Camper was delivered - need help with awning light strip.

sewingcybermom · 03-26-2015, 09:42 PM

I am very excited to have my Roo23IKSS in my driveway! We have opened her up, looked over everything, and all is looking good. The previous owner left us lots of stuff in there, which will help us save lots of $$ starting out in the HTT world and for that I am grateful. He even threw in the towing/sway bars and hitch with it. Outdoor mat, keurig coffee maker, awning shades, bunk light/fans, a couple of cases of tp, black tank chemicals, water hoses, extensions, 30 and 50 amp converters...the list goes on and on. Anyway, we are over the moon thrilled. Here is just one thing that I think needs replacing and don't have a clue how.
The Led awning lights come on, but many of them on the strip don't light up, so it looks like our lights have missing teeth. Can we buy a new strip and just splice it into the existing wires? Can it be that easy? The switch is inside the camper door...they camp as part of the camper from the manufacturer. Any help would be appreciated!

Oh...and how do you open the little side windows on the couch/dinette slide? I see the two little push clips, but the window doesn't budge..don't want to force anything.

geotex1 · 03-26-2015, 09:46 PM

First, gotta force those windows and then talc them.

Second, known problem with the awning lights and they were being replaced under warranty. Maybe Lippert will help you out. If not, you can get MANY cheaply from the aftermarket that are higher quality. Properly rated strip is a simple splice in right where factory did it.

Finally, congratulations!

sewingcybermom · 03-26-2015, 10:56 PM

Thanks Geo! I'm waiting for the warranty transfer to be completed, and then we'll inquire about the light strip. Hopefully it will be taken care of, but seeing that the dealer is about 1.5 hours away in another state..it may just be easier to install new ourselves and get a better product. we'll see.

Do I force the windows from the outside while someone holds the clips in from inside? There's a screen in front of them so I can't get to the window to push on it from the inside. Not a major deal, but I just want to make sure they function.

sewingcybermom · 03-26-2015, 10:57 PM

Who's Lippert?

Taranwanderer · 03-26-2015, 11:13 PM

Lippert is a supplier to the RV industry...they make many different components for many different manufacturers, not just Forest River. Slide outs, axles and suspension components, drop down beds and sofas, it's a big list.

https://lci1.com

geotex1 · 03-27-2015, 06:37 AM

Morning sewingcybermom. Yes, Lippert is the maker/supplier for your awning and the light.

I remember those windows well... Having someone outside will work fine. Have that person gently wrap on that window first to shock it free. Then inside squeeze the latch and rock the window side to side in its frame. It'll open.

Prothos · 03-27-2015, 08:30 AM

The lights are the thorn in my side. I'm on my 4th set replaced under warranty. First set had lights go out the first weekend i used it. the second set 1/4 of the strip went out 3rd use after getting camper back from shop. 3rd set had lights out and whole strip was dim about 5th use. the 4th strip was replaced by me and parts sent to me by FR. i replaced them in OCT and have used the camper 8 3day weekends and 3 2day weekends so far so good.

**Flybob** · 03-27-2015, 08:51 AM

If you decide to replace the lights on your own ( not warranty). I suggest you get ones that have a remote control that can vary intensity and maybe even color. Some white strips can be very bright and attract insects, If you can dim them or control color, it helps and does not add much to the cost. As LED strips are prone to individual chips failing I would suggest picking one ( cost wise) that you are OK replacing every few years .

bgilly · 03-27-2015, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sewingcybermom

The Led awning lights come on, but many of them on the strip don't light up, so it looks like our lights have missing teeth. Can we buy a new strip and just splice it into the existing wires? Can it be that easy? The switch is inside the camper door...they camp as part of the camper from the manufacturer. Any help would be appreciated!

Mine did the very same thing. The original LED strip has "breaks" in the back of the strip which moisture gets into and corrodes the wiring inside the LED. I had 3 strips replaced under warranty. The last set that failed, I replaced myself with Hitlight indoor/outdoor LED strip from Amazon for $13.00. Better than the factory lights and wire direct like the factory (12 volt). You might need to add something to the double-sided 3M tape as it does not stick as well as I like. I used automotive double-sided tape used for trim.
I went with cool white color on the lights which matched the orginal. I had to cut the strip back some since it comes just over 16 feet and I only needed 11 feet. I put the rest of that strip under my steps - controlled from the same inside switch.

