging from the condition of the rig when we bought it we doubt this. We could tell it had hardly been used.

So for now we will pull out the light bulb so it won't run down the battery.

I want to thank everyone who responded.

ctbruce · 08-29-2017, 10:36 AM

I'm glad that they were able to help you out. Sure surprised me, but glad that they did. Have you thought about wiring in another switch to the power cable to the light?

Desert185 · 08-29-2017, 12:20 PM

Is it possible that you know where the switch is, but the switch is inop in the ON position? Perhaps you need a new switch?

My scare light switch is labeled "Flood." I think I would check the switch.

You could also pull one fuse at a time to see which circuit the light is on.

**JRTJH** · 08-29-2017, 12:45 PM

I can't imagine any RV manufacturer installing a light with no means of turning it off. With the laminated walls, unless there's wiring on the inside of the RV, the wires are in the wall which means the light was not installed by the previous owner but rather the light was a part of the original design. So, there's a switch "SOMEWHERE" that turns the light off. As suggested, maybe a switch malfunction that is "stuck in the on position" or a wiring change by the previous owner at the switch, but somewhere, there's a means to turn it off.

Since the RV is almost 10 years old, few dealers will have any working knowledge of that model and Keystone's customer service seems to only be capable of reading what is in the current owner's manual and referring to a dealer, so neither is going to help. Is it possible to contact the previous owner and simply ask them where the switch is located?

Ken / Claudia · 08-29-2017, 01:00 PM

Sure sounds like a remote was used and maybe it is lost. Can anyone confirm if a 2007 had remotes? Just because the new owner did not get one with the unit does not mean it never had one.

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