Neat LED Lighting Alert February 11, 2008, 12:17:23 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89332Many of you are already familiar with the LUMEN brand wireless LED "puck" lights. They feature five leds, an on/off/dimmer button, swivel and tilt capability, and mounting via velcro or screw (both supplied)and come with Duracell aaa batteries. What got me excited enough yesterday to buy a herd of them for Arby's compartments is the new trick they've learned.These puppies now feature an switchable auto-on/off capability that reacts to ambient light for a trigger. Open a compartment door, ambient light sneaks inside and turns on the LEDS. Close the compartment door and out goes the light. No more forgetting or fumbling for the switch. Our local COSTCO has them on sale in the three-pak for $9.99 after a three buck instant discount.Regards,George Arby The RV (2007 RB in Red) Curvy The Toad-to-be (2007 CR-V)
Re: Neat LED Lighting Alert Reply #1 – February 11, 2008, 12:30:32 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89333GeorgeI LOVE these lights! We have been using them in our overhead cabinets for some time now. I just have one question. In the overheads, the auto on capability doesn't really work well, perhaps not enough light?Please, let me know how they work in the outside bins. If the auto on works well, we'll definitely use them.Have you seen the fencepost lights we found at Home Depot? They're also great.Kate http://cholulared.blogspot.com &http://www.cholulared.comWant to find us? Click below, we're #3096 http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=3096
Re: Neat LED Lighting Alert Reply #2 – February 11, 2008, 02:35:29 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89339Kate, I'll let you know. The ones I bought have two sensitivity settings on the sensor...one for high ambient light and one for low ambient. I'll try the low setting first which should be the most sensitive. Will advise. I'll also check out the post lights.Thanks, George
Re: Neat LED Lighting Alert Reply #3 – February 11, 2008, 02:40:50 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89340I'll let you know. The ones I bought have two sensitivity settings on the sensor...one for high ambient light and one for low ambient. I'll try the low setting first which should be the most sensitive. Will advise. I'll also check out the post lights.Thanks, GeorgeGeorgeI've tried them on both settings and for inside the rig (cabinets) neither setting worked well. They may do better in the outside bins (I hope!).Kate http://cholulared.blogspot.com &http://www.cholulared.comWant to find us? Click below, we're #3096 http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=3096[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Fencepost Solar Lights - Reply #4 – February 11, 2008, 04:42:45 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89342"Have you seen the fencepost lights we found at Home Depot? They're also great."Quote Kate Kate and/or Andy, how 'bout posting a couple of photos since you can't find product photos on the Internet?Chris
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #5 – February 11, 2008, 05:06:39 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89345"how 'bout posting a couple of photos since you can't find product photos on the Internet?"Done! See Photos > Solar fence light.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #6 – February 11, 2008, 06:17:25 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89346Quote "how 'bout posting a couple of photos since you can't find product photos on the Internet?""Done! See Photos > Solar fence light."Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/ Thanks! Something cheap, useful and pretty cool.Chris
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #7 – February 11, 2008, 07:10:11 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89349OK, I get the idea now. How did you mount those to the outside of the LD? Mary T in Dixon
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #8 – February 11, 2008, 07:52:36 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89350"OK, I get the idea now. How did you mount those to the outside of the LD? Mary T in Dixon"Superlock!!!!http://cholulared.blogspot.com &http://www.cholulared.comWant to find us? Click below, we're #3096 http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=3096[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #9 – February 11, 2008, 08:11:15 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89351Very cool! Thanks for the pics. I love how you mounted one under the skylight inside- that was smart! Thanks for sharing, Tessa
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #10 – February 11, 2008, 08:53:46 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89356Quote "OK, I get the idea now. How did you mount those to the outside of the LD? Mary T in Dixon"Superlock!!!! Duh! I should have known that. Slapping myself upside the head. Thanks. Mary
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #11 – February 11, 2008, 09:25:24 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89358Quote"Done! See Photos > Solar fence light."Andy Baird Okay guys and gals, what am I missing here???These solar powered fence lights store up power utilizing sunlight, that much I think I know.Once the sun goes down then the light comes on, correct?Does it stay on all night, shining in your neighbors window??And, why is this device necessary? Do you not have an equivalent light above the door, operable from an inside switch (that many people forget to turn off, much to the annoyance of their neighbors)?Steve S. Lazy Bones & Jiggs
