front cap lights...too bright!

[freewayrandy]

My 24 Cougar 27SGS has the amber accent lights on the front cap and they are really bright at night. Anyone have any ideas on a dimmer switch that would fit in place of the on/off switch? Are the strip LED's even dimmable?

 

[NH_Bulldog]

Ours are very bright as well. I just turn them off when we head to bed (if we use them at all). I have a flag mount on my pin box and will leave the single white hitch light on to illuminate the flag, but that's it.

I don't think that there is any easy way to determine if the lights are dimmable by looking at them, but they can easily be removed and replaced with a style/color that is, but you would need to trace the wires inside and find a suitable location to mount a dimmer switch in place of the basic on/off switch.

On my Cougar, the front lights have switches on the exterior forward wall under the overhang. I am not sure if a dimmer switch would withstand being exposed to the elements, or if it would have to be relocated into one of the front compartments.

 

[Kirk's Outback.]

I changed mine to blue and it's been fine to leave on at night without bothering anyone.

 

[flybouy]

You could replace the interior switch with this if there's room. Amazon.com

 

[Don77]

QUESTION!
Why do you need to have outside lights at all!
I was in South Dacota a few years back and there was this monster RV with Blue lights under neath, and Amber lights around the coach! Very annoying to anyone within 50 feet. and they left them on all night!

Don

 

[old442-KEY]

Here's my post on the 23MLE owners group:

The yellow docking lights are so bright I would not use them so I decided to put a dimmer on them. I found one on Amazon for $13 that included a remote. The install was a bit of a pain since there is no good way to get to the back of the switches as the wall in the propane hatch blocks direct access. I cut the silicone caulk on the light switch, took it off, and was able to pull enough of the service loop out through the hole. I mounted the dimmer in the front compartment next to the hatch so I can easily reach in to access it but it is out of the way. I ran the wiring through a hole at the top of the side wall that the leveling jack wires go through and was able to fish it down to the switch hole. I fed the power from the docking light switch to the dimmer so the switch is still useable. The dimmer maintains its state of both brightness and on or off.
Now I can dim the lights to almost no output and there is NO flicker. The remote has a range of at least 50 yards and will be very handy as we can turn them on as we walk back to the trailer at night to make it easier to locate.

Amazon.com

 

[sourdough]

I have had front "accent lights" on the front of the last few trailers. I've never understood the need or want for anyone to turn them on and leave them on all the time...although I've seen many inconsiderates doing it. I find there is no need for those lights to be on all night...or most anytime since their only purpose, IMO, is to either irritate other campers or show one has "accent lights"?? Maybe I'm missing something after all these years?

 

[Peto]

I too can't wrap my head around why people have to light up everything. The LOOK AT ME crowd es no bueno.

 

[LHaven]

I've always considered the (non-docking) colored accent lights on RV front caps to be similar in "utility" to the "back to the future" blue floatie lights low-riders mount under their cars. Neat for celebrations and night parades, that's about it.

This is the dimmer that Keystone installs on some of their own units, and it has the same profile (and fits the same holes) as their rocker switches. It's not outdoor-rated, though, so it would depend on where the original is mounted on your model.

 

[freewayrandy]

QUESTION!
Why do you need to have outside lights at all!
I was in South Dacota a few years back and there was this monster RV with Blue lights under neath, and Amber lights around the coach! Very annoying to anyone within 50 feet. and they left them on all night!

Don

That's why I want to dim them. Simply accent when sitting out at night. I DON'T leave them on all night.

 

[Don77]

I think that the people that have the BRIGHT one are just afraid of the dark! And should get over it!
I see it in the country side outside of cities where people have lights all around there house all night long. Just dont make sence to me.
Just my 2c.

Don