Keeping the Entegra accent lights on all night

[Victory Blue]

For anyone interested there’s a long thread about rope lights here:

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f59/what-...ts-465239.html

It’s almost 250 posts and had gotten ridiculous before I threw it onto the ignore pile. Interestingly, Entegra was named in a negative vein when someone posted “I know Entegra owners love them...”

[DoggieDaddy]

There is a campground near Rodeo, New Mexico that requires that you do not turn your outside lighting and also darken your windows at night. It's one of the designated "dark" areas in the country so they cater to sky watchers and astronomers. We watched a lunar eclipse there.

Astronomers call the affects ground lighting "light pollution". So when you are in an area where people enjoy the night sky, give a hoot and don't pollute. However there is a time and place for everything so let your "bling" bling when appropriate just don't be obnoxious. IMHO

[jmorse1]

When we found our '15 Aspire I was relieved to learn it was without the outside light show that's on the later models...IMO overkill and advertising for Entegra... That being said, my coach is ripe for adding lighting, particularly at the outside folding entry steps. The only lighting is from the glareing led porch light and/or the weak awning LEDs . Has anyone added lighting under or around the folding steps?

[brobox]

Originally Posted by jmorse1

. Has anyone added lighting under or around the folding steps?

Several post with photos. Very simple, attach LED lights to the bottom of the steps, attach the ground to the step wiring ground, the hot to the step light wire. I also ran a 10 foot strip in the patio area so it lit up when we opened the door or turned the step light on to take the dog out.

[jmorse1]

Thanks,
...so the step light power is hot whenever the door is open? We leave the door open a lot and I'm in and out all day with the dog...

[Matt D]

Oneknight mentioned alcohol and infrequent use, chalk me up in that category.

Typically, I only flip that switch when most of my judgement has been flushed away by alcohol.

It doesn’t happen very often, and only in a “party like” atmosphere such as Port A during Memorial Day, Spring a Break, or Labor Day.

Lights out at bedtime, every time.

I’m going to suggest the Grand Canyon owner simply didn’t realize how out of character that behavior is for the area.

I’m not going to suggest I’ve ever made a mistake in judgement with the MH..

..today.

Sometimes a polite conversation will help everyone share the experience. Perhaps this owner was engrossed in another more pressing issue, or a family crisis. I’ve seen owners periodically do perplexing things such as leave Girard awnings out, and simply not realize what they did, or what a problem that can be.

The last time we were in Port A, the owner of a new Allegro Bus left their Girards out during a strong wind. I knocked on the door and spoke to the wife, who didn’t know the risk, and didn’t know how to pull them in. She was going to tell her DH ASAP. She was thankful for the tip as they’d been struggling with other issues.

-Matt

[winniman]

Originally Posted by Gary.Jones

Oh, and Winniman, I happen to think that this sort of discussion is illuminating, and not a waste of time. Sometimes, we do things that are truly annoying to others without ever thinking that it might be annoying (I can think of more than a couple things that go on in RV parks that qualify for the adjective "annoying" like a hundred campfires that generate more smoke in one night than I have consumed since I gave up that filthy habit 50 years ago....). A discussion of common courtesy among the "clan" is a positive thing, IMO.

Gary

No worries. Was just pointing out the other thread that currently has 280 posts saying virtually the same thing. But that's ok, we enjoy the weekly rants. Nothing else to post on until something else breaks. lol

[zzotte]

Originally Posted by DoggieDaddy

There is a campground near Rodeo, New Mexico that requires that you do not turn your outside lighting and also darken your windows at night. It's one of the designated "dark" areas in the country so they cater to sky watchers and astronomers. We watched a lunar eclipse there.

Astronomers call the affects ground lighting "light pollution". So when you are in an area where people enjoy the night sky, give a hoot and don't pollute. However there is a time and place for everything so let your "bling" bling when appropriate just don't be obnoxious. IMHO

You are right on, back in the days was nice to “get way from the city lights” now people seems that they can’t way. I walking around my campground wondering why so much lights sad really.

