My solution to awning lights

[TURBS]

I'm going to be broke before this is over!

[HondoPatrick]

This peer pressure is killin me... just ordered up my 5050's along with the AC converter. Can't wait to hang them up!

[l24x4]

Has anyone cut the wire between the control box and the plug that powers the led to extend it. And also the wires for the ir receiver to extend that one to. Was thinking about cutting those wires making them longer and bringing up the awning leg that is attached to camper then accros the awning fabric itself. Thinking if I roll the awning up the wires will roll up with the awning. Problem is I don't know what type of wire to use that will be small enought not to look all bunch up in the awning and will be big enought to handle the 6 amps Max power if I need it down the road just in case. Any thoughts.

[jmswms]

Cootr68-please let me know how these work. Have a seasonal site and I'd like to put these on the stairs to the deck. All i need is a soft light so I know where the stairs are

[cootr68]

Originally Posted by jmswms

Cootr68-please let me know how these work. Have a seasonal site and I'd like to put these on the stairs to the deck. All i need is a soft light so I know where the stairs are

Will do.

[toniundpetra]

I just found a four lead phone cable AWG26. I want to extend from the transformer to the LEDs. My chart maps it at max 3.2A per lead accd to Google wisdom. Can I use it for a 5meter Led with 1.2A/meter? I think it should be ok. Comments?

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by toniundpetra

I just found a four lead phone cable AWG26. I want to extend from the transformer to the LEDs. My chart maps it at max 3.2A per lead accd to Google wisdom. Can I use it for a 5meter Led with 1.2A/meter? I think it should be ok. Comments?

You lost me at hello! Lol

[Rsgtivr6]

26AWG is mighty small, but we aren't working with an awful lot of current, so you should be alright if you stay below the ratings.

Also, I found this corner jumper on Amazon so you can bend around corners or over things!

Amazon.com: LED Strip Light Connector 4 Conductor 10 to 12 mm Strip to Strip Jumper: Home Improvement

Also good to do those stairs, you can get this;

Amazon.com: LED Strip Light Connector 4 Conductor 12 mm Ribbon to Cable, 2094: Home Improvement

That way you can reuse the cut-off strips to continue down the steps.

[cootr68]

Originally Posted by jmswms

Cootr68-please let me know how these work. Have a seasonal site and I'd like to put these on the stairs to the deck. All i need is a soft light so I know where the stairs are

From 35ft away.

[Herk7769]

I wish I saw those when I was doing my re-wire.
That is very cool.

Originally Posted by Rsgtivr6

26AWG is mighty small, but we aren't working with an awful lot of current, so you should be alright if you stay below the ratings.

Also, I found this corner jumper on Amazon so you can bend around corners or over things!

Amazon.com: LED Strip Light Connector 4 Conductor 10 to 12 mm Strip to Strip Jumper: Home Improvement

Also good to do those stairs, you can get this;

Amazon.com: LED Strip Light Connector 4 Conductor 12 mm Ribbon to Cable, 2094: Home Improvement

That way you can reuse the cut-off strips to continue down the steps.

[ammdrew]

my led installed under the awning on the wall. hooked into the front spot light so that switch turns them on and we can still use the porch light Amber for late night. really does a great job lighting the whole area.

[cdbus]

Originally Posted by Cincy6

For those interested in getting them faster (I wanted them by Memorial day weekend), I ordered these:

Waterproof 150 Color Changing SMD5050 LED Lighting Strip Kit RGB 16.4ft, 2038kit
Amazon.com: Waterproof 150 Color Changing SMD5050 LED Lighting Strip Kit RGB 16.4ft, 2038kit: Home Improvement


on Amazon on Saturday and received today (Monday) using Amazon Prime 2 day shipping free trial. Total cost was 39.00 including AC adaptor. Paid a little more but received them much faster.

I'm thinking about getting these as I have an Amazon Prime account. These are waterproof, has the 12V power supply and already has the 44 button controller. However what does the 2038 kit mean? Are these not 5050 LED's?

