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Post by laknox on Jun 18, 2018 12:34:26 GMT -5
After our maiden voyage, I've got a fairly small list of issues, but one that's going to need to be addressed outside of warranty is the absolutely =brilliant= design decision that has NO wall-mounted light switches in the bathroom; not over the sink, not for the shower and not for the stool. Tell me KZ, how are kids supposed to handle night-time toilet visits if the light switches are =only= on the light fixtures themselves...ON THE CEILING?! Absolutely stupid to not have ONE light that can be reached by a 4-5 y.o.
So, rant off, anybody tackle a switch install job on a late-model Durango 1500 to correct this deficiency? Specifically, we're talking about a '17 277RLT.
Lyle
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Post by rvdude on Jun 18, 2018 21:35:50 GMT -5
I've always said that the people who design rv's have never spent a single day in one in their life... and I continue to hear things from people that confirm my thoughts...
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Post by laknox on Jun 19, 2018 16:16:09 GMT -5
I've always said that the people who design rv's have never spent a single day in one in their life... and I continue to hear things from people that confirm my thoughts... You're probably right. G*d forbid they do customer surveys for =design= issues. Hell, just look at the interior fabrics. I =still= say that they use fabric designs that were thought of by old hippies suffering acid flashbacks.  Whey did they go away from =any= cloth seating? They've obviously never camped in FL in August and suffered swamp-a$$, or they'd never have done that.  Lyle |
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Post by csp1116 on Jun 20, 2018 15:09:02 GMT -5
I truly understand your pain. I bought a motorhome in 2009 I never realized it didn’t have one single light switch in it. I had to reach up to turn a light on for every single one in the unit. At that time my kids were young and couldn’t reach. I consulted with a couple electrician friends of mine and they said it wasn’t worth the effort trying to put switches in. We ended up putting night lights in it and it worked out fine for the kids to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. That was when we were hooked up to shore power. When we would dry camp we would use those small LED lanterns with night light capability. My wife got them at Walmart and if they stopped working we would replace it or the battery. We got used to it. When we bought our current KZ 2500 fifth wheel that was the first thing we made sure it had. However I’m still reaching up to turn the lights on and off. Old habits are hard to break but you’ll be OK.
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Post by laknox on Jun 20, 2018 15:54:30 GMT -5
Yeah, I've thought about simply leaving the light on over the stool and closing the door while on shore power, but when we're 'docking, that's simply not an option, even with all-LED lighting. Not only do the designers seem to not be RVers, they probably don't have kids, either.  Lyle |
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Post by rvdude on Jun 20, 2018 18:13:09 GMT -5
You could get some motion activated LED lights and mount them in the areas where the kids need to be able to see.
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Post by Chuck on Jun 20, 2018 18:43:41 GMT -5
I was under the understanding that some motion activated LED lights were mount in the areas within some of the 5th wheels, we saw them in the 2500 series we saw at the Kz plant last year, maybe in the 2018 series years an not the older units ... We have a switch in the bathroom in our 384 as well as the hall ... Safe Travels  Chuck |
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Post by rvdude on Jun 21, 2018 6:52:33 GMT -5
The newer ones (my 384 does) have motion activated lights in the bathroom, the closet, and the basement. One could probably find the newer lights on the internet and replace their existing lights with the motion activated lights.
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Post by laknox on Jun 21, 2018 11:45:08 GMT -5
Toilet light would be easy, as I could tap into the fan wire and add an =extra= light. We'll just have to see how often it gives us issues. Grandbabies =do= grow. Lyle |
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Post by RdRmr on Jun 21, 2018 14:19:19 GMT -5
laknox,
I did that very modification on our 315RKD, no issues now. I posted on Sept. 28, 2016 with pictures, was an easy fix. I added the switch to the double fixture above the sink. Been working great ever since, minimal cost by the way. If you can't find the post let me know and I will send you the pictures. Happy Campin....
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Post by laknox on Jun 21, 2018 15:14:29 GMT -5
VERY nice, RdRmr! I'll look into that. Son-in-law is real handy =and= he's got guys in the trades to help if we screw something up. Lyle |
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bluegrass
Seasonal RV’er
2019 1500Durango 259rdd
Posts: 177
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Post by bluegrass on Jun 21, 2018 17:18:35 GMT -5
I had a similar situation with our 2013 Spree.....bedroom light was placed over the center of the queen bed....not reachable. I purchased a battery operated touch light at Walmart, less than $10 at the time. We mounted it on the wall within reach , with Velcro 3M strips. It isn't perfect but it does give us light to get around in the dark.
