LED lighting for our A-Frame Pop-up

[thehamguy1]

Being voracious readers, lighting is an issue for us at home and on the road. The overhead lights that came standard on our A128 use type 921 wedge base bulbs, each of which produces 120 lumens. We bought four replacement LED wedge base "bulbs" to use instead. They're 120 lumen lights too, but each unit uses less than 2 watts of precious battery power. If my picture-loading abilities don't fail me, the first photo attached is of one of the replacement units in its socket (just pull out the 921 bulb, plug in the replacement, job done).

These "bulbs" were ordered from PrudentRVer LED Catalog, and are item number W9.RV2N. $11.98 each. http://prudentrver.com/ledlamps.html#W9-2N

Not content to stop there, we also saw at IKEA some LED strip light sets. The strips themselves run on 12V and come three in a package along with a transformer/rectifier unit so they can be operated on 110V. I bought four sets and connected the strips from two sets together to make two light strips, each about 5' long. I snipped the transformer off and wired the strips directly to the camper's 12v circuits, using the switch that came with the sets. The second photo attached should show the switch wired in at the left rear corner where the wire to the ceiling light comes out.

I mounted the light strips along the top edge of the sidewalls. You'll notice that there's a gap between the sidewalls and the roof on the A-series campers, probably on the Flagstaff units too. With the strips mounted there we get a nice diffusion of light. The third photo shows one of the strips attached (using clips that came with the set) to the top rear edge of the sink-side wall. LEDBERG Light strip - IKEA

[acadianbob]

How does the light output and color compare to the incandescents? I'm not happy with my "replacement bulbs". I'd like to consider what you have done.

[daveinpickerington]

I purchsed my LEDs from superbrightleds.com.

For the inside I chose two different bulbs. I placed two bulbs each in the overhead lights. On one side I installed 921-NW12: Natural White ($5.95 ea) in the other side I installed 921-WW12: Warm White ($5.95 ea). The natural white is much brighter than the warm white bulbs. I have not been camping since the install, so I cannot comment on which I like best.

For the outside I chose 1142-W15: 12VDC Cool White ($6.95 ea). Good and bright.

superbrightleds have been a pleasure to work with. I had purchased from them for my last trailer also. Shipping was fast and pricing is very good. I ordered the wrong outside bulbs on my original order and simply returned the incorrect bulbs and they supplied the proper bulbs as soon as they received my originals. No restocking fees or return shipping charges.

I will comment more after my next overnight outing.

[thehamguy1]

Good for the recommendation of SuperBright. They're certainly less expensive than the ones I got!

As to the specifics of light color and brightness, I think the LEDs I put in the overhead lights are as bright as, and are whiter than, the incandescents. I'm not sure whether we'll love them or not--we haven't camped with them yet. We don't use those fixtures much though, tending to use the fluorescent camping lanterns left over from our years as tenters.

The IKEA light strips, OTOH, produce a more diffuse, gentler light, although they too are whiter than incandescents. Think of indirect lighting around the ceiling in a home--that's somewhat like we get with them; a general, nearly shadowless light. Having spent some $60 on the first four sets, we've ordered another 5 sets--one set to have as a spare or to use for some as-yet-unidentified purpose, the other four to install in the front half of the camper. (The first four sets were installed over the sofa/bed in the rear.) I take that as an indication that we found the right lights. If I can get a night photo to come out right, I'll post it.

The short of it--IKEA lights, great for us. The 921 replacements, jury still out.

[Jeep4Two]

Thanks for the info. I (and everyone else in the "A Club") appreciate it. I love both the Ikea mod and the 921 replacement info. Both now on my list.

[thehamguy1]

Originally Posted by Jeep4Two

Thanks for the info. I (and everyone else in the "A Club") appreciate it. I love both the Ikea mod and the 921 replacement info. Both now on my list.

If I knew then what I know now, I'd have ordered the replacement bulbs from superbrightled.com, per daveinpickerington's post.

[TURBS]

i got all mine from superbrightled's as well .

[thehamguy1]

Here are some shots my wife took this evening. She used the still camera setting on our camcorder so that there'd be no flash to give a false impression of the light. Turns out, the photos are darker than you'd think it was if you were there in person. Later she turned on the overhead light at the front end if the camper and sat on the rear sofa to read--said it was just right.

Here are some specs on the original bulbs and the replacements that I found on the web: Original 921 bulbs: 18W each, W9 ceiling lights: 1.7W each, IKEA light strips: 1.8W per three sections, or 7.2 watts for all 12 sections currently installed. If we turned on the ceiling lights too, that'd add another 6.8W for a total of 14 watts. Less than a single incandescent. Turn on all the lights at once and draw 1.16 amps!

[Mike G]

Great information, thanks for posting up the pics and info.

[goody59]

Item: 150582543013 in Ebay
10 x these for $30. T15's that will go into my stock ceiling lights of my Forest River Flagstaff 10' pop up tent camper 205A.
Whilst we are talking. What are the inbuilt power jacks in these dome ceiling lights used for and what size are the jacks?
The T15 LED replacement with 9 LED's use 20 milliamps which is equal to 0.02 watts.
Our stock T15 ceiling dome lights use 16 watts which is equal to 1600 milliamps

[thehamguy1]

I don't think the ceiling fixtures in my a-frame style unit have inbuilt jacks, but as I'm moments from heading out for an overnight in it, I'll check whether they do or not and get back to you by the weekend. Otherwise you may have luck asking the dealer about them.

If mine don't have the jacks, I think I'd like them to have! I imagine they'd be for 12V, and one of the things owners of this series of campers have complained of is the lack of any 12V outlets.

[goody59]

2 out of 3 of my ceiling lights have these inbuilt jacks I think. I will take another look during my day too.

[goody59]

I looked and all 3 of my dome ceiling lights have these power jack inlets but I can't determine what male jack will suit. They could be handy though. Anybody use them for 12V power?

[thehamguy1]

Originally Posted by goody59

I looked and all 3 of my dome ceiling lights have these power jack inlets but I can't determine what male jack will suit. They could be handy though. Anybody use them for 12V power?

I'm sorry to say mine doesn't have the same light units as yours. Too bad, 'cause I'd like to have power jacks available. You have three ceiling lights? I have just two. Evidently when they designed the A-frame units, the factory changed lighting specs.

[gsocamper]

Hamguy, mine is the 2012 A128 and I only have two ceiling lights too - one on each end.

[thehamguy1]

Seems to be standard on the a-frames to have two lights, where the tent camper the other member is talking about has three. If I had to guess, it's probably a matter of clearances. The ceiling fixtures on the a-frames can only fit in the vacant spots left when the sidewalls are down. I'm not unhappy to have just 2 lights, but it'd be nice to have the power jacks too.

[TURBS]

By the way I got those .99 cent led bulbs from gforceusa ebayer.

[Jeep4Two]

I think the led strips will have to be a spring mod for me. Every time I look at those pics I just have to have em. The other LEDs will be on the spring list too. Too busy with work and trying to fit in a camping trip right now. So many ideas......

[thehamguy1]

Hi, hamguy's wife here. We camped this weekend and used the light strips. Can't say enough about how great they are. They give a nice cozy feel and I can read in bed before going to sleep and easily turn them off without getting up. They're wired on one switch which is right up in the corner near my head. Lighting is one of those things that has a real impact on the mood. We did okay with our camping lanterns and headlights, but this is a major improvement. Love them.

[goody59]

Has anybody used the power jacks that are located in the dome ceiling lights of their campers for additional 12V supply? If so, what male jack fits these?