I have an older Coromal poptop with the round oyster lights on the ceiling. I am wondering what LED options I have without pulling my van apart. I do a reasonable amount of freecamping, and wonder if it would save significant power, and perhaps would provide brighter lighting, justifying the expense. I haven't got into trouble at this point, mainly because I would use the tow vehicle every day or so anyway, and recharge my second battery.
I would be interested however in members comments and experiences.
Thank you, Barry
Grams said
03:11 PM May 23, 2013
Our new van has LED lighting throughout. It is very bright even just using one light. Even the little reading lights are LEDs so you have to turn them towards the wall so they don't blind you...lol
Yes LED lights are the most energy efficient lights around. You could go into a caravan and camping place, one that sells spares, and ask them about replacing the vans lights. Or you could get a professional to refit all the lights (the older vans usually had two inside the van and one outside) with LEDs. I think the wiring would be the same.
My son in law is an electrician and he swears by LEDs for saving energy and lasting longer.
Good Luck.
Yuglamron said
05:16 PM May 23, 2013
Hi Barry,
There are so many options with LED's these days it can be a bit like a kid in a lolly shop.
At the easy end of the scale it's a matter of going to Bunnings, Beacon Lighting or Ideal Lighting or any one of the lighting places and replacing like for like globes with their LED equivalent. Most RV/Caravan stores now stock LED lighting and replacement globes to do it the easy way just a globe change. Marine stores also.
Or you can upgrade the fitting. Lots of the LED's work on voltages from six to thirty volts DC so very low power draw. Quite easy to rewire ,two wires to connect.
One hassle though are replacing fluros with LED's. You can buy 240 Volt LED tubes to replace the fluro tube but that means taking out all the electrical internals and just having leaving the on /off switch. Less hassle to replace with a 12 volt equivalent.
You can now get LED's with dimmers to adjust the lights. Different colours and intensity of light.
Price is from relatively cheap to as much as you want to pay.
GaryKelly said
05:48 PM May 23, 2013
I have oyster fittings in my camper and all I did was replace the existing globes with LEDs. Nothing to it. I also have a couple of those square fittings, one inside and one outside, with fluros but I'm leaving those as they are. They can be replaced with LEDs but it requires a bit of wire fiddling which I'd rather not do.
Cupie said
06:07 PM May 25, 2013
In my Jayco Westport with 12V lighting, I just paralleled up strips of switched LEDs. I have the option of either or both lights but only use the LEDs. Did this mod for every light inside & out.
(I was fortunate to have a number of LED light fittings mounted on aluminum strips; waterproof and with on/off switches included plus mounting clips. I can easily remove them if I was silly enough to sell the van, leaving behind only one or two tiny screw holes at each fitting.)
I even made up replacement LED strips for my tail , stop & turn lights. Much brighter.
A mind boggling array of LED options are available on the net. You'll be able to choose an option that matches your electrical knowledge/ability .... and at a good price. Much much cheaper than retail.
-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 25th of May 2013 06:14:26 PM
-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 25th of May 2013 06:15:22 PM
-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 25th of May 2013 09:55:20 PM
I have an older motorhome that had a series of fluoro 240V lights. I basically disconnected the lights from the 240v and replaced them with LED strip lights. For these I purchased 5 metres of strip from China on ebay and made up my own lights. The roll cost less the $20 and made up 7 lights with plenty left over. It is very easy to make up and I would never buy LED's from any retailers as there is no justification for the prices they charge given how cheap these strips are.
PeterD said
01:26 AM May 27, 2013
For the 2D Fluorescent tubes - use a replacement like this As you see there is a mounting socket on the rear to mount into the existing 2D tube socket and you disconnect the van wiring from the from the fitting and connect it to the lying leads on the replacement.
For the oyster lights or the Jayco fittings - use a replacement like this You may find that you would prefer 2 of these in each fitting as they are half the power of the first one. If you do you can simply bare a little of the wire on the plug lead of the first one and join the wire of the second to the bared section.
-- Edited by PeterD on Monday 27th of May 2013 01:28:13 AM
neilnruth said
01:29 AM May 27, 2013
We just use portable LED lights when freecamping. One charges in the car when we travel. The other charges when the genie is on.
Cupie said
05:49 PM May 27, 2013
PeterD wrote:
For the 2D Fluorescent tubes - use a replacement like this As you see there is a mounting socket on the rear to mount into the existing 2D tube socket and you disconnect the van wiring from the from the fitting and connect it to the lying leads on the replacement.
For the oyster lights or the Jayco fittings - use a replacement like this You may find that you would prefer 2 of these in each fitting as they are half the power of the first one. If you do you can simply bare a little of the wire on the plug lead of the first one and join the wire of the second to the bared section.
-- Edited by PeterD on Monday 27th of May 2013 01:28:13 AM
Look like a good option ... perhaps a bit dear if you are going to do the whole van.
Getting a 5m roll of LEDs & cutting them up to fit (& using the sticky backing) would do the whole job for the van at the cost of one of these fittings. Of course you need to be confident in electrical work to make the fittings up, rather than just plugging in the fittings.