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marlee
Weekender RV’er
Posts: 85 
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Post by marlee on Jul 2, 2018 12:36:53 GMT -5
We have a combination of wall switches and light fixture toggles. Almost 4 yo was here last week and couldn't keep his hands off the wall switch at the top of the steps. It is set low on the wall so it can be reached from the bottom step as well.
With out last trailer, we needed a light near the door. I bought a set of two lights from HD (I think) that was both tap light and it had a remote control that could be mounted at a lower level.
laknox, what model JD is that? Looks sharp! We went to our first tractor pull last month.
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Post by laknox on Jul 2, 2018 17:16:18 GMT -5
We have a combination of wall switches and light fixture toggles. Almost 4 yo was here last week and couldn't keep his hands off the wall switch at the top of the steps. It is set low on the wall so it can be reached from the bottom step as well. With out last trailer, we needed a light near the door. I bought a set of two lights from HD (I think) that was both tap light and it had a remote control that could be mounted at a lower level. laknox, what model JD is that? Looks sharp! We went to our first tractor pull last month. I'd almost rather have them fiddling with the lights than the hassle of =not= having access. As I said, they =do= grow (up). :-) That's a '36 Model A. Granddad bought it used in about '38-39 timeframe, as Dad remembers it being delivered. Had been burned, I assume in a fueling accident, so they rebuilt it and we used it even into the '80's, on occasion. I raked hay with it 50-some years ago, in the summers. :-) Lyle |
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marlee
Weekender RV’er
Posts: 85
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Post by marlee on Jul 3, 2018 8:10:27 GMT -5
laknox, that is so cool. We had fil's 58 MF for awhile, but he wanted it back and then traded it for a motorhome.
your trailer is set up a lot like ours but it looks like you have a lot more counterspace. Do you have any problems with the kitchen arrangement and lighting?
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Post by laknox on Jul 3, 2018 11:03:55 GMT -5
laknox, that is so cool. We had fil's 58 MF for awhile, but he wanted it back and then traded it for a motorhome. your trailer is set up a lot like ours but it looks like you have a lot more counterspace. Do you have any problems with the kitchen arrangement and lighting? What's even cooler is that nephew has a '35 BN that Granddad bought new at the precursor to Arizona Machinery (now Stotz) in Phoenix. :-) We do have a fair amount of counter space and a =lot= of storage. Personally, I'm not a fan of the peninsula kitchen and would have preferred the 284RLT, but we never could find one to look at. I know the 284 has an optional island, which gives some extra storage and counter space, but I would have added a roll around instead. The 277 is the only model that doesn't have a built-in fireplace, but DW traded that for the large pantry figuring we could just get a cheap plug-in fireplace instead. :-) I just like the mid-entertainment and more open feel of the 284. You can also access the rear of the rig with the slides in, which you can not do in the 277. Oh, well; =she's= happy. :-) Lyle |
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Post by Chuck on Jul 3, 2018 12:08:58 GMT -5
Lyle If you think a 284RLT has allot of room you should walk into a 384RLT, kids said it is as big as their 1st apartment LOL ...
An I still think RED is right 
Safe Travels
Chuck
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Post by laknox on Jul 3, 2018 13:17:46 GMT -5
Lyle If you think a 284RLT has allot of room you should walk into a 384RLT, kids said it is as big as their 1st apartment LOL ...
An I still think RED is right
Safe Travels
Chuck
The 284 is still about 2' longer than what I'd really like (30') and, with just the 2 of us, would be plenty. FWIW, I'd rather be running than right. Lyle |
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Post by Chuck on Jul 5, 2018 13:40:52 GMT -5
Lyle With the 165pd Great Dane, the 70pd mutt me an the DW we need lots of room LOL, add the grand kids an we need another 10ft LOL ... Oldest Grant son is 6'6" an ware's a size 15 1/2 shoe, daughter has to take out a bank loan to get him shoes an he is only 17 Ugh !!! Safe Travels Chuck |
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Post by laknox on Jul 9, 2018 10:41:05 GMT -5
Well, our kids have their own pop-up, though I expect that the 3 y.o. might stay with us. The 15 y.o and the 9 m.o. will stay with the kids. :-) Since they're all girls, I seriously doubt we'll have too much issue with space. :-)
Lyle
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Whey did they go away from =any= cloth seating? They've obviously never camped in FL in August and suffered swamp-a$$, or they'd never have done that. 
