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Rope Light Burnout

Yahoo Message Number: 1353
We purchased a 2000 Magna in June of 2002 and selected the option to have rope lights in the window valances. The bulbs began to burn out after 5 months and by the end of the first year, almost 50% of the bulbs were burnt out. While at the factory for the one year warranty period, I spoke to an Affinity owner who was parked next to me who had the same problem. He told me that his CC service writer told him that the rope lights are not a warrantable item, since they are light bulbs. They did however tell him that they would give him the rope lights free of charge, however, he would have to pay the $65. per hour labor charge to replace them. He also told me he had owned a Magna for three years prior to his Affinity purchase and none of the lights had burned out in his older Magna. It looks like CC has switched to a rope light that is much inferior with a short bulb life span. I thought I was going to have a confrontation on replacing the rope lights. Well, they replaced them and never said anything about me having to pay a labor charge.
I was happy about this, however, the replacements are starting to burn out again and I doubt they will replace them under warranty this time.
Personally, I feel that when a manufacturer selects any product that fails within the first year, they should have to replace them with one that lasts a minimum of one year or have to fix them under warranty every year free of charge. If they had to do this, they would look much closer than just the least expensive product that fills the immediate need. Anyone else having a problem with this?

John Jensen - 2000 Magna 40'
Indulgence

Re: Rope Light Burnout

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1354
I don't have rope lights in my coach, but do have them in my home. These are

designed to last a very long time. The ones in my home have lasted over 6 years

without any of them going out.
. .

My guess is that these are defective, or they are getting more voltage than rated for.

I agree that when something is defective like this (not normal light bulbs) they should replacement.

Re: Rope Light Burnout

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1355
My '00 Magna has about 25 percent of the rope lites gone. I haven't bothered to replace them but it is annoying. I suspect that since the charger is on all the time, the voltage is a little too high and also the bulbs are not designed to be enclosed in a plastic sheath which makes them hotter. I know that the 110 volt rope lights almost never burn out tho'. I wonder if we could replace them with 110 volt type and run them off the inverter. jerry in NM.

Re: Rope Light Burnout

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1356
If you know where the circuit is, you can also put some resistance in series that cut down the

light slightly while greatly preserving the life.

Re: Rope Light Burnout

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1358
John:

I am happy that I do not have subject lights in my Intrigue. I do however have them in my home as accent lighting. There are 2 runs of approximately 20'-0".
These lights come in various lengths and are sold at Home Depot or Lowes. That is where I bought mine. They are designed for nominal 120 volt operation. Nominal , that may be the problem. Voltage, as it may be set in your coach as it is controlled by your inverter or generator may be on the high side. Light bulb life is significantly reduced by excessive voltage. I don't remember the formula but it is surprising.

I have not seen how CC installs the rope lights but it should not be rocket science. The lights are cheap and can be cut in 18" increments.
Eventually you will be doing the replacement yourself.
I suggest you have the voltage checked on both your inverter and your generator . My suggestion would be to keep it at least no higher than 125 volts . Even at that it is high for light bulbs.
Hope this is of some help

James M. Green

jlj8248321@... wrote:

Re: Rope Light Burnout

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1360
Jerry, We have a 2001 Magna with 26,000 miles and none of the rope light bulbs have burned out yet. Can't offer any help on this one, Bill G

Re: Rope Light Burnout

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1361
Bill, We don't have any rope lights so the only input I can give is this.

Is it possible to look at any part of the rope light and determine the manufacturer and any voltage/amp specification.

If owners with problems can identify theirs and they are different to those who have no problems, it might be useful as a guide for those getting replacement rope lights.

Of course if it is the same manufacturer and specification it may be a case of a bad batch getting through the production line just like individual light bulbs.

David & Karen,
2000 CC Intrigue 11062
40 ft. Gourmet on the Road

Re: Rope Light Burnout

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1401
I think you maybe on to something, I have a 97 40" Magana and none of the Rope Lights have burned out as of yet. I would believe that they have switched to a inferior product. Either the Rope light or your voltage control to those lights does not meet the old spec. They also make these lights in a 12 volt configuration as most of the Luxury conversion vans have them installed today.

John Bicknas 1997 Magna 40'
Pensacola FL

Re: Rope Light Burnout

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1450
Jim's correct. Placing a resister in series will lower the voltage to the lights and should raise the life expectantacy of the bulbs. Since the domestic batteries can be charged at over 14Vdc, the voltage at the lights will be very close to that level. The lights should last a lot longer with a nominal voltage of 10.5 - 11.5Vdc.
The only concern is finding the correct wattage resister based on the current the light circuit uses, and of coarse the ohm-rating of the resister to drop to the appropriate voltage.
I think it would be easiest to use a resister for each side or area of the coach. This will allow the physical size of each resister to be smaller and easier to hide.

