Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 03-08-2017, 08:09 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Hugh R's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 179
LEDs for RV's now are cheap(er)

I bought my Class A RV four years ago. Then, LED lights for the interior were about $10/each, no thanks. I just ordered 20 from Amazon for $20, a buck each. They suck about 1 watt where the older incandescent ones sucked about 20 watts each. Spade connector, direct replacement, "warm" lighting. Nice when you're "dry camping" with no shore power, and don't need/want to run the generator as much.

Also, the old filament bulbs tend to break with all the vibration traveling down the road. Just thought I'd share.

I bought these. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
__________________
2013 Mirada 29SE, I earned it!
Hugh R is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2017, 11:23 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Hugh R's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 179
LEDs

Left is a regular bulb at 20 watts, right is an LED at 1 watt. Same in the RV, left is regular, right is LED, a tad bit brighter, but I can live with it. The regular bulb was too hot to handle with finger tips at 30 seconds, the LED was cool after 1/2 hour. At a buck each, for the LEDs, I'm happy. Plug right in.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	DSC03279.jpg
Views:	152
Size:	259.6 KB
ID:	131723   Click image for larger version

Name:	DSC03280.jpg
Views:	157
Size:	142.1 KB
ID:	131724  
__________________
2013 Mirada 29SE, I earned it!
Hugh R is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2017, 12:04 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: SE Michigan
Posts: 2,024
Cheap LED's are usually that cheap and not long lasting. I only buy CREE Led's. CREE's average 35,000 hours.per lamp or longer than you'll be around.

Why spend 30 or 40 grand for an RV and then install cheap LED's I only want to replace them once.
SidecarFlip is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2017, 05:39 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
davel1971's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Seaford, De
Posts: 2,377
I just ordered LED G3s to replace the halogens. Got on a lightening deal on Amazon. $7.99 for 10 bulbs. Similar bulbs are $7.50 each at Lowe's. I got 20 LEDs 3 years ago from Amazon to replace the 921s and they are all still going.
__________________
David & Lynn
2014 Coachmen Chaparral Signature 327 RLKS
2016 Ford F350 Lariat CC Dually
davel1971 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2017, 05:53 AM   #5
Who Dares, Wins
 
doc73's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Chester County, PA
Posts: 7,063
Similar price, probably same bulbs. Have been running them since 2013. I did have one loose one row of bulbs last season. I think I have 12 installed. Prior to this I had the expensive 12$ a bulb ones since 2009 or 10. Only two are still working. The rest burned out in 2013
__________________

Pat, Jen, Heather & Sapphire, the head mouser.
2015 Chevy HD D-Max
2022 Impression 315MB
doc73 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2017, 04:25 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Hugh R's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 179
20 out of 20 worked, seem to be polarity dependent, a few didn't some on, so I turned them 180 degrees and worked perfectly. Wifey may find them a little too white for the bathroom mirror (make up) area, in which case, I'll put back in the regular bulbs over the bathroom counter. I need four more, but I may pass given the little use of that area of the RV when I need light.

Plus I now have 20 regular bulbs for exterior replacement, I don't care much about the energy usage on outside bulbs when I'm driving.

The Amazon ad says their good for 50,000+ hours. I replaced all 20 in about 15 minutes.
__________________
2013 Mirada 29SE, I earned it!
Hugh R is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2017, 04:27 PM   #7
Site Team
 
Flybob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 15,266
Have you tried the tv or FM radio with the lights on?
__________________

2015 Freedom Express 248RBS
TV 2015 Silverado HD2500 Duramax
TST Tire Monitors
Honda 2000I + Companion
2 100W solar panels
Flybob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2017, 04:35 PM   #8
Who Dares, Wins
 
doc73's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Chester County, PA
Posts: 7,063
Yes, some of the cheaper leds make lots of noise so they can interfere or block weak signals, especially the TV.

I can say I have no TV issues, but I use a hardrive not over the air. I have never turned on the radio.
__________________

Pat, Jen, Heather & Sapphire, the head mouser.
2015 Chevy HD D-Max
2022 Impression 315MB
doc73 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2017, 05:49 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: SE Michigan
Posts: 2,024
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flybob View Post
Have you tried the tv or FM radio with the lights on?
Something that cheap, no shielded LED's are good for. CREE's never.
SidecarFlip is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2017, 05:53 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: SE Michigan
Posts: 2,024
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hugh R View Post
20 out of 20 worked, seem to be polarity dependent, a few didn't some on, so I turned them 180 degrees and worked perfectly. Wifey may find them a little too white for the bathroom mirror (make up) area, in which case, I'll put back in the regular bulbs over the bathroom counter. I need four more, but I may pass given the little use of that area of the RV when I need light.

Plus I now have 20 regular bulbs for exterior replacement, I don't care much about the energy usage on outside bulbs when I'm driving.

The Amazon ad says their good for 50,000+ hours. I replaced all 20 in about 15 minutes.
I'm the polar opposite of you.

I want all my marker lights, turn signal bulbs and brake lamps to be LED because that allows me to seal up the lenses to keep moisture out (I still coat all the bulb bases with Di-electric grease) and not worry about replacement ever again.

been changing all the shop T8's to LED bulbs as the ballasts puke. Been using the single end 4 foot LED tubes and direct wiring them and landfilling the ballasts. Twice the light output, half the current used and no 60 cps flicker or cold start issues.
SidecarFlip is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2017, 06:56 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
MacGumbo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 463
I bought some just like those and only 3 are still working less than a year later. In fact many started flickering within the first few weeks.
__________________
2020 Grand Design Reflection 240 RL
2006 F350 Lariat Crew Cab Super Duty 6.0 diesel 4X4
MacGumbo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2017, 06:59 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Hugh R's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 179
I guess I'll find out soon, taking it to the Grand Canyon is three weeks.
__________________
2013 Mirada 29SE, I earned it!
Hugh R is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2017, 07:22 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
buffalohunter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Martinez, CA
Posts: 371
? for SidecarFlip

Quote:
Originally Posted by SidecarFlip View Post
Cheap LED's are usually that cheap and not long lasting. I only buy CREE Led's. CREE's average 35,000 hours.per lamp or longer than you'll be around.

Why spend 30 or 40 grand for an RV and then install cheap LED's I only want to replace them once.
I like your advice, do you have link for where to buy the CREE Led's?
__________________
2012 Rockwood Windjammer 3008 W
2020 Tundra Dbl Cab 4X4 SR5
buffalohunter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2017, 03:44 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Hugh R's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 179
No TV noise from the LEDs.
__________________
2013 Mirada 29SE, I earned it!
Hugh R is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2017, 03:46 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: SE Michigan
Posts: 2,024
Quote:
Originally Posted by buffalohunter View Post
I like your advice, do you have link for where to buy the CREE Led's?
www.superbrightLEDs.com
SidecarFlip is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2017, 03:54 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: SE Michigan
Posts: 2,024
While on the subject of high tech alternatives, take a look at L-Iron storage batteries. a 100 amp hour battery weighs just 27 pounds, has an almost constant voltage output from full charge to no charge, can be totally discharged without harm and withstand hundreds of charge and discharge cycles without appreciable capacity loss

They are completely sealed (solid state) and can be mounted in any position and are impervious to low temperatures.

That are expensive compared to a conventional battery but in the grand scheme of lifetime are cheaper overall.

Just put 2 in my unit. 2 weigh less than one conventional battery and take up the same space as one conventional battery.

L-Iron batteries don't heat up, explode or catch fire like Lithium-Ion batteries can. and the recharge with a conventional RV converter.
SidecarFlip is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
led

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:01 PM.