Newmar's response to LED ceiling lights burned out

[Solo_RV_Guy]

Originally Posted by Winepress

Tom, that voltage seems a bit high. Some LED’s are sensitive to higher voltage. That may be the issue. Just for your FYI, our 18 DS, built August of 17, zero bad bulbs. House voltage- 12.79.
Friend of mine has an 18 MA,he has replaced all of his bulbs.
If it were me, I would get them all replaced and them put a regulator in line for your lighting.
It’s not a bulb issue, it’s a voltage issue.
Attachment 247762

If that pic is shore power line voltages there is a problem. You shouldn't be seeing a 10 volt difference, maybe 2 or 3 v but not 10.


Help me here, but I thought the interior RV LED lights were on the coach DC power, not AC. Because the LEDs are powered from the batteries or converter, they AC line voltage isn't directly relevant.

[Stuart W]

Originally Posted by Solo_RV_Guy

If that pic is shore power line voltages there is a problem. You shouldn't be seeing a 10 volt difference, maybe 2 or 3 v but not 10.


Help me here, but I thought the interior RV LED lights were on the coach DC power, not AC. Because the LEDs are powered from the batteries or converter, they AC line voltage isn't directly relevant.

Left is DC right is AC

[rdvan]

Originally Posted by tom chelbana

Yes the LED ceiling lights are pressed into the ceiling and I use a butter knife to pull them out. Lights at the start were 6.23 but Newmar changed companies and now they are 1.23. They are different and are very light in weight and look different. Seem to look OK when on. Still same issue with them stop working. Newmar hasn't charged us yet but do send a invoice. Have sent 25 or so plus the ones they installed for a total of over 40. Will be getting more info and will post what is going on. Have owned Newmar's for 23 years with two new LA and a Essex. Not a happy camper right now,
Newmar Man

Where is a good place to buy them on line? I’m too far from a dealer. Thanks.
R. D. Vanderslice
2018 New Aire 3341

[cavie]

You are wasting your time changing the bulbs. The manufacturer installed cheap Chinese junk. Bight the bullet and install new made in the US quality fixtures. Research voltage requirements.

[Solo_RV_Guy]

Originally Posted by Stuart W

Left is DC right is AC

Thanks for clarification. I completely missed the decimal point on the left hand meter.

[aether_one]

Originally Posted by Winepress

Tom, that voltage seems a bit high. Some LED’s are sensitive to higher voltage. That may be the issue. Just for your FYI, our 18 DS, built August of 17, zero bad bulbs. House voltage- 12.79.
Friend of mine has an 18 MA,he has replaced all of his bulbs.
If it were me, I would get them all replaced and them put a regulator in line for your lighting.
It’s not a bulb issue, it’s a voltage issue.
Attachment 247762

How can 13.5 VDC be "a bit high" for a system that regularly would see 14.5 VDC when charging the batteries? 12 volt LED lights are normally good up to 20 VDC; if not, they are cheap junk.

[Winepress]

Originally Posted by tfryman

How can 13.5 VDC be "a bit high" for a system that regularly would see 14.5 VDC when charging the batteries? 12 volt LED lights are normally good up to 20 VDC; if not, they are cheap junk.

I’ve never seen my voltage that high. It’s just strange that these coaches were all built around the same time and some have the bulb issues, others do not.
Here’s my lights that are used in my coach.

[JMonroe]

I sincerely hope the REAL problem can be found and rectified. Clearly something has changed in the time from when our '16 was built and yours. Knock on wood, in three years we've not lost a single bulb.

[wjohnson913]

Not a Newmar owner but a Tiffin owner. Apparently several manufactures got a bad batch of lights affecting the 2018-2019 model years. I had a couple go out and Tiffin sent me replacements and a few extra for spares. I was having my coach serviced and had another one go out. The company doing my service told me Tiffin sent them 3000 replacements and if any coach had a bad light replace every light in the coach. Haven't had a problem since.

[tom chelbana]

Originally Posted by Winepress

I’ve never seen my voltage that high. It’s just strange that these coaches were all built around the same time and some have the bulb issues, others do not.
Here’s my lights that are used in my coach.Attachment 248001

Our LED lights are not like the ones you are showing. The Newmar lights now have no lenses.
Newmar Man

[Winepress]

Well that explains why there is a difference. Good luck with solving your issue

[Stuart W]

I think the issue is Heat. On the ones that go bad a brown residue (almost like flux) appears around the connections. I bet that if all of the lens were left off the lights would last longer. I know the new stile lights have glued on lens, I’m merely stating that heat is a factor.Think about this, on a 110 degree day, sun beating down on the roof, the attic space above the lights gets pretty hot, now turn the lights on, the lenses force the heat from the lights upwards past the wiring in the lights into the hot attic where the lights live. I would venture to guess in the above condition with all of the ceiling lights on high, the attic temperature has to increase.
Thank you for letting me refer to the space above the ceiling and below the outer roof as “attic space”.
The arrows point to the flux type markings.
Stuart W

[Stuart W]

Here is a picture of the 1/2 off lights
Or 1/2 on depending on your outlook [emoji6]

[mgtibb]

Originally Posted by Stuart W

I think the issue is Heat. On the ones that go bad a brown residue (almost like flux) appears around the connections. I bet that if all of the lens were left off the lights would last longer. I know the new stile lights have glued on lens, I’m merely stating that heat is a factor.Think about this, on a 110 degree day, sun beating down on the roof, the attic space above the lights gets pretty hot, now turn the lights on, the lenses force the heat from the lights upwards past the wiring in the lights into the hot attic where the lights live. I would venture to guess in the above condition with all of the ceiling lights on high, the attic temperature has to increase.
Thank you for letting me refer to the space above the ceiling and below the outer roof as “attic space”.
The arrows point to the flux type markings.
Stuart W

I think you're right about the issue being heat. I think there is something with the cheaply made ones (high resistance, cheap solder, etc). I purchased cheap led bulbs on Ebay to replace my incandescent ones and within a short period of time they started to go out. That's when I noticed that some of the burnt out leds had de- soldered themselves due to the high heat. I've since purchased better quality, more expensive ones and haven't had any issues for over a year now.