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TAB 400 Step Light

falcon1970falcon1970 Member Posts: 758
edited September 2019 in Battery/Electrical & Solar
On the 2019 TAB400 (and maybe earlier models, I don't know) there is a very nice blue LED light that activates when the entry door step is deployed.  It shines downward and gives just enough light to see the step but not enough to illuminate the entire campground.  However, There is also a very bright white light that shines upward at the same time.  It is not bright enough to illuminate the keyhole, but it is bright enough to annoy people parked next to you.  Is that supposed to be that way?  I thought my light fixture might be a bit loose but it appears to be firmly fixed in place.  Has anyone else noticed this?
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Comments

  • TNOutbackTNOutback Member Posts: 633
    I’ve noticed the exact same thing; don’t like the white light escaping from the top of the little fixture.  I’m on the hunt for some blue duct tape to fix that, at least temporarily.
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  • falcon1970falcon1970 Member Posts: 758
    @TNOutback
    I tried that while on the road.  All I had was yellow electrical tape and that greatly decreased the glare.  I'll try with blue electrical tape now that I'm home again but I have doubts that tape will withstand road travel for very long.  I guess those Italians had some purpose in mind for having a white light shining up at you.  I don't think it is working.  I'm going to see if the light fixture can be removed enough to get to the back of the unit.  Some tape on the inside might last.
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  • TNOutbackTNOutback Member Posts: 633
    Looking closely at the light fixture and where it is mounted, that trim piece the fixture is mounted in has a slight curve in it, but the fixture itself has a flat mounting surface, hence the gap at the top that lets out some light.  There really is not a way to fix it since it’s a bit of a round peg in a square hole kind of thing.  I think I am going to get some enamel model paint and a small brush and paint the top of the fixture to block the light.
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  • falcon1970falcon1970 Member Posts: 758
    The chrome colored decorative cover on the outside of the fixture can be (gently!) pried off.  It is held in place by the four small indentations around the edge.  When that is off, you can see the clear lED case (or cover) has a strip of blue colored material along the bottom edge but not the top edge.  The chrome colored cover has a slot on the bottom which allows blue tinted light to shine on the step and a slit along the top which allow white light to shine upwards.  I put a piece of blue electrical tape on the upper side of the LED case under the chrome cover.  Maybe that will shine greatly diminished blue light upwards or it may block the upward light entirely--either way is fine.
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  • RCBRCB Member Posts: 213
    I got fed up with the light so unplugged it at the switch under the step on the left side. 
    400 - 2019
    St Catharines, ON
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  • greggillgreggill Member Posts: 45
    Is it upside down? My blue light is up and the white light shines down on the step. Kind of helpful actually.
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  • falcon1970falcon1970 Member Posts: 758
    Well that would be interesting.  I just assumed the blue was to illuminate the step and should shine down.  We probably need someone to query nuCamp regarding what they intended.
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  • jgram2jgram2 Member Posts: 1,522
    T@B, you’re it @falcon1970 🤭
    John, Judi, Guinness & OD in PDX
    T@Bit@t 2015 S Max Outback, ‘18 V6 4Runner 


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  • falcon1970falcon1970 Member Posts: 758
    OK, @jgram2, I've asked nuCamp.  We'll see if I get a reply since I am not one of the "specials."  I'll let y'all know what I find out.
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  • greggillgreggill Member Posts: 45
    Ok my deepest apologies. I had a brain fart and the blue light is down.
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  • falcon1970falcon1970 Member Posts: 758
    @greggill
    No sweat.  There are lots of things I remember distinctly that apparently never happened.
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  • TNOutbackTNOutback Member Posts: 633
    Mine looks just like yours, @greggill. I’m going to try to find a paint either close to the color of the chrome trim or the panel to block out that white light.
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  • gspdxgspdx Member Posts: 208
    I am thinking about adding a switch inside so i can turn it off when I want and still leave the step deployed.  It's a nice feature but not completely thought out in my opinion.  
    2019 T@B 400 BDL
    2018 Ford F-150 2.7L Ecoboost with tow package
    PNW
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  • N7SHG_HamN7SHG_Ham Member Posts: 1,261
    @gspdx I have thought of changing the power lead from wherever it comes now to the porch light circuit, step only lights if porch light is on and pulled out, that works for most instances except pulling the step out in the dark before entering trailer to turn on porch light. The way it is now, the step is on full time anytime the step is deployed.
    2019 T@B 400 Boondock Lite
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  • gspdxgspdx Member Posts: 208
    N7SHG_Ham said:
    @gspdx I have thought of changing the power lead from wherever it comes now to the porch light circuit, step only lights if porch light is on and pulled out, that works for most instances except pulling the step out in the dark before entering trailer to turn on porch light. The way it is now, the step is on full time anytime the step is deployed.
    That would work.  Good idea.
    2019 T@B 400 BDL
    2018 Ford F-150 2.7L Ecoboost with tow package
    PNW
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  • TNOutbackTNOutback Member Posts: 633
    I took the chrome cover off of the light and applied a strip of electrical tape to the top half of the lens, then put the cover back on.  No more white light shining up!
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  • BlueespyBlueespy Member Posts: 228
    We have a 2019 and our light has a nice plastic/chrome cover with the bottom section open.  On ours, this is the blue light section while the top section (white) doesn't shine through except at a very thin gap right at the top of the cover.  Recently had our step replaced and a few days later our step light wasn't working.  These lights are not expensive and can be purchased at boat shops (I think it's actually designed for boats).  So, we got the new light in and while we were doing the wiring, I decided to wire a LED strip light (DC power).  Imagine my surprise when no power.  I checked the circuit box etc., then checked the wire itself with a multi-meter and yep no power.  So, I'm under the trailer and I see this gray wire sort of hanging loose.  It is right next to a white "dead man switch" meaning when you pull the step out, the switch opens a circuit and your blue step light illuminates.  Push the step in and the dead man switch stops power.  So, just did some minor repair and pushed the gray wire back into the white switch and now the step light works as well as our LED strip.  I mention all of this because if you see your step light isn't working, see if the gray power wire has come loose.  I've attached a few pictures that might help explain all of this.
    2019 T@B 400 BDL
    2020 Ford F-150 XLT (V-8)
    Niceville, Florida
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  • ColleenD2ColleenD2 Member Posts: 515
    Blueespy thanks for this info and the pics. We have a 2019 320 so no light under there but I bet we can install something. We got the lighted handle from the Sofitel when we custom ordered even though we have a Boondock and it helps a lot and feels safer going up and down the stairs in the dark.
    2019 Custom T@B 320 U Boondock Lite-ish
    Custom Colors & Custom Interior
    We've slept in 34 states, 2 countries & counting
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  • rfuss928rfuss928 Member Posts: 1,051
    ColleenD2 
    If you decide to add a step light, you may want to consider a motion sensor light unit.  
    https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/17065/motion-sensor-step-light

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