MrWizard
Van Nuys, Ca
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Joined: 06/27/2004
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i'm sure prices have changed, but think our Fluorescent's were around $39 each for the (2) tube models, using normal short 15 watt tubes.
not those tiny 9 watts tubes that don't hold up
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DDkwac
around
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Joined: 07/28/2008
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-google rgb led
led's are best for spotlighting.
A 3 watt rgb led is my reading light for bed, tuned to a slightly warm white light. As bright as my 50w halogen, except it's far narrower yet fine for my purpose. I can create ANY color with this fixture (brown or teal light anyone?)
I made it using LM317s as a current source per chip, because an RGB led is actually 3 chips on a single die, obviously red, green and blue. Mine cost about 30$ a couple of years ago... might be cheaper now.
LED light is very different from other types, in as an led light source is a single frequency which also determines it's color. White light is 'all colors mixed' (those art classes were good for something)
Incandescent lighting is very broadband, with most of the light output wasted in the invisible infrared.
Fluorescent lights are the opposite, in the ultraviolet. They have to use a phosphorus coating to shift the color intro the visible region.
The inexpensive white led's you all hate are actually blue led's with a yellow phosphor coating.
how I use led lighting:
I use cheep led's for undercounter lights and replaced the driver's nightlight with one. I use very dim green led's for nightlights at the floor.
I have a 1 watt bicycle headlight I use as a flashlight. It's very bright and I've been using the same set of li-on batteries for a year without recharging yet. I use this flashlight on a very regular basis, checking stuff at night.
I use rechargables in all the fixtures because why bother with rewiring? (lazy) I have a recharger, but it seems to only get used for the camera batteries lol.
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kneal44
EAST CENTRAL TEXAS
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Joined: 01/24/2008
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i look for LED bargans: go to dallar stores ... found lots
even wally world had some. look for close outs for $1 i resently purchased 20 umbrella led lights for a buck each . modified them to run directly on 12 volts. one guy said they were ugly . but when boon docking i want light and low current draw. found lots of hocky puck leds for a buck to. as well as cheap flashlights that i dissemble and rewire for 12 volts.
SINCE IAM RETIRED AND HAVE TIME ON MY HANDS and frequently in a rv park ...its somthing to do thats productive.
also i wired new leds and kept the incandesent as back up in case i need more light.
LOOK AT MY OTHER POSTINGS. HERE.
another thing i bought led bulb replacements for $26 from ebay and for the money was not impressed. but was easy to install. so for about $100 you could refit 4 light fixtures if you dont know how to rewire stuff.
LED IS THE WAY TO GO.
when u play in the sand .... you can get stuck
9-24-08 corpus christi padre island texas. wrecker had to haul me out!
'92 dp 5.9 cummins 190 hp....8mpg yuck!
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lotust
Long Island NY
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Joined: 03/02/2008
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48 smt LEDs from v-LEDs.com. Worth $20 each. Warm or white.
- 2006 Jayco Jay Flight 27 BH.(paid off :-)
2008 toyota tundra 5.7L w/tow Off road Pkg. (not paid off)
Honda Eu2000i
The wife and the dog Loving Camping!
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texasrvr
Texas
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Joined: 02/04/2008
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I replaced my clearance lights with LEDs last year. No more flicker and flash and burnt out bulbs. They are a lot brighter then the old lights and the best part is I don't need to stand on a ladder or lie on the roof messing around with old bulbs and corroded sockets etc...
I actually ordered mine from good old JC Whitney. The lights come with 2 LEDs per unit and the red ones emit a red light so if you lose a lens or plastic cover the light is still giving out the right color. The yellow ones work the same way.
The LEDs are encased in clear epoxy so they are waterproof. I'm hoping I don't need to replace them as long as I own the MH.
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Starman97
Austin,TX
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Joined: 07/29/2006
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Yeah, the marker lights are one of the best places for LEDs.
They are totally sealed, and you can RTV them to the coach and prevent water leaks. After that, they are maintainance free for the life of the coach.
I use EL wire for nightlights though, it's got a cooler light, green-blue and you can runs strings of it under cabinets or around window frames or where ever you can run a wire. 12V inverters are readily available and some have adjustable brightness. Other colors are available. LEDs are good for point source lighting, EL is good for areas, but not for brightness.
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Joined: 07/04/2006
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I too like LED external lighting.. And will be replacing with LED's whenever I have to replace an external lamp.. Already done the stop/turn/tail lights
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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garym114
Texas
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Joined: 07/24/2006
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IMO the LED's are not yet ready for interior lighting. Like many others I tried them and then continued to look for something with less current draw and more light than an incandescent.
I ended up using an MR11 xenon with reflector in the swivel fixtures in the MH. The bulb is 10 watt, draws about 0.8 amps and puts out 11 MSCP(Mean Spherical Candlepower) white light.
Got them here.
Sailboat Stuff
The adapter at the bottom of the page has to be used with the bulbs on the page. To install the adapter - make sure there is no power to the socket and use the wire loop to to install the adapter in the socket. Remove the wire loop and plug the bulb into the adapter.
2000 Sea Breeze with 1998 CRV Toad in Dawson Creek - Start of Alaska Highway
Don't Forget - USS Liberty, June 08, 1967
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texasrvr
Texas
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Joined: 02/04/2008
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I has thought of replacing tail lights, brake lights but I read somewhere that the problem with replacing brake / directional lights is the thermal relay that controls the lights. This guy uses resistance and load to switch the lights on and off. In some cases the LEDs don't furnish enough load to get the turn signal flasher or emergency flasher to work.
Any thoughts on this? Does it require a different flasher? Not to mention those lights don't burn out very often. Lights that are difficult to access are my candidates for replacement by LEDs.
We don't (have not) used the MH extensively due to high fuel cost and DWs small business which demands time. So lights are low on my priority list anyhow.....
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DIMDave
Sachse, TX
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Joined: 05/21/2007
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knightstar wrote: I've found a CFL (compact fluorescent light) that I would like to use at Home Depot. Its an MR11 or MR16, I forget which at the moment, bulb with a sinusoidal tube just under the glass face plate of the bulb, in a GU10 base. So now that I've found the bulb, I have yet to find one fixture into which to place the bulb.
The GU10 is used in line-voltage track lighting. I was excited when I found the G5.4 12v version until I realized it was 12v*AC*.
97 Sun-Lite Eagle RK
01 F250 CC SWB PSD
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