Small fire in wardrobe. I do mean small....

My Macbook is playing silly billies. I take a photo, import it into the 'Autosleepers' folder then when I look in the autosleepers folder it isn't there. It is still in the SD card in the slot in the macbook though, so I try 'attach files' and go to the SD card folder and it isn't there. However, it is in fact in the SD card. So I copy/paste the picture into the text box here, and the picture appears. I press 'send' and the message isn't sent because the message is too long. Presumably it thinks that each pixel in the picture is a letter in the text.

I think that all coachbuilt A/S have a wardrobe with a light above the door. I have just discovered that some time in the past something has shorted, or at least got extremely hot there and caused what is obviously a small fire. The wood is charred and burnt, and the plastic strip around the door frame is melted. I didn't notice this when I was looking at the camper in the dealership, it isn't so big that it hits you in the eye when you are looking around, I just noticed it in the course of removing the satellite dish wiring.

What sort of light would A/S have fitted? Was it a filament lamp, which I guess it was because LEDs don't run that hot. Or was it a poor electrical connection that overheated? I did have a new Rapido a few years ago with an electrical connection badly fitted in the factory which might have caused the whole camper to go up in smoke. So of course I'll never have a Rapido again, the moron in the factory had to know that he had made a bad connection and he thought in French "Oh, bon sang, laisse le client régler le problème". If you want to know what that means in English, use Google translate.



There are of course three possible reasons for the Smouldering Bourton: 
1) Bad electrical wiring in the factory, or I think more likely

2) A low cost pooly made filament bulb light fitting
3) A previous owner decided to wire in a better light, and made a hash of it.



Can someone do me a favour and post a picture of an original wardrobe interior light? Thanks.


To their credit when I called the dealer to tell them, their response was "Oh very sorry. Is there anything we can do about it?" implying that they would take it back and rectify it. The only think I can think of is that they would have to replace the wardrobe frame, but as they are not an AutoSleeper dealer they would have to get the frame from A/S, and in reality they would say take it to A/S in Willersley and get them to do it and we woud pay. I wonder what that would cost? If I could send a photo to anyone, I would send it to the dealer and to A/S and find out what the cost would be and who would pay. It would be nice to have a new frame, but as it is, it isn't changing the structural integrity of the van and it isn't the first thing you see when you open the door.
On Monday I'll probably take my MacBook to the Apple dealer and ask why I can't upload photos.

Ours is a Halogen bulb, G9 I think and ours is playing up by not always switching on. Looking to replace it with this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331619140582?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=RBLfkpaaRxO&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=GRj6j5xWQIy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Van is at storage so no photo.

By the way gassygassy thanks for your post on replacing rear camera, it was most useful as I have just replaced mine.

Mike

I replaced mine with a led bulb ,at the same time I replaced the 2 front wall lights bulbs with led same bulb a wardrobes.,

Thanks Mike, that light looks exactly right for the job.
Havng taken a second look, the front panel of the wardrobe will come off by removing about ten screws, it looks very easy and by no means a big job. I'll ask the dealer if they will fund the cost, because if I don't replace it, it will just haunt me for the rest of the time I own the vehicle and I will be losing sleep wondering which is the next bit to catch on fire.

After reading your post that it might have caused a fire has moved replacing it up my job list somewhat! I’d seen it as an irritation that it sometimes didn’t work, not a fire risk.

Might even get it before we go to the Dales back end of next week, it will be something to do when it undoubtedly rains!

Mike

Just seen this.  I won’t be able take a photo of my wardrobe light fitting for a few days which is the original.  However, very early on I replaced the ‘hot’ filament or halogen bulb with a ‘cool’ LED bulb so no risk of overheating.  It’s very easy not to shut the wardrobe door properly which leaves the light on which isn’t noticeable in the daytime.  This is why I think it’s a good idea to fit a LED bulb.

Just found these, the bulb looks more like G4 Halogen. On ours the switch is faulty and doesn’t always switch on when the door is opened.




Mike

That looks very much as if it is the original fitting, and if so I would be surprised if A/S haven't encountered this problem before. In fact I am sure that the bulb would melt the plastic housing and burn the woodwork behind it as in my photo if the door did not switch the light off. You might well not notice the light on, unless it woke you one night. Its proximity to the clothes is very thought provoking.
I've found out why my macbook wouldn't allow me to add photos so here it is. Get rid of your halogen wardrobe bulbs everyone or you might end up with a barbecued wardrobe - or no wardrobe and no motorhome.

Mike187 wrote:Just found these, the bulb looks more like G4 Halogen. On ours the switch is faulty and doesn’t always switch on when the door is opened.




Mike

That's less important than if it doesn't switch off Mike !

Just checked my light and it is the same as Mike187.  The trademark embossed on it is TriLight with the T and L linked as per the photo.  As mentioned before, mine now has a LED bulb.  I found the translucent plastic cover difficult to refit but I got in on in the end.  There must be knack to it.

Did your light have any scorch marks from the bulb Caraman?

gassygassy wrote:Did your light have any scorch marks from the bulb Caraman?

None at all.  Once I realised how easy it is for the light to be left on all day by not shutting the wardrobe door properly, I fitted the LED.  I don't know if I ever did leave the light on all day with the previous 'hot' bulb.  Changing the bulb was a precaution.  I also wanted to reduce the load on the LB when not connected to an EHU.