Re: Rope Light Burnout

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1505
Regarding the Rope Light Resister.

Does any one know what size resister should be used??? Does the length of the rope lights make any difference?

Thanks Den 02 Affinity.

Re: Rope Light Burnout

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1507
would have to know how many lights and wattage of bulbsin rope denny, and is it 12v? or 120v The resistor will be fairly small in ohms (resistance) but will have to be fairly large physically to handle the current. Is there a dimmer on these circuits now? If not, that would be the best choice..replace switch with a dimmer (which is a variable resistor than can handle the current in the circuit). Any good electrical supply counter can tell you which to use if you give them voltage, watt size of bulb and number of bulbs. I don't have the rope lights in my coach. You might get this info from schematics in coach literature?

Re: Rope Light Burnout

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1531
From :36' Intrigue 2000 Galley's Open Some points to consider:

To add resisters to the rope light circuit technically is a workable solution but not for most to consider. It has to be not only the correct value of resistance to achieve the desired reduced voltage for the string of lights but the correct wattage so as not to get too hot. That energy not used by the bulbs is converted to heat in the resister.
Miscalculations could become a source of fire potential.
There are ways to get around this. A 12 volt transformer (of the correct capacity supplied from 120 nominal voltage) could be connected to a conventional dimmer light control. The bulbs don't care if the run on DC or AC.

That way the lights could be dimmed or preset at some voltage less than 12 volts and they will be much happier. The same thing can be done by using 120 volt rope lights. Most of them can be cut to length in 18" increments. The 120 volt type seem to be a bit more tolerant of over voltage. I think that when 1 bulb dies in the 18" segment, that segment dies. Some one else may have to confirm that as none of mine have ever burned out in my home.

The control as used it the automotive market to dim the dash lights is cheap and does the job for dash lights but there is a fixed number of bulbs drawing current. They do get hot and have been known to physically burn out. I have the suspicion that CC uses quite a variety of bulb counts in the various locations. They may all be in parallel, or a mixture of series and parallel making it more difficult to determine each variable resister or fixed resister. It may be more efficient to run them on DC than on AC via the inverter but they are more prone to failure.

If I were doing a replacement in my coach it would definitely be with AC lights running on a dimmer and 120 volt. To run them dimmer does not Jim Green WB3DJU
 

Re: Rope Light Burnout

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1537
Just a quick note, I purchased a 12 volt dimmer switch, made by King Controls, from a RV parts supplier in Indiana. It worked great for the application I needed it for. The cost was about $35.00, a little spendy I know!!. Bet it would work on rope lights, I might try it and see how it works!!

Paul and Elzabeth
91 Affinity

-- > From :36' Intrigue 2000 Galley's Open

Quote
Some points to consider: > To add resisters to the rope light circuit technically is a

workable

Quote
solution but not for most to consider. It has to be not only the

correct

Quote
value of resistance to achieve the desired reduced voltage for the > string of lights but the correct wattage so as not to get too hot.

That

Quote
energy not used by the bulbs is converted to heat in the resister.
Miscalculations could become a source of fire potential.
There are ways to get around this. A 12 volt transformer (of the

correct

Quote
capacity supplied from 120 nominal voltage) could be connected to a > conventional dimmer light control. The bulbs don't care if the run

on DC

Quote
or AC.

That way the lights could be dimmed or preset at some voltage less

than

Quote
12 volts and they will be much happier. The same thing can be done

by

Quote
using 120 volt rope lights. Most of them can be cut to length in

18"

Quote
increments. The 120 volt type seem to be a bit more tolerant of

over

Quote
voltage. I think that when 1 bulb dies in the 18" segment, that

segment

Quote
dies. Some one else may have to confirm that as none of mine have

ever

Quote
burned out in my home.

The control as used it the automotive market to dim the dash

lights is

Quote
cheap and does the job for dash lights but there is a fixed number

of

Quote
bulbs drawing current. They do get hot and have been known to

physically

Quote
burn out. I have the suspicion that CC uses quite a variety of bulb > counts in the various locations. They may all be in parallel, or a > mixture of series and parallel making it more difficult to

determine

Quote
each variable resister or fixed resister. It may be more efficient

to

Quote
run them on DC than on AC via the inverter but they are more prone

to

Quote
failure.

If I were doing a replacement in my coach it would definitely be

with AC

Quote
lights running on a dimmer and 120 volt. To run them dimmer does

not