Zzotte

[MRUSA14]

Burning bright lights all night is the visual equivalent of the guy who blasts loud music in his campsite. Just plain rude. If these are "party lights", then it is fine to use them for a party but not all the time. If they are advertising lights (Which the Entegra lights look like) then that crass commercialism adds nothing to camping enjoyment.

Now I know some people will say "I paid for my campsite and I can use it any way I want". To which I will say that this self-centered me-me-me attitude is what is killing this country.

Have some respect for others.

[astrnmrtom]

Originally Posted by MRUSA14

Burning bright lights all night is the visual equivalent of the guy who blasts loud music in his campsite.

This is my favorite analogy. I try to explain to people to think of light they same way they think of sound. They wouldn't think of leaving their outside speakers playing music all night long, why would they leave bright exterior lights on all night long? Saying something like: "If you don't like my lights, get better curtains" is like saying: "if you don't like my music playing all night long, get better earplugs." I know people think its different, but it isn't. Your bright light shining in someone's bedroom window all night long isn't any different than a speaker pointing at their window playing music all night long.

This in not really a new phenomenon, its just grown by leaps and bounds due to the proliferation of LED lighting. I noticed over 30 years ago the increasing trend of people in my neighborhood leaving their porch lights on all night long. Exterior architectural lighting has spread from commercial buildings to residential, and now to recreational vehicles. LED lighting started off being an energy saving technology, but like many products that costs less money, what ends up is use increases. People can now leave exterior lights on all night long even on battery power thanks to the low draw of LEDs. As LED technology progresses, LED lights produce more lumens per watt, which is both good and bad. LEDs also produce more blue wavelengths which scatter more in the atmosphere - its why the sky is blue - which causes more scattered glow and glare even if you can't directly see the light.

I'll make full disclosure here - I am much more aware and sensitive to good lighting practices because I've been an amateur astronomer for 50+ years. I view lighting as a tool, to be used as needed, then put away when done. I've replaced the porch light on my rig with a 16' LED strip light that I can both dim, and change the color of. Same with my step light. If I'm stargazing in a dark area I can change my strip light to dim red, to set-up and take down my equipment (off when observing) and can change my step lights to red as well as all interior lights if needed.

At my rural home, I use minimal lighting, some on motion detectors, others fully shielded and on timers that shut them off at bedtime. The only light I leave on all night long is a single 15 watt light outside my garage entry door which faces my house, not the neighbor's.

The big picture is, everyone views lighting in different ways and while I'd love for everyone around me to see it the same way I do, I know that's unrealistic - and selfish - because I represent a tiny minority of the population. That's why before taking off to full time, I'll be building a portable light shield wall to use as needed. I DO however want to thank everyone who appreciates the dark skies one can enjoy while camping, and who turn off their lights before going to bed.

[buck58]

I turn my lights off, but, got no problems with those that don’t,,,, at I do leave lights on & I have some lights on motion detectors.... I liked them for security reasons, it just makes me feel better. If you shut your shades and go to bed I don’t see how anybody‘s coach lights could be bothering you, I think maybe sometimes we just look for trouble or issues that aren’t really there...

[buck58]

Oh & I hope everyone has a merry & blessed Christmas

[Gary.Jones]

Buck

I think you missed the whole point of the long post immediately above yours...

Gary

[RVFunlovers]

We like IRV2. You can look up almost anything.
This is one of the times when the search function worked perfectly.

We are camping in New Hampshire and several 5th wheelers and a couple of motorhome have outside LED lights on.

We were wondering is the ok. Must be fine in this park because so many people are doing it. We normally use the awning LED lights when outside in the evening.

We turned on our accessory lights and the Entegra lights look cool. At least we think they look cool.

After reading through this thread we are going to use them when we think it is ok and fits the vibe of the campground but turn them off when we go to bed.

Next step is to figure out how to remove all the dead bugs from the inside of our rear “C” lights. The red ones. They have a lot of dead bugs in them that show up when the lights are on.

I am hoping I can access theWe lights with the rear engineer access panel open on the back of the coach.