(but I did book mark the sites just in case .. thanks).
BUSTADOG said
10:37 PM Jun 19, 2013
www.hero-ledstore.com
Bought all mine on EBAY from China. Free delivery, 3 weeks to get here. Cost $69.00 for replacement globes ( compared to $ 270.00 to purchase in Aust) to fit out a 22ft Golden Eagle with lots of spares. LEDS are way to expensive in Australia.
Terry
PhillT said
02:34 AM Jun 24, 2013
I got these for my 20 year old Jayco, also fitted them to my previous van, Newland ('79).
They are virtually the same as the ones mentioned previously in this thread, but a fraction of the price, and they work great.
I put them in the tug as well Very bright and very little current draw.
Hi,
I have an older Coromal poptop with the round oyster lights on the ceiling. I am wondering what LED options I have without pulling my van apart. I do a reasonable amount of freecamping, and wonder if it would save significant power, and perhaps would provide brighter lighting, justifying the expense. I haven't got into trouble at this point, mainly because I would use the tow vehicle every day or so anyway, and recharge my second battery.
I would be interested however in members comments and experiences.
Thank you, Barry
Yes LED lights are the most energy efficient lights around. You could go into a caravan and camping place, one that sells spares, and ask them about replacing the vans lights. Or you could get a professional to refit all the lights (the older vans usually had two inside the van and one outside) with LEDs. I think the wiring would be the same.
My son in law is an electrician and he swears by LEDs for saving energy and lasting longer.
Good Luck.
Hi Barry,
There are so many options with LED's these days it can be a bit like a kid in a lolly shop.
At the easy end of the scale it's a matter of going to Bunnings, Beacon Lighting or Ideal Lighting or any one of the lighting places and replacing like for like globes with their LED equivalent. Most RV/Caravan stores now stock LED lighting and replacement globes to do it the easy way just a globe change. Marine stores also.
Or you can upgrade the fitting. Lots of the LED's work on voltages from six to thirty volts DC so very low power draw. Quite easy to rewire ,two wires to connect.
One hassle though are replacing fluros with LED's. You can buy 240 Volt LED tubes to replace the fluro tube but that means taking out all the electrical internals and just having leaving the on /off switch. Less hassle to replace with a 12 volt equivalent.
You can now get LED's with dimmers to adjust the lights. Different colours and intensity of light.
Price is from relatively cheap to as much as you want to pay.
In my Jayco Westport with 12V lighting, I just paralleled up strips of switched LEDs. I have the option of either or both lights but only use the LEDs. Did this mod for every light inside & out.
(I was fortunate to have a number of LED light fittings mounted on aluminum strips; waterproof and with on/off switches included plus mounting clips. I can easily remove them if I was silly enough to sell the van, leaving behind only one or two tiny screw holes at each fitting.)
I even made up replacement LED strips for my tail , stop & turn lights. Much brighter.
A mind boggling array of LED options are available on the net. You'll be able to choose an option that matches your electrical knowledge/ability .... and at a good price. Much much cheaper than retail.
-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 25th of May 2013 06:14:26 PM
-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 25th of May 2013 06:15:22 PM
-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 25th of May 2013 09:55:20 PM
For the 2D Fluorescent tubes - use a replacement like this As you see there is a mounting socket on the rear to mount into the existing 2D tube socket and you disconnect the van wiring from the from the fitting and connect it to the lying leads on the replacement.
For the oyster lights or the Jayco fittings - use a replacement like this You may find that you would prefer 2 of these in each fitting as they are half the power of the first one. If you do you can simply bare a little of the wire on the plug lead of the first one and join the wire of the second to the bared section.
-- Edited by PeterD on Monday 27th of May 2013 01:28:13 AM
Look like a good option ... perhaps a bit dear if you are going to do the whole van.
Getting a 5m roll of LEDs & cutting them up to fit (& using the sticky backing) would do the whole job for the van at the cost of one of these fittings. Of course you need to be confident in electrical work to make the fittings up, rather than just plugging in the fittings.
(but I did book mark the sites just in case .. thanks).
Bought all mine on EBAY from China. Free delivery, 3 weeks to get here. Cost $69.00 for replacement globes ( compared to $ 270.00 to purchase in Aust) to fit out a 22ft Golden Eagle with lots of spares. LEDS are way to expensive in Australia.
Terry
I got these for my 20 year old Jayco, also fitted them to my previous van, Newland ('79).
They are virtually the same as the ones mentioned previously in this thread, but a fraction of the price, and they work great.
I put them in the tug as well
Very bright and very little current draw.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Car-Interior-5050-Panel-48-SMD-LED-Pure-White-Light-Lamp-T10-Festoon-BA9S-DC-12V-/350803556262?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item51ad8577a6
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Car-Interior-5050-Panel-48-SMD-LED-Pure-White-Light
works like a dream, only 5 watt each what is plenty
http://dx.com/s/White+Light+Rectangle+Strip+(DC+12~14V)
Cheers John