LED scorching

[adonh]

My coach has only one of the ceiling florescent light fixtures that was converted to LED before I bough the coach last year. It is the toilet compartment and only has one LED light strip and gives off very little light. My guess this was installed to serve as a night light which we leave on with the door shut at night. During the day it is turned off.

It has now stopped working and and when I removed the center section where the light strip is attached the transformer, I guess, has scorch marks off to one site. I would like to replace this but 1st I would like to determine what caused this. Also where would you get the transformer. Pics below, thanks.

[cowrv39]

LED's in general don't use a lot of power. Its hard to root cause the problem on why the power supply failed. It could be the power supply failed because a component failed. But looking at you pictures I would just cut my loses and just get a small power supply that can be wired in its place. I lot of people retrofit there fixtures but don't understand that the original power supply was designed for a higher load. In theory it should of worked.

[pagosajoe]

As mentioned, LEDs draw very little power. That said, at home, I've had a power supply fail on an LED installation, with a BIG bang and smoke. It was the power supply that failed, not the LED. That seems to be the case from what I see in your photo. I'd find a different power supply and replace this one. You can purchase them from Amazon or other sources for a reasonable price. If the new power supply puts out about 20-30 watts, that should be more than enough for your small LED string. Goes without saying that you need to use caution when wiring it into the RV's electrical system, as they require 120 VAC. It appears the current installation draws power from the old fluorescent fixture.

Hope that helps...

[BFlinn181]

I don't understand why you have a transformer in a 12 v DC RV light? You might have a ballast for a fluorescent fixture, but you'd eliminate that when changing to LED. I've converted a few 2 tube fluorescents to LED strip lights. The LED strips were 12 v, I installed a current limiting module in to prevent over powering them. The current limiter prevents overpowering the LEDs by holding voltage to 12 v. I have 5 strips of LEDs in each, installed hi/lo switch to power 2 or all 5 of strips.

[nothermark]

I wonder if the old Fluorescent ballast toasted to make the scorch marks and the new one just quit...if the marks do not line up with a likely source that would be my guess.

[hdossett]

Were the tubes removed before, or did you just remove them for the photo?

If the LED leads were properly connect to the 12v source, before the main switch, and on their own switch, and not the output end of the ballast, then the LEDs had nothing to do with the ballast failure.

It looks like the LED leads were connected after the switch. If the ballast was powered without the tubes, that could be it, but I'm no expert in that area so take that for what it is worth.

I removed most of the ballasts from the 30 watt fixtures I converted, or at least took them completely out of the circuit.

H

[adonh]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

I don't understand why you have a transformer in a 12 v DC RV light? You might have a ballast for a fluorescent fixture, but you'd eliminate that when changing to LED. I've converted a few 2 tube fluorescents to LED strip lights. The LED strips were 12 v, I installed a current limiting module in to prevent over powering them. The current limiter prevents overpowering the LEDs by holding voltage to 12 v. I have 5 strips of LEDs in each, installed hi/lo switch to power 2 or all 5 of strips.

That could be the old ballast from the fluorescent that failed at some time and they installed the short LED strip connected with the white and black wires to the old power source. I wonder why they did not take out the ballast. There were no fluorescent tubes in the fixture. I will take another look at this tomorrow.

Thanks

[Fred and Bonnie]

Having heard so many "Workarounds" in converting lamps, I replace the whole lamp with adjustable LED's from ThinLite. John Drake Services was the supplier, the units are LED746P. 19 A - LED Lighting by Thin-Lite

Fred

[Fred and Bonnie]

Having heard so many "Workarounds" in converting lamps, I replace the whole lamp with adjustable LED's from ThinLite. John Drake Services was the supplier, the units are LED746P. 19 A - LED Lighting by Thin-Lite

Fred

[BFlinn181]

Originally Posted by Fred and Bonnie

Having heard so many "Workarounds" in converting lamps, I replace the whole lamp with adjustable LED's from ThinLite. John Drake Services was the supplier, the units are LED746P. 19 A - LED Lighting by Thin-Lite

Fred

Wow, $80 per light? I bought a 16 foot roll of 300 warm white LEDs on a strip with adhesive on the back for $16. (eBay) Cut to length, solder wires on the end of the strip, and I had enough to do 4 or more fixtures, I've done 2 so far. I drilled the riveted ballast and fluorescent holders out of the box and used the fixture for the LED strips. Not a big or difficult project, about an hour per light as I remember.

[waroland]

Looking at you pictures, it looks like they just spliced the LED strip into the incoming 12V and left the fluorescent ballast installed. The ballast should be removed and LED spliced to the 12V incoming line. Do you have 12V to the light with switch turned on?

[adonh]

Originally Posted by waroland

Looking at you pictures, it looks like they just spliced the LED strip into the incoming 12V and left the fluorescent ballast installed. The ballast should be removed and LED spliced to the 12V incoming line. Do you have 12V to the light with switch turned on?

I think you are right. I am going to check on that today.

[Tha_Rooster]

As several post have stated LED's don't use ballast and should not get hot. I went led crazy on amazon, 5 meter (15)ft for $8.00 and can be cut every 3 LED's. I bought 3 white and 1 blue, I've installed some white at kick plate under kitchen sink looks good. Looking closer at picture it appears the ballast wasn't being used and they should have removed it.

[lburson]

Originally Posted by adonh

My coach has only one of the ceiling florescent light fixtures that was converted to LED before I bough the coach last year. It is the toilet compartment and only has one LED light strip and gives off very little light. My guess this was installed to serve as a night light which we leave on with the door shut at night. During the day it is turned off.

It has now stopped working and and when I removed the center section where the light strip is attached the transformer, I guess, has scorch marks off to one site. I would like to replace this but 1st I would like to determine what caused this. Also where would you get the transformer. Pics below, thanks.

Attachment 69252

Attachment 69253

Attachment 69254

The leds require 12vdc with a protected circuit. This can be accomplished with a zenner diode and a resistor when using 12vdc. If you are using 120vac you will need a transformer and some type of regulator/w/capacitors to make it work. I think the light in your mh bathroom is 12vdc, but not sure. Check it out w/mmeter.

If you want to convert to led, gut the florescent fixture of the ballast. You can order a 5 meter roll of leds for $20.00 and this would be the smd5050 double roll, cost is $20 includes shipping. You will need 3 rows of leds(16"ea) to give you ample light for the bath room and cost is about $5.00 and you will have 12' of leds for other projects!

I have converted 3 florescents 12vdc in my 2000 Discovery for about $5.00 ea. not hard to do!

If you want to go the 120vac, you can order transformers from Jameco Electronics for $13.95, but you will need some type of regulator(7805 or LM317 + capacitors/resistors). Pm me if you need additional info.

Good Luck!