Lights (1 Viewer)

Aug 6, 2011
73
18
Chester-le-Street, UK
Funster No
17,653
MH
Malibu 640 GtRb
Exp
since 2011
Hi all,:Smile:
Thinking of changing interior lights to LEDs. I have heard that covered bulbs are more powerful than SMD bulbs, cannot find anything on this, does anyone have any info????
Thanks
Gina
 

normanandsue

Free Member
Dec 31, 2010
1,871
21,571
Dunfermline - Scotland
Funster No
14,796
MH
van conversion
Exp
Since 2007
Have seen several threads about changing lights for LED and I find myself asking why change?
I have flourescant lamps and those individual spots (don't know what they are called) that everyone says use a lot of battery.
Now I use my motorhome mostly in the summer, it is light and airy and so I don't switch lights on very often, perhaps an hour at bedtime to read a book and have never felt they have overused the battery power.

So I ask is the expense and trouble of changing really worth it? If you feel it is then by all means change but if they are not causing you a problem why change?
I am a firm believer "if it ain't broke fdon't fix it?"

Norman
 

aba

Free Member
Oct 27, 2009
2,775
1,112
yorkshire
Funster No
9,066
MH
coachbuilt
Exp
dec 2009
all depends on how and when you use your motorhome.
if you use it all year as really you should ( no point having all that money just sitting there doing nothing ) then yes change from halogen to LED.
our van had a normal filament rope light over the lockers which used to use around 14-16 amps when turned on i replaced this with LED strip light ( stuff you get on a roll ) and now it uses around 3-4 amps so thats more than 10 amps more per hour in the batteries.
i also changed the halogen down lights to LED again saving more battery power.

this of course isn't a problem if you go from site to site and always have mains hook up.
if you go for the odd week wilding it just stay a night then move on and so on without mains then it helps a lot because the less you take out the quicker you can get it back in so in normans case if he had all his lights on for 2 hours he could need to drive for 4 to get the same power back into the battery however if he had changed to LED it would only take just over an hour to put back what was used.

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pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,207
48,802
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
Have seen several threads about changing lights for LED and I find myself asking why change?
I have flourescant lamps and those individual spots (don't know what they are called) that everyone says use a lot of battery.
Now I use my motorhome mostly in the summer, it is light and airy and so I don't switch lights on very often, perhaps an hour at bedtime to read a book and have never felt they have overused the battery power.

So I ask is the expense and trouble of changing really worth it? If you feel it is then by all means change but if they are not causing you a problem why change?
I am a firm believer "if it ain't broke fdon't fix it?"

Norman
i too had fluorescent lamps...twin tube ones.

each lamp (2 x tube) was 22watts or a current drain of 2amps

now each lamp (2 x led strip) is 36watts equivalent light output with a drain of just 1/3rd amps.

any power saving is good saving. :thumb:
 
Jul 28, 2010
1,710
617
The world
Funster No
12,902
MH
Small car
Exp
1
Hi all,:Smile:
Thinking of changing interior lights to LEDs. I have heard that covered bulbs are more powerful than SMD bulbs, cannot find anything on this, does anyone have any info????
Thanks
Gina
I got some great LED lights from the lincoln show last year
really good bright light and low amps too boot :thumb::thumb::thumb:
 

scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,084
8,999
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
I'm not a fan of LEDs .. too cold for my liking .. fitted some at home to replace small halogen spots. They do save a fortune as we never use them now.. :Doh:

I can see the benefit if you are an all year off grid camper and don't use a genny.... otherwise not.

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OP
OP
Blossom60
Aug 6, 2011
73
18
Chester-le-Street, UK
Funster No
17,653
MH
Malibu 640 GtRb
Exp
since 2011
Hi People,
Thanks for replies....... have only 8 small spotlights ( Burstner not very light friendly!!) We are not always on site/EHU, and go fair distances any time of year so want to conserve power.

Gina
 
Apr 27, 2008
11,793
13,949
Eastbourne East Sussex
Funster No
2,327
MH
Hymer low profile
Exp
Since 1972
They do come in bright white and warm white. The bright light is like a flourescent, the warm white more like a filament bulb. Bright ones are good for the kitchen & washroom, warm for bedroom/lounge areas.

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hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
Hi all,:Smile:
Thinking of changing interior lights to LEDs. I have heard that covered bulbs are more powerful than SMD bulbs, cannot find anything on this, does anyone have any info????
Thanks
Gina

Look here for ideas, then shop around if you want cheaper.....

www.ultraleds.co.uk

You will reduce you current drain by about 90%. "Warm White" is a close match to old incandescent bulbs. "Cool White" is brighter. LEDs that say 8V..24V are more efficient then ones that say 12V.
 

schojac

Free Member
Apr 25, 2009
339
234
Cambridgeshire
Funster No
6,433
MH
C Class
Exp
new in 2009
Changed all mine some time ago - no regrets. Good light and huge power saving. Try Lustrumlight

Jack
 

stcyr

Free Member
Apr 11, 2011
1,765
1,160
Normandie
Funster No
16,005
MH
A class
Exp
On & off, since 1966 - fulltime since 2005



We are replacing all our 10w halogen power-eaters with these. The ones we've installed so far are brilliant (sorry, that wasn't intentional).

1st attempt at attaching a pic so just in case it fails: ebay no.: 120838694072

We have 2 of the 20 led warm whites which is more than ample, we usually only have one lit unless indulging in some particularly intricate activity... :whatthe:..
Just ordered 3 more - one to go over rear kitchen and two in the vertical housings either side of the shower-room mirror. They can be mounted vertically or horizontally and can be swivelled in their brackets which allows you to adjust the mood/brightness, like a dimmer switch would. They are very unobtrusive, fit in with all décors or can be mounted out of sight under shelves etc. They have a switch built-in one end (or you can put a switch in the wiring). I found small microswitches in B&Q which have 6" plastic bead tails to activate them - we have one fitted inside the door so can switch both hab.lights on when entering. 1 hole a touch over 1mm dia., poke the string through, very subtle :Smile:

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stcyr

Free Member
Apr 11, 2011
1,765
1,160
Normandie
Funster No
16,005
MH
A class
Exp
On & off, since 1966 - fulltime since 2005
As I suspected the little red cross thingy doesn't seem to have worked :Sad:
(but there's a pic in my album)
 

wivvy's dad

Free Member
Jun 22, 2010
3,205
1,795
48.066895,12.862673
Funster No
12,229
MH
Transit LWB Hi-Top PVC
Exp
On and Off since '98



We are replacing all our 10w halogen power-eaters with these. The ones we've installed so far are brilliant (sorry, that wasn't intentional).

1st attempt at attaching a pic so just in case it fails: ebay no.: 120838694072

We have 2 of the 20 led warm whites which is more than ample, we usually only have one lit unless indulging in some particularly intricate activity... :whatthe:..
Just ordered 3 more - one to go over rear kitchen and two in the vertical housings either side of the shower-room mirror. They can be mounted vertically or horizontally and can be swivelled in their brackets which allows you to adjust the mood/brightness, like a dimmer switch would. They are very unobtrusive, fit in with all décors or can be mounted out of sight under shelves etc. They have a switch built-in one end (or you can put a switch in the wiring). I found small microswitches in B&Q which have 6" plastic bead tails to activate them - we have one fitted inside the door so can switch both hab.lights on when entering. 1 hole a touch over 1mm dia., poke the string through, very subtle :Smile:

I have these in warm white, and they are excellent - recommended
 

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