Adding Pantry Lights

Pantry lights. Our previous coach and our current 36T have pantrys beside the refrigerator. Unfortunately they are narrow and it's difficult to see what's on the back of the shelves.

To solve this problem, I went to the local auto parts store and ordered a plastic car door courtesy light switch (must have two wire connector and normally closed contacts), and in our case five flat license plate lights, one for each shelf ($20.00).

1. Make a switch mount out of a piece of 1 inch angle by drilling a hole in one side of the angle to accommodate the switch.
2. Drill two small holes in the other side of the angle to attach it to the door frame.
3. Install the switch and mount on the bottom of the pantry door frame on the opposite side of the hinges in such a way that the switch opens when the door is closed.
4. Drill a small hole through the pantry floor close to the location of the switch.
5. Open the power distribution panel door and remove the 12v cover plate.
6. Turn off all the power, then remove the four screws that hold the panel in place and pull out the panel slightly so wires can be reached when pushed through the hole in the pantry.

In our 36T there was an extra 12V fuse which I used to connect the positive wire that I ran through the pantry floor (if no extra fuse, connect the wire to one of the existing fuse wires the lights load is negligible). I connected the other end of this wire to one side of the switch. Run the ground wire through the pantry floor hole and attach it to the ground strip located on the floor behind the distribution panel (usually has a bunch of black wires connected to it.

Now install the lights to the top of each compartment toward the middle of the area (Be sure to leave room to reinstall the shelves if you have removed them for more working space.

Now connect a positive wire (preferably Red) to the other side of the switch and to one of the wires on each light.

Next connect the ground wire (preferably Black) to the other wire of each light. Attach all the wires to the side of the pantry, we used clear shipping package tape.

Reinstall the distribution panel, etc. and turn on the power. When you open the pantry the lights come on, when you close the door the lights go off.

Submitted by Jim Fox