Community Forums

New2RV-ing · 10-23-2020, 09:56 PM

I cannot access the spliced wires connecting the old light fixtures to the rv 12 volt wires (pushed far up under the cabinet and short), is it safe to splice the new light fixture wires to the old light fixture wires instead of splicing the new light fixture wires to the rv's 12v light system's wires? All are 12v in a class C rv

nbluesky · 10-23-2020, 10:03 PM

Not ideal as you obviously would prefer to eliminate splices but if the connections are good you should have no problems splicing on more wire. You could even solder on some extension leads if you really want to go all out.

Also if there is enough wire internally in the old fixture to tie into your new light that would work too.

Mudfrog · 10-23-2020, 11:21 PM

OP, is the bulb itself causing the heat? Have you thought about just replacing the old incandescent bulbs with LEDs?

CharlesinGA · 10-24-2020, 02:37 PM

What kind of fixtures? The round flush ones used under cabinets and such that have a bi-pin halogen bulb in them?

If so, replace the bulb with LED. Well actually, ANY fixture, replace with LED. Hard to imagine anyone still using incandescent and halogen, or even fluorescent nowdays in an RV.

Charles

RV-LEDs · 10-25-2020, 06:24 AM

. When installing the new fixture I would put LED strips into the fixture instead of tubes. Ill bet that your wires could just be hung up on something. You could remove the false bottom of the cabinet and that will reveal what the problem. Ive installed a lot of lights in a variety of rigs and there is always excess wire to a light.Hope this helps

IC2 · 10-25-2020, 06:37 AM

I used crimp on butt connectors when several of the light fixtures needed replacing. I could have used shrink tubing for protection but ran out of the correct size so used good 3m Scotch 33 electrical tape.

A word about butt connectors - there are several sizes for the several different wire gauge sizes. Choose the correct one, use a good crimping tool and give each connection a tug test before you screw the fixture back in place.

Also, I found that a replacement LED bulb may not fit where there was a halogen. The one halogen in our 5er was operating at over 300*F as tested by my laser temp checker. This required a new fixture as well

RV-LEDs · 10-26-2020, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IC2

I used crimp on butt connectors when several of the light fixtures needed replacing. I could have used shrink tubing for protection but ran out of the correct size so used good 3m Scotch 33 electrical tape.

A word about butt connectors - there are several sizes for the several different wire gauge sizes. Choose the correct one, use a good crimping tool and give each connection a tug test before you screw the fixture back in place.

Also, I found that a replacement LED bulb may not fit where there was a halogen. The one halogen in our 5er was operating at over 300*F as tested by my laser temp checker. This required a new fixture as well

A lot of manufacturers use a 9in strip and 15in strips to replace the 12in and 18in tubes that way you don’t have to tear everything out of the fixture.

THenne1713 · 10-27-2020, 12:23 AM

BIG POINT: If old fixtures are usining INCANDESCENT BULBS #921 they are HOT, HIGH ENERGY, and possible melt/ fire risk, vs conversion to LED bulbs $2-$6/each reduces heat and power use by 90%... does NOT require fixture change.

IC2 · 10-27-2020, 04:44 AM

A quick note - if you replace fixture with pancake LEDs, the ones with individual switches sure are nice in tempering light in some areas. They are a couple bucks more each which is not much of a deal breaker.

Make sure whatever you get have the right K rating. We normally use soft at less then about 3500K.

RV-LEDs · 10-28-2020, 06:01 AM

Your eyes are used to a particular color light. Most incandescent and Halogen is what you are used to. Warm White is about 2800K to 3500K this would replace what you are use to seeing. On the other hand Cool White 3800K to 4500K is about what you see in Fluorescent Tubes. If you are going to do open heart surgery on the kitchen counter of your rig then you would be happy with Cold White 5000K to 6000K but the rest of the time you will need sunglasses.
I would recommend the Warm White in most areas where you actually look at the light. Then the Cool White in areas like on the bottom of the cabinets above the sink, stove top, and counter tops for better visibility of what you are preparing. Another area for the Cold White is the replacement of your porch lite if you have the Fl

RV-LEDs · 10-28-2020, 06:05 AM

Sorry I got cut off. The Cold White is great for the Fluorescent Tub replacement Porch Light. Also Cold White is nice in your map lights. Hope this helps

CharlesinGA · 10-28-2020, 02:46 PM

My eyes are old, I prefer natural daylight color, not soft yellow, not the blue, but white with a trace of yellow, about 4500k. Buy everything from one source so the color is consistent. Bugs the crap out of me to see blue one place, yellow elsewhere natural a place or two. That's why I threw away all of the nearly new, but cheap, already failing leds in my Bigfoot and went back with the same throughout.

I realize RV-LEDS is in the business an a sponsor, but I have used M4Products throughout for three RVs now and would not think of using anything else.

Charles

tap4154 · 10-30-2020, 08:33 AM

I used to be one of those that resisted LEDs and kept buying incandescent bulbs. But I've recently put all LEDs in my house, and the outside wall sconces, and in the motorhome. With all the different color temperatures, you can choose whatever temperature you like for the application. Sometimes you want a nice warm color, sometimes you want a bright white, depending on your needs. And a beauty of LEDs in a motorhome is that you can basically have all your LEDs on and you'll be using as much energy as one incandescent. Much better for boondocking, and you can put warm colors in some of your motorhome fixtures, and bright white in the other ones.

By the way I misspoke, I did leave some of the halogen spotlights in, but I rarely use them. However if I need a really bright light they're there to use. I may eventually change those to LED, but because they aren't used much I don't worry about it.

dbircky · 10-30-2020, 08:40 AM

Are these LEDs compatible with dimming switches? On the Monaco if you hold the switch in there are several different levels of dimming. I know on 120v bulbs some are marked non-dimmable. Thanks.