Community Forums

maineshops · 05-04-2014, 03:02 PM

has anyone switched to led interior lighting? while i'm rebuilding this old girl i thought i would look into it

tech tulsa · 05-04-2014, 03:21 PM

I will be doing that when I get started putting my ceiling in. I still need to redo my ductwork and insulate some more.

lanerd · 05-04-2014, 03:26 PM

The problem with converting is that LED lighting is that it's very expensive....you can spend a small fortune doing the entire coach. I think I would just do one at a time whenever a regular bulb burned out.

I'm in the process of trying to find some LED lighting for my overhead cabinets. I need battery powered with only "motion" detecting. Most I've found also have "photo" detecting and that actually defeats the purpose. I wonder if I can just put some black tape over the photo sensors.....

Ron

mikelm48 · 05-04-2014, 03:31 PM

Do a search on irv2. There has bean a lot of discussion on this topic.

tech tulsa · 05-04-2014, 03:35 PM

I've found that the LED recessed lights are around $28-30 retail. I would much rather put these in than just the old fixtures. These new recessed lights will help my old 5'er look and feel a lot better. The new color is amazing compared to the old lights.

richardcoxid · 05-04-2014, 04:22 PM

For replacement LEDs check out ebay/amazon etc. I recently purchased 10 SMDs (surface mount LED) with 36 LEDS on each for $32 and change, including shipping. Do a search for “36 SMD LEDs” or for more light “48 SMD LEDs” (I think that I bought them from amazon, can’t remember for sure though) The ones that I purchased came with “Wedge Adapters” which fit my light fixtures, they also had a small piece of double sided adhesive tape applied to the back side. Not trusting the long term stickiness of the tape I applied a drop of RTV at each of the 4 corners.

BCooke · 05-04-2014, 04:24 PM

Changed the interior of mine from Halogen bulbs in the puck lights to LED. Expensive, $400, but we boondock so we can now run 27 pucks at the wattage of 4 before the change over.
Also added lights under the bunk and over the slide.

wa8yxm · 05-05-2014, 08:39 AM

Many of us have either switched are are switching (I fall in the last class) I like LED's for the following reasons.

A good quality led may actually give MORE light
it uses far less electricity
Makes very little waste heat.
And it should outlast me.

Incandescent.. I need to buy by the dozen, eat power and make lots of waste heat.

NOTE: I do have one application where I use Incandescents,, that's cause the wast heat is the desired product.

Cypressloser · 05-05-2014, 02:14 PM

Hey, and the price is starting to come down finally

maineshops · 05-05-2014, 02:46 PM

thanks for all the tips. i'll probably replace them a few at a time as we have much to do on the rebuild yet

Ready2Retire · 05-05-2014, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richardcoxid

For replacement LEDs check out ebay/amazon etc. I recently purchased 10 SMDs (surface mount LED) with 36 LEDS on each for $32 and change, including shipping. Do a search for “36 SMD LEDs” or for more light “48 SMD LEDs” (I think that I bought them from amazon, can’t remember for sure though) The ones that I purchased came with “Wedge Adapters” which fit my light fixtures, they also had a small piece of double sided adhesive tape applied to the back side. Not trusting the long term stickiness of the tape I applied a drop of RTV at each of the 4 corners.

I've seen the “48 SMD LEDs”on ebay and have wondered about them. I've got mixed feelings on LEDs based on past experience. When LEDs first came out, I bought several LED flashlights at Harbor Freight because I figured the batteries would last forever, but the little LEDs started failing after only a few months. Then I bought a bunch of LED Christmas lights to save on the electric bill and they started failing after two years (the leads rusted! from being outside for six weeks at Christmas).

Hopefully the quality of the LEDs is better now. I certainly like the lower power requirement and low heat (especially compared to halogen MR16s).
Good luck if you get some, and feel free to share how much they cost and what you think.

durhamj · 05-05-2014, 05:30 PM

Prices have definitely come down... Search ebay and amazon for 12v LED lighting, and Marinebeam Replacement LED bulbs for your existing boat fixtures
for fluorescent tube replacement. If price, heat and boondocking is a concern, then suggest you replace the most used lights first.

troutslayer · 05-06-2014, 03:48 PM

I bought the LED replacement bulbs (fit #921) on EBay for around $25 for 10. They work very well but ship directly from China which I felt bad about untl I realized that the ones that cost $10/each also come from China

caissiel · 05-07-2014, 05:34 AM

So far I bought over 60 bulbs from china and no failures and bought 4 bulbs from US and 2 failed. Yes I have seen unpackaged bulbs in RV parts stores for sale at half the price of similar packaged bulbs on the same shelf.
I can get 10 for the price of 2 packaged bulbs in RV stores. Plus the package ones do not offer options.