Has anyone changed over the lights in their camper to LED? This is something I thought about doing last year and still debating weather it is worth it. I know it would be good to do for battery saving if I did a lot of boondocking but I really dont.
If you did change over:
Is the lighting brighter, less or no difference?
Where did you get your bulbs?
We did it last year, we got the direct replacements that go into the 1156 sockets.
Love them, we intentionally got them dimmer that the bulbs that were there as with the dual overhead lamps,, the regular bulbs were to bright and too hot. We save a ton on battery, the LED light is softer (Intentionally for us - you can get bulbs that are just as bright). It is also little to no heat.
We have at least doubled out battery availablelity time.
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The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything that they have! |
This is what I've been looking at. SuperBright LEDs http://www.superbrightleds.com......htm%23pcb
Got mine here:
http://led4rv.com/index.php?ma.....38;cPath=5
There is a tremendous difference between bright white and warm white. We bought one of each initially and decided the warm white was better for us.
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The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything that they have! |
I changed some of my lights over to LED panels. The light output and color is almost an exact match to the stock bulbs. All of my ceiling lights (3) are doubles an I mounted the LEDs in the first (single light) position.
I used the 1156-PCB-WWHP9 panels from http://www.superbrightleds.com, and used some thick double-sided foam tape to mount them in the fixture.
.Finally, you need to think concerning the cost. LED higher bay lamps LED LED Light Bars led strip lights flexible led strip power supply are considerably much less expensive than most bay lamps. one more advantage could be the reality that these lamps can last longer, which means you won't need to purchase replacements or backup lights for interchangeable lighting.
I just ordered these and have not yet installed them:
[IMG]http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/49415/2729981870106902244S500x500Q85.jpg[/img]
On another forum :whistle: I was discussing this with someone who swapped to leds and he said that when he did the leds got so hot that it melted his wiring and all withing minutes. Now I am kind of scared to swap mine. What would have caused that??
2003 GMC Yukon SLE
2002 Fleetwood Terry Lite 25j
[quote author=Houndog1178 link=topic=398.msg11482#msg11482 date=1331018724]
On another forum :whistle: I was discussing this with someone who swapped to leds and he said that when he did the leds got so hot that it melted his wiring and all withing minutes. Now I am kind of scared to swap mine. What would have caused that??
A bare wire against the light fixture.
Something shorted out, but it wasn't the LED light that caused it, unless it was a drastic defect in the manufacturing of the bulb.
One of the great points with LEDs is the lack of heat.
John
I found another source for the LED ceiling fixture lights a while back. They sell some warm white, 21 and 30 LED panels that are designed to work in fixtures with most of our interior fixtures and have wedge or BA15 style sockets. Still not cheap, but nothing with "RV" or "Marine" on it ever is.
http://www.commandelectronics......UpgradeKit
I haven't tried them yet, but the one report I read was positive.
Regarding the overheating, I agree with JEH412 and others before - it was likely a short. It's entirely too easy for the PCB panels to make contact with the metal back of the fixture if you're not careful to tape over the backs. If instead it was similar to the round ones like Hounddog had the picture of, it was probably a manufacturing defect. Given the ones above are designed for RV light fixtures, they're likely the safest choice.
We don't boondock, but often camp without hook ups. I put the LEDs in our pup about 3 years ago.
When we had to have the roof replaced, I pulled out the LEDs. Of course the new fixtures don't use the same base, so I had to make an adapter.
I like the LEDs. They give plenty of light. They also allow the battery to last a lot longer, if you can get people to turn off the light when they are finished.
I replaced ALL my lights in my PUP nearly 2 years ago. Tail lights marker and all task lights.
SOME higher watt LEDs need heat sinks 1W+ They DO create SOME heat. Specially if you have the WRONG resistors/voltage.
I replace all of mine with a flat 24 SMD 5050 LED array off of eBay for a about 3 bucks a pop (they have 6 up to 48 per array) except for the trailer markers. The lens needed replacement so I bought NEW replacements that already was LED based.
Did not come with the proper connector - but just took out the OLD bulb apart and cleaned off the connector - and soldered then up to one that was included (had T10, bayonet and BA9S included - I found I need BA15S connectors which IS available).
I use them to lower my power requirement off my car and can use solar charger and battery during the night for task lights. I had found (along time ago) that often car light would be MUCH dimmer when towing - Not with LEDs. They are bright if not brighter than stock. MINE are ALSO DIM-ABLE for the task light!!! So can put on low or high as needed. (only dims to a certain level then cut right off).
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