Soonermikel · 03-27-2015, 12:07 PM

While doing the walk thru on our new 2015 Wildwood 3 of the light s stopped working! They ordered us another strip. 4 weeks now and we still haven't received word that it has come in. After reading so many horror stories about how long they keep your RVs for warranty work I'm leary about taking it in for the work!!!

rsdata · 03-27-2015, 12:09 PM

The LED colored lights with remote are fun to use and give you the ability to dim them or be wild and let them "dance". They are available from many sources. I get mine from MCM Electronics: Home and Pro Audio/Video, Security and Test Equipment and amazon to just name two sources.

they are easy to replace and not that expensive. I replaced my stock white lights last summer with colored remote control lights. I left them on in the driveway for weeks last summer without a hitch. We left for FL in January, and while it was still cool in North Fl I tried them out and found that I could not control them at all... in fact they seemed to want to do whatever they wanted. I turned the power off at the main inside switch and forgot about it. After traveling a little further south into warmer weather, well they acted OK, except for a few of the red LEDS in a 6 inch strip no longer lit up. Over the course of 9 weeks, in rain, cool, foggy weather, they sometimes worked the way they should and sometimes not.

My Shamrock 183 will only handle a 10 foot strip of LED lights and they seem to mostly come 16 foot to the LED strip. Not wanting to cut the strip off (which you can do) or wasting the extra lights, I gule-caulked them into place down the rear arm of the awning next to the camper wall. That is where the strip is mostly having lighting problems (some LEDs are out or dim) and I wonder if sometime the back of the strip would ground itself out to the metal of the awning posts with moisture???... when it warms up I will have to check now that I am back home.

As a backup porch light, I replaced the stock incandesent bulb on the outside porch light with an LED. The lens is yellow to make it kind of a bug-lite. It worked well when my LED lights were acting crazy. Glad I have both options available.

The LED strips work off of a 12V source voltage, and with a cutter and black tape you can easily splice in the remote control device near the awning (outside of the camper wall) where the 12V wires are exposed to power the LED strip under the awning. The LED strip you buy fits nicely into a grooved aluminum track mounted to the camper... slide in from one side.

I have already bought strip light holders to put on the awning roll end to give me even another light source for the evenings. When winter camping in FL in Jan and Feb, it gets dark early and outside lights sure help. In the summer they can add a non-harsh light source.

Archicamper · 03-27-2015, 03:42 PM

The factory LED lights, mine are by Dometic, and very cool in color and are not appropriate for camping as far as I am concerned. When mine failed a bought a warmer color white from Amazon and spliced them in to the existing wires. It is now much more pleasant to have the lights on. Just make sure that your splice connections are watertight.

rbq · 03-27-2015, 03:55 PM

I remember when we doing the PDI on our 2011 Roo & checking everything out & we couldn't get one of the slide windows open. The tech had to put a suction cup on out side to get it to move. Has worked fine ever since.

bob caldwell · 03-27-2015, 09:26 PM

If you decide on after market, china made, buy 2 of the strips. Sooner or later you'll use or need it. The 3m tape on them is bad, the 3m sticky type can be had at Lowes. IF you go back on this forum, to the mods posts, really tons of info.

cpd1343 · 03-29-2015, 05:58 AM

I am a firm believer in "You get what you pay for". Try this vendor:

https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/...rips-and-bars/

You will never have to replace them again.

bob caldwell · 03-29-2015, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpd1343

I am a firm believer in "You get what you pay for". Try this vendor:

https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/...rips-and-bars/

You will never have to replace them again.

If you want 1 color only and want to pay more for the rest of the controllers,and etc., and have a sack full of green stuff, then go for it. Good vendor but not enough selections.

cpd1343 · 03-29-2015, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob caldwell

If you want 1 color only and want to pay more for the rest of the controllers,and etc., and have a sack full of green stuff, then go for it. Good vendor but not enough selections.

Look at it this way: You spent $20,000 on a camper and expect a $20 string of lights not to fail relatively quickly. That logic makes no sense. The post was in response to replacing the OEM lights which are one color with no controller.

bob caldwell · 03-29-2015, 07:38 AM

I don't believe the leds have been out long enough yet, the flexible strips, to be used as we try to do . Also, the tape backing is very marginal. tear some off and you'll see that the tape is the insulator for the contacts. If people aren't careful with installing, they will work for a while, but road vibration will win. I've had leds since this first became the rage, and have tried a few vendors, and found paying more, doesn't mean you get more. There bound to get better in time.

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