[Cincy6]

Originally Posted by cdbus

I'm thinking about getting these as I have an Amazon Prime account. These are waterproof, has the 12V power supply and already has the 44 button controller. However what does the 2038 kit mean? Are these not 5050 LED's?

I think that is just the order number, but not sure. Yes, they are 5050 LED's and came with everything shown on the link. The 3M tape has held and they have worked great since Memorial day. The remote is a little weak though, range is only about 10 feet and you need to aim right at the receiver for it to work, but overall they are great and get alot of comments!

[Len & Cheri]

I think the numbers represent the brightness of the LED. The 5050 being brighter than the 2038. I could be wrong, it's happened before.

[sdagro]

Originally Posted by sdagro

Yea. I have some time restraints tho. They are only 45 miles or so from me. Plus it has a plug & play mode?? Blinks to music. Thought that might be good during tailgating. We will see. Steve

I got mine in on Wednesday and had my daughter hold them against the camper below the awning track that night to see the effect. Bringing them back to P.O. today. With my full body dark paint job and black w/2 shades of grey awning, even the brightest white doesn't give me much more than a highlight. And for $42 I was expecting a little more. Seems like they would work a lot better on a white or more reflective color on both camper and awning. I am sure I can find something else to blow that $40 on. Steve

[Killman]

Okay, I have to ask. What are you all using to affix your lights to your camper? I bought some car moulding tape from the auto store thinking, if it can keep a piece of molding on a car, then it surely will be able to keep my lights on my camper. The problem is that I can't get it, or anything else for that matter, to attach to the plastic casing of the LED light string. The stuff sticks great to the camper, but the lights fall right off of the tape...and that is with it just sitting there! I can't imagine trying to drive down the road and them stay on!!
Anyway, any suggestions on what tape, or other method, you all use to attach your lights would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to try to take some sandpaper and rough up the backside of the light sleeve and see if that will make it adhere better.

[Herk7769]

The ones I got came with 3M double sided tape already on it. Just peeled off the covering and stuck it right onto the camper.

2 trips and nothing budged. (In fact I was less than even when I put the first strip on and when I tried to move it up a little bit to fit the second string it was on solid and unmovable.)

I would need a heat gun to move it; I think.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by sdagro

I got mine in on Wednesday and had my daughter hold them against the camper below the awning track that night to see the effect. Bringing them back to P.O. today. With my full body dark paint job and black w/2 shades of grey awning, even the brightest white doesn't give me much more than a highlight. And for $42 I was expecting a little more. Seems like they would work a lot better on a white or more reflective color on both camper and awning. I am sure I can find something else to blow that $40 on. Steve

Not sure what ones you bought but I got the ones the op got from ebay and they are brighter than I expected.
Even dimmed on the lowest setting there still pretty bright.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Killman

Okay, I have to ask. What are you all using to affix your lights to your camper? I bought some car moulding tape from the auto store thinking, if it can keep a piece of molding on a car, then it surely will be able to keep my lights on my camper. The problem is that I can't get it, or anything else for that matter, to attach to the plastic casing of the LED light string. The stuff sticks great to the camper, but the lights fall right off of the tape...and that is with it just sitting there! I can't imagine trying to drive down the road and them stay on!!
Anyway, any suggestions on what tape, or other method, you all use to attach your lights would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to try to take some sandpaper and rough up the backside of the light sleeve and see if that will make it adhere better.

Used the outdoor 2 sided tape from Lowes. Mine came with the 3m tape already installed and fell off after about 4 days. Luckily we hadn't gone anywhere. Bought the outdoor tape, split it on my band saw and used it. It's been on for a month and we've towed in rain and it has rained for 2 days and 2 nights here in FL and they are still stuck tight. Highly recommend the outside tape.

[punkaccountant]

I'm thinking about getting a strand of these lights to install under the awning directly on my TT and was wondering if these get hot like the 5050 paddle lights that install in your light fixtures? Those can get pretty hot. If so, 1) will this eventually affect the sticky tape and 2) will that heat hurt the gelcoat or sides of the TT?