LED lights - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

Gord · 06-07-2010, 07:03 PM

I got some less-expensive LED lights yesterday, and thought I'd post a couple of pictures of the trial installation. These LED modules have 4 LEDs per module, and cost about $3 each module. Each module is encapsulated in plastic, so should stand up to RV use.

The modules that simply plug in to replace a standard 1141 light bulb would be even simpler to install, but the ones I've found are very expensive. I used 2 of these 4-LED modules instead, to replace one bulb in the bathroom light fixture. The 2 LED modules came wired together, so 8 LEDs altogether.

The first picture is of the fixture with the light bulb removed, the second is the back of the fixture. I used a blue "tap" clip to connect the ground wire (white) to the original ground wire, and with some minor soldering, replaced the original black positive lead with the blue positive for the LED, at the switch power outlet.

RichR · 06-07-2010, 07:46 PM

That looks like a good workable installation. Where did you get them? How would you rate how they compare to the output of the standard bulb?

Gord · 06-08-2010, 02:10 PM

Relative light output is a judgement call I guess. The LEDs produce a blue-white light, vs the yellowish light from the original bulb. I think one 4-LED module wouldn't be as bright as the 1141 bulb, but using the two modules together seems to produce a comparable light. I find the LEDs just fine, my wife thinks they wouldn't be good for applying makeup (which I don't usually worry about!).

I got these from a Canadian supplier, at a ham radio flea market (web site is at pcboard.ca). I imagine they'd be available from any one of several US retailers, as the LED lights have been slow to come to Canada.

JackandJanet · 07-05-2010, 08:59 PM

I hope you'll excuse a somewhat different concept on the same theme from a new guy.

Janet and I love to dry camp in Forest Service campgrounds and similar venues, which is one reason we got a 17 ft Hi-Lo. But, it came with 11 - 15 Watt bulbs for internal lighting! Agreed, we never had all of them on at once, but even two light fixtures seemed to be using too much power.

I found some SMT LEDs on a flat "card" from SuperBrightLEDs.com: 1156 & 1157 PCB series LED Lamps Specifications. The ones I got are the 1156-PCB-CWHP9 and WWHP9 units. I put the CWHP9 units in the kitchen and bathroom areas and used the WWHP9 units in the "living" area. I'm including some pictures below.

The first shows the mounting method - double stick tape against the top of the housing. You really want the tape to extend beyond the "card" so you don't push on the card, which could crack the solder joints. They simply plug into the existing socket.

The next two show the WWHP9 (3100K) units without and with the diffusers. The light quality is very much like the OEM incandescent bulbs and seems almost as bright. It is very good for reading.

The last shows the CWHP9 (7000K) units I put in the kitchen and bathroom. The light is crisp and bright without the "blue" cast you often get with the "whiter" lights. I think it comes very close to a "daylight fluorescent" bulb in quality.

Each card consumes only 2.28 Watts. This means I could have all interior lights on and use less Wattage than two of the OEM bulbs in one fixture would consume.

In practice, we never have more than two fixtures lit at once.

While they are pricey, they really conserve on battery draw. I highly recommend this product and have bought other bulbs from the same source for my truck.

- Jack

Gord · 07-12-2010, 03:05 PM

Those lights definitely look better than what I did, and easier to install. I haven't found a Canadian source yet though, and ordering them from the US makes them even more expensive than they were for you.

Maybe someday. Sigh.

Gord.

kengsr · 07-14-2010, 05:55 AM

I found these 19 LEDs bulbs for $4.25 each shipped. I just got two for trial. They work well and I think they are worth the investment to eliminate the heat and waste of battery power. They have a blueish tint to the light which I like. Delivery time from Hong Kong was about 10 days, much faster than expected.

19 LED 1156 Car Tail Light Bulbs 1141 1459 5007 DC 12V - eBay (item 170512693971 end time Jul-22-10 12:41:58 PDT)

JackandJanet · 07-14-2010, 09:30 AM

They work too. I used something similar before I went with the 9-LED "cards" I have now (which are MUCH brighter).

I wasn't bothered by the bluish tint either, at first. Later, I figured out that it was causing eyestrain when I tried to read in that light. It was almost like trying to see through a light "fog". Our eyes are not really designed for that wavelength, which is why many people complain about the bluish HID headlights some people have in their vehicles.

A good color temperature for "white" light seems to be in the 5000-6000K range. The kitchen lights I mounted are 7000K, but, as I said, they don't seem to produce the "blue" light. The rest of the lights I used are 3500K (warm white) lights as I recall. It's very pleasant for the living area.

As an aside, have you ever noticed that a shooter's sunglasses are amber? They block the blue wavelengths and sharpen your vision. The so-called "blu-blocker" sunglasses do the same thing.

This of course is JMHO, your mileage may vary!

*beers*

- Jack

retiredcamper47 · 10-11-2010, 02:45 PM

Thanks Jack about the LED light info. I replaced all my interior lights with the 1156-PCB-CWHP9 Cool White lights. They are amazing in the amount of light they produce. The wife has no problem reading with them. It was a bit pricey to do this but well worth it. Guess I can recoup my money by not having to replace melted lens covers (haha).

Bob

JMDoering · 02-26-2011, 02:25 PM

Stopped at Camping World today to do my spring browsing. They've started selling LED bulbs shaped to replace the standard incandescent bulbs in a travel trailer. H

LY SM

KES!!! $32.XX per bulb for a #1157 (the style that goes into our Hi-Lo taillights).

