Community Forums

Renipladlo · 12-05-2008, 06:42 PM

Hello,
Many of us have those round lights attached to the underside of cabinets and in the ceiling. Those fixtures take halogen bulbs, which draw a large amp load, and get real hot. Has anyone found an LED light which fits the holder and produces the same light? Even if the amp load is the same, the LED light should operate cooler, which would lessen any potential fire danger. Please post replies here, with links to potential places to order them, and prices if available.

Renipladlo · 12-05-2008, 06:42 PM

Hello,
Many of us have those round lights attached to the underside of cabinets and in the ceiling. Those fixtures take halogen bulbs, which draw a large amp load, and get real hot. Has anyone found an LED light which fits the holder and produces the same light? Even if the amp load is the same, the LED light should operate cooler, which would lessen any potential fire danger. Please post replies here, with links to potential places to order them, and prices if available.

Jim A · 12-05-2008, 07:40 PM

I have replaced my halogen bulbs with G4.RV3-H LED's from http://www.prudentrver.com. I highly recommend them. I think they put out better light than the halogen bulbs with a lot less power consumption. I can read with them, which I couldn't do with the halogens. And they are much cooler of course. I used the cool white, which are what I think is a true color, not bluish like some white LED's. I personally didn't like the warm white LED's. Too yellow for my taste. The lights will dim with the existing dimmer, but not all the way down. But far enough for me to be happy. I dim them when watching TV at night.

I also used his B15s.6ZL3 LED's to replace the incandescent bulb in my scare lights. I have had lots of people ask me about them, since they are so much brighter.

I used the similar lights to replace the 1141 bulbs in my vanity light. I also got one of his fluorescent replacements. I love it, but a little steep in price to replace all of them. But the light is excellent!

I hope this gives you some ideas.

beaverjim · 12-06-2008, 02:29 AM

jim, am i confused or are the price of those led replacements for the overheads $34.95 each?

thanks jim

Jim A · 12-06-2008, 07:39 AM

Jim & Sue,

Unfortunately you are not confused. The LED halogen replacements are very nice, but they are not cheap. I did try some that were somewhat cheaper, but the light was not nearly as nice as these. They were too bluish.

Just to be clear, I replaced the halogens in the lights under the cabinets. I don't have the halogens in the ceiling like the later Alpines.

Rick Coleman · 12-06-2008, 12:00 PM

Jim- What are "scare" lights? By the way, does anyone know what bulb goes in the front porch light? Mine is out and all my books, notes, etc. are in the coach 150 miles away. I'd like to take a new bulb with me when I go back next weekend. Is there a LED replacement for this one?

Thanks, Rick

Jeff_S · 12-06-2008, 01:01 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Rick Coleman:
What are "scare" lights? By the way, does anyone know what bulb goes in the front porch light? Thanks, Rick </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Front porch light = "Scare light" = "Security light" (side of coach above utility bay).

Knowing this now, you can figure out the bulb numbers from Jim A's first post above.

gator67 · 12-06-2008, 03:30 PM

I just purchased a couple of the 12v 10w halogen lights that go under the cabinets at Wal-mart for $4.50 each.

Jim A · 12-06-2008, 03:40 PM

Rick,

The existing porch light bulbs are 1295 incandescent bulbs. They have a bayonet base. They are rated at 3 amps. They have an average life expectancy of 300 hours according to data sheets I found online.

The LED replacement from this vendor as noted in the previous post is the B15s.6ZL3. It consists of a bayonet base like the incandescent bulb and 6 strips of 3 LED's each. They are adhesive backed and stick in a circle around the fixture. They use 0.42 amps total.

If you decide to go this route, look at this page:

http://www.prudentrver.com/ledlightstrips.html

You can buy the ZL3 LED strips individually, in a pack of 4, or in a pack of 10. And the BA15a bayonet bases in a 5 pack. Plug up to 6 in each bayonet base.

Supposedly the LED lights don't attract bugs as much, but I can't verify that.

Ted III · 12-07-2008, 03:49 AM

Jim A,
The Prudent RV light source is terrific, except for the typical issue with LED's, price.
It is nice to know that we can replace just the bulb and not the fixture. I have 9 of those undercounter fixtures that use the H4 halogen bulb so replacement would only be $ 315.00 plus about 10.00 bucks for shipping. There is a 5 watt & 10 watt in my refrigerator/freezer but they can keep themselves cool. Price & all I ordered them, I have always been concerned with the heat they produce.
Thanks for the tip on the source.

Eng. Mike, If you changed your bulbs to these LED's the fish in the windows would be brilliant!

Jim A · 12-07-2008, 04:49 PM

Ted,

I hope you like them as much as I did. Let me know after you get them.

I saved the old halogens and use them as replacements in the fridge.

Prudent RVer · 12-07-2008, 06:52 PM

Let me introduce myself, I am Sam Penny, the Prudent RVer. I offer LED replacements for a variety of interior lights in RVs and boats, including halogens, incandescents, and fluorescents on my website at www.prudentrver.com. I also am a vendor at selected rallies in the western US.

I have been retired for 10+ years from engineering in Silicon Valley and live the full-time RV life-style. I got into LEDs in order to survive on solar off the grid. I decided to be a dealer to help a young man in Mesa who had found a good solution to replacing the bulbs in my rig, and have continued with him for 3 years. I will be managing his LightBlasters booth at Quartzsite in the Big Tent in February.

White-phosphor LEDs are just now coming into their own, and the choice of LED chips is critical. Thge state of the art is changing rapidly. The cost is still high if you want quality product. The color rendering index (CRI) is critical when selecting good LEDs that are pleasing to the eye. In addition, protecting the LED semiconductors from the over-voltage commonly found in RVs 9from generators, solar, invertors, etc.) is a must if you are going to see the lifetime you should expect from LEDs (100,000 hours continuous usage).

I have seen several questions about LEDs in this forum, and I am here to help where I can. I sell LEDs because I see them as the necessary lighting for the 21st century -- we have to save energy to survive. Hope we have a chance to talk.

Sam, the Prudent RVer

takepride · 12-07-2008, 08:52 PM

Thanks Sam. I'll be looking you up in Quartzsite. The technology is evolving so fast, it's nice to have someone online that can field questions and make suggestions.