Interior Lights for Sprinter

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Ok this is what I did..I got that 3 spotlight Patio System from Home Depot thats solar powered..2 in the backcorners and one between front and back. The solar panel bout 4"x4" is detachable from mounting bracket so it just lies on the dashboard during the day charging and plug it in at night the lights are jacked so you can choose what lights you want on! and this saves from running wires thru to front of van...the wifes a reader so works well without buring the battery or using up a bunch of reg' flashlight batterys!
 

dhalltoyo

Veteran Expediter
Excellent idea!

I really appreciate your ingenuity.

I will definitely check those out on my next trip to Home Depot.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Thanks Dave...With winter coming and snowblowers coming in...patio items should be going on sale soon...I think they are around 35-39 dollars..but the savings not buying batterys should make up some....

Oh yeah one hang up they are light sensored so a piece of duct tape over the sensor and they'll go on.....
 

FIS53

Veteran Expediter
I'm thinking of going to the gm van and stealing the overhead light as it has 2 map lights in it with indivudual switches. The Sprinter one has the map light but it lights up on the passenger side (lot of good for driver). Also it gives off a lot of light everywhere as opposed to being really directed. The gm lighting is a little better.

Have you had the switches fall in on the cargo area lights? One of mine did and another is going (only partial moved in). So only got one light back there for now. Thanks for the replacement idea.

Rob Fis
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
The switches on the cargo lights in the Sprinter are the worst. The driver dome light in the Freightliner version is the same as the cargo lights. I swear, some kid brought home a box of Cracker Jacks, and a his dad, a Mercedes engineer, saw the prize in there, and decided it would be perfect, without modification, for the Sprinter cargo light switch. Very first time I touched one, it fell apart. The switch "wheel" fell down and into the walls. Great.

I had my dome light replaced with the Dodge version of the one with the map light, because that switch is a sliding switch. I had to replace two of the cargo lights because of bad switches, but had those replaced with the same Freightliner versions. But I have all of the lights, dome and cargo, set to go on and off with the doors, and simply never touch them otherwise although the cargo lights do not go on with the rear door, but do with the sliding door, something I will eventually take a closer look at).

Right next to the dome light I installed a 110AC "hockey puck" light from Lowe's, and I use it when I need overhead light in the cockpit. It's white, and the size of a puck. It's a 9 watt bulb that initially comes on kind of dim, then within 30 seconds or so becomes very bright. It's under cabinet lighting, and you can string several together.
http://www.lampsplus.com/Products/UnderCabinet/page_4/15810/

In the center of the ceiling, just behind the seats, I have my primary "house" light, an 8 watt 10" florescent light that plugs in and runs off the inverter. That's the one I have on most of the time when on the computer, watching movies, whatever. I have an identical light in the center above the rear doors, and one on the passenger side above the shelves back there. And a larger, 12 watt 18" light above the head of the bunk. If I need plenty of light, those 4 lights do the trick. They also string together, but are turned on and off independently.
 
Top