Hi All,
I previously owned a 1969 Overlander (27'), which had the two switch set
up as described by Dean yesterday.
<On my 1970 27ft unit the first sw is for the outside over the door light
<The second switch is for the top light over the couch and table.
Our friend Andy at Inland RV told me this outside light is called a
"scare light" (FWIW).
I currently own a 1968 Caravel (17') which has only one switch near the
door, this operating the scare light. Personally, I'd rather have a
switch for one of the overhead lights located in that position, and plan
to add one someday. I agree with those of you who find the scare light
virtually useless for anything except blinding me and annoying anybody
within 50 yards of my rig. I'm surprised there wasn't some sort of shade
produced by Airstream to knock some of the light downward enough to
prevent total blindness yet still provide useful lighting around the
door area. I think part of the "blinding" problem is the clear lens
which covers the light. It is a fresnel lens and obviously designed for
concentrating light and projecting it straight outward. Good for a
back-up light, lousy for a porch light. Perhaps Dr. J could address
modifications to the fresnel lens design which could achieve a better
downward projection pattern without resorting to an exterior shad
attachment. I have vague, nightmarish memories of light refraction and
lenses from college physics, but any math beyond add, subtract, or
multiply fries my circuits these days.
Steve Boyd, Botanist
Riverside, CA
Caravel '68