Push button light dangling by the wire.

[RustyMD]

I will try to attach pictures, but the question is this: one of my individual push button lights with the short gooseneck wire cover has come loose at the base. It is hanging by the two wires. The wire go through the gooseneck and then thru a hollow bolt and then thru the base that is attached to the ceiling/under cabinet. A nut inside/on top of the base has apparently come loose. QUESTION…what the heck are the fasteners holding the base to the fiberglass? They look like rivets. They don’t seem to be hex/Allen or torx/star. I can’t remove the base for what should be a simple fix. Help.

[John E Davies]

Those are common aluminum pop rivets, you must drill off the heads and install new ones. Obviously you will need to buy a rivet gun and appropriately sized rivets. They look like 1/8”, so start with a 1/8” drill bit. If they are larger ,then go up in size. Wear eye protection and put down cardboard first.

https://arrowfastener.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/RT187M-Rivet-Guide.pdf

You could file a warranty claim, but who knows how long that will take…..

BTW those are called reading lights.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Rivernerd]

 

It looks in this photo like the top of the flex housing is threaded.  Have you tried twisting it into a vertical position, then screwing it back in to the flange above it?  If this method works, it would be easier than drilling out and replacing the pop rivets, after securing the flex housing to the flange in some way.

[RustyMD]

Thanks.

[RustyMD]

I’ll try turning the housing/base in the morning.

[Patriot]

@RustyMD
If you don’t have success with fixing it, submit a warranty work ticket for a replacement. Oliver is excellent about getting replacement parts out fast in my experience. I have typically only waited 3-4 business days maximum for a replacement part for example (touch lights) after the work ticket is processed and the item is shipped. 

I suggest consider registering here for warranty claims or even if you’re out of warranty and need a replacement part. Your claim is opened and tracked and you also will be notified by email when your replacement part ships.

 https://support.olivertraveltrailers.com/portal/en/signin

Patriot🇺🇸

[Steph and Dud B]

8 hours ago, Rivernerd said:

It looks in this photo like the top of the flex housing is threaded.

Correct. One of ours started to come loose and we just twisted it back in. 

[mossemi]

9 hours ago, Rivernerd said:

It looks in this photo like the top of the flex housing is threaded.

This is the OEM light hull 193 was equipped with.  My best guess is that the nut and washer is loose and will be impossible to get back on the hollow bolt.  You can remove the rubber mat in the cabinet and locate the top of the fixture, it will be under the black tape corresponding with the fixture location.  If you attempt this method I think it would be beneficial to pre twist the wires in the opposite direction so that they straighten out when you thread the stem back in.

Mossey

[mossemi]

Revisiting my post above, I don’t think you can complete this repair without drilling out the rivets.  The nut and washer have to be trapped in the chrome base which is still attached to the bottom of the cabinet.   The hole in the cabinet that the wiring passes through is not large enough for you to work through to line up the washer and nut.  And of course there is no way to get a wrench on the nut to secure it either.  And I will add that the lights I installed are screw mounted, not riveted.  The lights Oliver installed are riveted.  Sorry if I miss directed you with my first post!

Mossey

Edited April 30, 2023 by mossemi
typo correction

[Caddymv]

This happened tome recently. Very easy fix. Drill out the two rivets. Tighten up the nut inside the housing and then put two new rivets back in. Easier done than said.  Good luck

 

[RustyMD]

I don’t know how to hook my response to a previous post but responding to Caddymv; what you did is my plan. Question: what size bit did you use to drill out the rivet and what size and length rivet did you use.

Thanks

[Jim and Chris Neuman]

Even better than new rivets, use a couple of stainless pan head screws sized slightly larger than the hole left from drilling out the rivet.  A number 6 may work but, more likely, a number 8.  Just take care not to open up the fastener hole in the fibreglass when you drill out the rivet.  If these ever need to be backed out you just unscrew them eliminating the need to re-drill out replacement pop rivets. 

Screw length should be just long enough to engage the full thickness of the glass skin.  I did this when a light in the galley area failed.  I believe a 1/2" screw would be adequate to engage the outer layer of the laminate without going completely through the coring - you don't want the screw to be so long that it pokes through into the cabinet.

[RustyMD]

The pan head screws may be fine. The top of the light is  behind a porthole cover in the cabinet above the cooktop. Unfortunately not such that my fingers can get positioned well enough to do anything from the top.

 

 

[Caddymv]

Sorry. Don’t remember the exact size. I started small. And you can go bigger as needed. I think I used a 1 8th drill bit

[RustyMD]

Follow up and result. I drilled out the rivet. 1/8” bit. I rigged a guard so I wouldn’t go to deep at first. I’ll try to add a picture. The nut was off inside the cover and this was reattached and I applied a drop of removable Loctite. Used the drill bit to push the rivet stem thru the fiberglass above. Lined up the holes and replaced the original rivets with 1/8” diameter by 1/2” length aluminum rivets.