I figure I can cycle through a lifetime supply of regular bulbs for that price! Thank goodness for the HTF and members writing in about MUCH less expensive sources for these things!

Jim

JackandJanet · 02-26-2011, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMDoering

Stopped at Camping World today to do my spring browsing. They've started selling LED bulbs shaped to replace the standard incandescent bulbs in a travel trailer. H

LY SM

KES!!! $32.XX per bulb for a #1157 (the style that goes into our Hi-Lo taillights).

I figure I can cycle through a lifetime supply of regular bulbs for that price! Thank goodness for the HTF and members writing in about MUCH less expensive sources for these things!

Jim

You're going to see prices come down on these things pretty quickly now, I think. Home Depot has started selling a whole line of screw-in PAR style 120V bulbs and the 2-pin 12-volt MR16 bulbs.

The savings in electricity will make them pretty popular.

By the way, the interior bulbs would be 1156, not 1157 (2-filament) ones.

- Jack

sting32 · 02-28-2011, 02:35 PM

Super bright leds store,

Super Bright LEDs - Store

has lots of different configs available too. My camper has a pair of lights that I think have screw in bulbs, E12-W3: Cool White LED bulb, I think I will check tonight and order me some of these soon, thanks for telling us about them! each light might be or seem expensive, but it really is bad when battery is dead when I get up the 2nd day of camping (when the kids wont shut lights off. I think it will be worth it.

JMDoering · 02-28-2011, 08:08 PM

Hey Sting,

Thanks for the the referral to the LED store. MUCH better prices than I saw at CW.

Jim

sting32 · 03-01-2011, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMDoering

Hey Sting,

Thanks for the the referral to the LED store. MUCH better prices than I saw at CW.

Jim

No problem, I was on the phone and had to run, but googling for (cant recall exactly) for the same results, I found another site, cheaper lights, however I want the "warm" wave-lenght type. Ill dig through browser history see if I can turn up a link, then edit this post..

Ok Ill have to go searching again, it didnt save in my histories? wait, ok found it via AMAZON, unrated seller in google, might be new to market? http://ledwholesalers-com-inc.amazonwebstore.com/

LED Miniature Bulbs: Light Bulbs Etc, Inc. isnt the one, but is another sources.

this page shows dimensions of thier products,
LED Light Bulbs, Automotive, 15mm Index & SC Bayonet - LEDtronics - 1168

one more quickie... http://www.lightingsupply.com/led/le...FYnc4AodNAJ1TQ

Rolff · 06-20-2011, 06:12 PM

I had ordered LED bayonette type 1157 bulbs from Deal Extreme.
1157 led - DealExtreme
I should have checked the brightness before I ordered them as they were not bright enough to really read by because the light was not directed downward. I did put one in my outside light and it works fine. Two others went into the posts on my boat trailer. One never worked.
I like the idea of the cards like Gord and Jack did. We haven't had too much trouble with battery drainage because when we read or play cards we have battery powered lanterns. The light is better and it just seems more like camping.

davidc · 03-11-2012, 09:32 PM

Word of warning about "cheaping - out" too much on LED's lights... Someone I work with did this on his truck, bought them for something like $3 each on the "bay". Put them in his truck and one shorted out and melted the tail light board long before it blew the fuse in the truck.

I got a much higher quality light off amazon and spent ~$9 each and haven't had any issues at all with them.

His were plastic with a metal band, mine were metal like regular bulbs (1157).

Fuses and LED's don't react quite the same as regular bulbs... LED's draw much less power so the fuse may not react at all if there is a short or something wrong, but the damage can be done in wiring and sockets...

RichR · 03-12-2012, 01:43 PM

Thanks for the information. I hadn't thought about the lower amperage of LED lights. I converted to 24 LED flat panels and they are working very well for us. At one sixth the wattage of incandescent bulbs it would be wise to use lighter fuses in the light circuit.

JackandJanet · 03-12-2012, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichR

Thanks for the information. I hadn't thought about the lower amperage of LED lights. I converted to 24 LED flat panels and they are working very well for us. At one sixth the wattage of incandescent bulbs it would be wise to use lighter fuses in the light circuit.

Isn't it a circuit breaker? If it's a fuse, I agree, go with maybe 1/3 - 1/4 the wattage of the OEM fuse. (I don't think you want to reduce it all the way to 1/6.)

I haven't looked for replacement circuit breakers, but they must exist.

- Jack

RichR · 03-13-2012, 08:52 AM

I believe all the interior 12 volt circuits are fused. I think the light circuit is 15 amp, if you have all your lights converted you may want to drop to maybe a 5 amp. The 120 volt are breakers.

campthewestcoast · 03-13-2012, 08:31 PM

I found some high quailty led light bulbs, I'm using 1 of these now and hoping to get more in the future (I'm thinking christmas wish list).The problem is the high cost and trying to find them bright enough and the color range .
The lumens is the brightness ( I like to be above 300)
The kelvin is the color (3,000-3,500 for warm white which I perfer) or (5,000 to 6,000 for bluish white)
Check Ming¡¯s Mark Inc
The best price I found doing a search was $16.98 each at dyersonline.com

sayhonkmon · 03-13-2012, 09:36 PM

I'd say steer clear of any electronics that are made in China. You are asking for trouble.