Xplorer aisle lights switch

[TZimmerman]

I just recently bought a 2000 Dodge Xplorer that has 3 'running' lights an inch off the ground, going down the aisle. The seller could not remember how to turn them on and I can't find a switch anywhere. Is anyone familiar with this model and can clue me in?

[rowiebowie]

Welcome to the forum Tom!

There are other Explorer owners on the forum. I'm sure one will be along soon to offer their help.

[D&J Phillips]

Ours is a 1999 so I bet they are wired the same.

The aisle lights are part of the van courtesy light circuit that comes on when the doors are opened.

To activate, look at the overhead dome light in the front (driving area) that also has small spot lights or map lights - there are a three rocker switches, the two outer ones turn on the spot lights and the center one activates the courtesy lights (including the front dome light). The aisle lights will then come on whenever any door is opened. (BTW, I tapped into this circuit and added a small LED light on the floor behind the passenger seat to illuminate the entry steps and an LED strip light outside below the door to illuminate the running board, it really helps when entering/exiting at night)

You can also turn them on when doors are closed by turning the van headlight switch all the way to the left.

Congrats on your purchase. We love ours and think they are one of the best built of the era. I do have the complete manual with ours, so if you don't have one and need info, feel free to PM me.

Dave Phillips

[TZimmerman]

Thanks Dave,
The seller replaced all the original lights with LED fixtures, so now the dome light just has an on/off switch.
It is helpful to know that it is on the courtesy circuit. I will try turning the headlight switch. Thanks for the entry light tip.
Thanks regarding the manual offer - I did get a full one with the purchase.
Interestingly, it shows the aisle lights in a drawing, but makes no reference to them anywhere in the text!
Can't wait to doing some boondocking around New England this spring.

Thanks,
Tom

[TZimmerman]

I tried turning the headlight switch to the left...it clicks in position but the aisle lights don't come on. I guess the when the seller replaced the domelight with LEDs, the courtesy circuit may have been interrupted?
All the ceiling lights were replaced...hall and bedroom.

Can you tell me what should go on with the head light knob left turn?
Thx

[D&J Phillips]

The dome light and the aisle lights come on in ours when the headlight switch is turned to the left. And the same result when the center switch of the dome light is on, the same lights come on whenever any door is opened - when the center switch is turned the other way, you can still manually turn on the dome and aisle lights with the headlight switch but they won't come on automatically when doors are opened (I've found this to be very useful if you are camped and have the side door open a lot so you don't drain the van battery in the daytime when you don't notice the lights are on BTDT).

You said your dome light has been changed out for LEDs. Here is a picture of ours and the switches I described earlier. It is not LED, it is 12v incandescent that I assume is OEM Dodge (but not sure). Even though they changed the fixture to LED, the wiring should all still be there and it should be possible to get them to come on automatically when the doors open.

One side note, you mentioned 3 aisle lights and ours has only two, one opposite the sink under the dining seat and one on the right side of the bedroom at the rear - Ours is a twin bed model and if you have the power sofa that may mean a different lighting layout.

Hope this helps

[TZimmerman]

Thanks again,
Now that I know where to look for the issue, I will see what I can do.

On another electrical system note, I am thinking of changing from the existing older 2 - 12V 220 ah wet deep cycle batteries to 2 - 6V 200 ah AGM golfcart batteries. I hope to do both shore power and boondock camping.

Any reason not to get 6V AGM that you know of?

[D&J Phillips]

I'm probably the least qualified on this forum to advise on batteries -I'm still running two 12V deep cycle flooded batteries.

From what I have gleaned on this forum, most here seem to think the 6V AGM in series are a better way to go if you find some that will fit - most of what I've read suggests better results with that route than the 12V deep cycle flooded...if nothing else the lack of maintenance sounds appealing. For us, the Lithium with solar route seems too complicated and expensive for our simple needs.

Again, I'm fairly overwhelmed by the variety of options and opinions and expenses involved so I am not a good choice for guidance on upgrades.

I bought new batteries when I got our van in 2014 and am soon going to need to make some decisions so I will be interested in what you find works for Xplorers. I assume yours is an xlw and has the batteries under the entry step like mine.

Dave

[TZimmerman]

Thanks Dave,
I am glad to hear you got new batteries in 2014 and are just now looking for new ones : )
I agree the Lithium is too much hassle and I will be getting two AGM's. I will keep you posted. Mine is an xlw with the batteries under the stairs.
I have reached out to the seller to make sure he did not cut any wires in the
'courtesy' circuit. I appreciate your help on identifying the source of my problem.
TZ

[D&J Phillips]

Hi Tom,
I got curious and looked thru my manual and found this page in the electrical section - no verbiage other than what you see on the page but maybe it will help you chase it down.

I'm not exactly sure how to interpret the schematic but it seems to describe how to cut into the Dodge wiring to install this light. Hopefully if you study it and look at your wiring maybe you can figure out what they did.

I believe this represents the dome light in ours and I now think it is NOT Dodge but some aftermarket light. Yours may have been done differently? I do know production changes happened all the time.

Quite frankly, it seem like a very goofy schematic to me - I hope you are better at understanding electrical stuff that I am

Hope this helps,
Dave

[TZimmerman]

Hi Dave,
Thanks a bunch for the schematic!
I will see what I can do (or provide to a mechanic if I give up : )
Thanks for your help.

[vstreano]

Hi Tom,
We also have a 2000 Xplorer. We changed to two 6V deep cell golf cart batteries from Costco as soon as we bought our van seven years ago. We just had to replace them. If you find the AGM's are too big for your battery compartment, or too expensive, you might want to look at the Costco batteries. About $90 each. I did have to raise the step about an inch to get everything to fit. Congratulations on buying one of the best B vans ever made.

[Joe]

I have a 1995 Xplorer on a Dodge 3500 frame. I have 3 hallway floor lights that work the same as described to you. Someone must have changed something somewhere. I have replaced by house battery twice now. Just use one 12volt deep cycle.

[Roughcutt]

We have a '99 Xplorer 230 XLW and it has the tiny 10kw solar panel. The manual only shows the wiring from the charger/volt meter to the connection points. However, I'm trying to figure out the wire gauge from they used for the solar panel. Hoping someone knows what it is. Figure, if its 10 or thicker than I can add a different panel without re-wiring.

[Roughcutt]

You probably already figured it out after all these years, but on ours we turn it far to the right and it clicks. That turns all of them off.

[billn]

I have a 2004 230XLW and I looked at doing the same thing but I saw the wires were not real heavy. Also, I think the existing panel is not using a controller, So that will need to be added if you upgrade. I ended up just using a suitecase solar panel, and deploy it when we are out. That way we can park in the shade if we can. If worse comes to worse, you could use the existing to pull heaver wires through. Good luck.