How can I turn off the footwell/ step lights?

[DaveyB]

Having camped in the van last night, found out that I can't keep the side slider open leading into the awning without the footwell lights and the step lights staying on. Obviously you can turn off the interior roof lights by rocking them across, but there does not appear to be a way to turn these other lights off.
As my kids are in the awning and me and the Mrs are on the kombi bed in the van, really want to keep the side door open so we can hear the kids. Last night we shut the door but kept the window open and ran the electric light into the tent from the van through the window.
Anyone got any ideas?

 

[Pauly]

As you know the footwell lighting kit is supplied via the steplight so they will always operate together, the interior light circuit will time out after a while but closing and/or reopening any door will turn them all back on and restart the timer.
One possibility would be to fit a small switch, to keep it easy near the steplight that isolates the feed to the steplight and in turn the footwell lights, these lamps are not monitored so disconnecting them will not throw any errors from the vehicle
Let me know what you are thinking as i could replace the wiring loom i sent you with something a bit different to allow a switch to connect ??

 

[Pauly]

Just remembered you have twin doors so that suggestion wont disable the step light on the other side

 

[Colinlp]

Do your lights not go off after 10 minutes or so? Mine do

 

[DaveyB]

Just remembered you have twin doors so that suggestion wont disable the step light on the other side

Oh poo, was hoping the nearside would feed from the offside. Lay in bed last night and was thinking about a simple switch from the feed to the offside light prior to where I connected the footwell lights in.

 

[DaveyB]

Do your lights not go off after 10 minutes or so? Mine do

No they don't seem too, will try again tonight and sit with a timer on them.

 

[Colinlp]

If you open another door or do anything with the ignition the 10 minute cycle restarts. My footwell light it tapped off the forward roof light, the wire runs down the C post, it might be worth looking behind the small panel to see it the feed for the footwell light is in there, it would be an easy job to switch then in there if you need too

 

[StudleyGlass]

My lights turn off afters certain time i am sure @DaveyB . Sure i noticed when i was fitting the LED units in the rears and front foot-wells

 

[Fish]

@DaveyB
Pop the lights out and unplug them?.

 

[Pauly]

Standard near side wiring runs back from passenger seat to step

 

[Dale]

has anyone changed these lights with led ones and if so could they advise how they did it?

 

[DaveyB]

has anyone changed these lights with led ones and if so could they advise how they did it?

I have LED units in mine supplied by @Pauly

 

[Tourershine]

I didn't realise yours was a twin door @DaveyB. Is it a full on camper?
My wife mentioned converting mine once I finish with it, but I said it's not ideal being a twin slider, loosing half of both sides.

 

[DaveyB]

I didn't realise yours was a twin door @DaveyB. Is it a full on camper?
My wife mentioned converting mine once I finish with it, but I said it's not ideal being a twin slider, loosing half of both sides.

Yes, twin slider. No it’s not a full on camper, as my aim has always been to have it as a day van that enables us to sleep in it, for maximum flexibility around how and what we use the vehicle for.
There are Camper conversions out there for twin doors, but it’s never appealed to me. I like the versatility that my awnings bring, as i’d personally not want to be cooking in the van. So it will achieve everything else a camper can, but we cook al fresco.

 

[Tourershine]

Yes, twin slider. No it’s not a full on camper, as my aim has always been to have it as a day van that enables us to sleep in it, for maximum flexibility around how and what we use the vehicle for.
There are Camper conversions out there for twin doors, but it’s never appealed to me. I like the versatility that my awnings bring, as i’d personally not want to be cooking in the van. So it will achieve everything else a camper can, but we cook al fresco.

I guess thinking about it, we rarely cook in our MH, and pretty much use the Cadac for everything. My kids are getting to an age now where they don't want to come away with us. My eldest goes to Costa Rica with her school in a few weeks, and then we go back over to Switzerland and the south of France for 3 weeks, but she's adament that she's not coming with us this time, so the dynamics are starting to change for us holidaying.
By the time I finish with the current T6, my youngest will be at that stage too, so opens up a totally new way of what we need in a camper or MH. Personally I just cannot see us compromising from what we currently use to holiday in, but I would like a T6 that I can take to shows and the odd weekend away, so I can see your way appealing, camper/van/daily driver all in one. My problem is I don't really like tents, and prefer being inside a vehicle, so I can see me adding a nice sleek pop top purely as the sleeping side of things, and providing I had a fridge, that's all i'd need really.
All this is several years away, and who knows what will happen between now and then.