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #12 – February 11, 2008, 09:52:06 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89363"Okay guys and gals, what am I missing here???These solar powered fence lights store up power utilizing sunlight, that much I think I know.Once the sun goes down then the light comes on, correct?Does it stay on all night, shining in your neighbors window??And, why is this device necessary? Do you not have an equivalent light above the door, operable from an inside switch (that many people forget to turn off, much to the annoyance of their neighbors)?"Steve,You aren't missing anything.Yes, once the sun goes down, the light comes on, but it's just 2 leds. bright enough to find the keyhole in your door, but nowhere near as bright as the installed porch light on the LD. We are always going away in the daytime and forgetting to turn on the porch light, so we come home to the dark (although I have to admit I usually have one of my vast collection of flashlights somewhere on my person). For me, that makes it, not a necessity but pretty darned convenient.Katehttp://cholulared.blogspot.com &http://www.cholulared.comWant to find us? Click below, we're #3096 http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=3096 .[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #13 – February 11, 2008, 10:41:05 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89365"Does it stay on all night, shining in your neighbors window?"Truth is, in commercial campgrounds it's common practice to leave entry lights on all night; in fact, they're sometimes referred to as "courtesy lights," because leaving them on is considered a courtesy to any fellow campers who may be walking to and from their rigs after dark.But to answer your question: yes, it stays on as long as it's dark. However, it's not bright enough to be much of a bother to neighbors, unless you're ridiculously close (like five feet). To make assurance doubly sure, Kate and I affixed aluminum tape to the inside rims of our solar lights' diffusers, so that all light is shed downward. And of course the solar light that I use as a night light in my bathroom, mounted just under the skylight, isn't going to bother anybody. :-)"why is this device necessary? Do you not have an equivalent light above the door, operable from an inside switch..."Sure, but it draws an amp and a half of 12VDC power. When I'm dry camping, which is most of the year, I don't want unnecessary drains. These little "fence lights" take care of their own energy needs, so there's no drain on my house batteries.And as Kate pointed out, they are one less thing to remember. For example, I often leave the rig in the afternoon and end up staying out until after sundown. If I remember to turn on the outside light before I leave, it wastes 12V power between then and sundown. If I don't (which is more often the case), I come home to a pitch-dark rig. But with the solar light, everything's automatic, and there's no 12VDC power used. I could even make the argument that seeing the light come on at dusk might (slightly) deter burglars. :-) They're convenient, they save power, they won't bother the neighbors, and they're only ten bucks each. I like 'em. :-)Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Neat LED Lighting Alert Reply #14 – February 12, 2008, 08:36:39 am Yahoo Message Number: 89368The auto-on feature would work very well for the outside bins . . . . but if it's dark, you gotta shine a flashlight in there to get the puck lights to turn on (g).bumper Yonder
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #15 – February 18, 2008, 10:39:19 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89559QuoteTo make assurance doubly sure, Kate and I affixed aluminum tape to the inside rims of our solar lights' diffusers, so that all light is shed downward. Hi Andy,Thanks for the information about the solar fence lights. After trying several stores I finally found one of those solar lights. It was the only one on the shelf and the package had been opened. In the one I got the top half of the unit just sits on the bottom half. You can lift it off quite easily. Did I get a faulty unit or is that the way yours is too? There's not even a plastic clip of any kind to hold it in place and I can just see it jiggling off as I drive down the road.I have a second question also. You said you used aluminum tape to direct the light downward. Can you tell me what aluminum tape is? Thanks for your help.Chuck in Bellevue, WA
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #16 – February 18, 2008, 11:09:16 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89561"In the one I got the top half of the unit just sits on the bottom half. You can lift it off quite easily." Push harder, and it should snap into place. Small catches are molded into the case itself. "You said you used aluminum tape to direct the light downward. Can you tell me what aluminum tape is?"Just what it sounds like: heavy-duty aluminum foil with an adhesive backing, usually 1.5"-2" wide on a roll. It's used for automotive repairs and to seal ventilation ducts, among other things. Most hardware stores carry it, and you can usually find it in the automotive department at Wal-Mart.In the case of the entry door light, I applied the tape "inside out"--that is, with the adhesive side against the inside of the solar light's diffuser lens--so that the shiny side would reflect the light internally. (You could do the same thing with household aluminum foil, but it wouldn't look as smooth.) The foil ensures that there's no glare, as all the light exits downward. With the solar light in my bathroom (mounted just under the skylight), there was no need to do this.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #17 – February 19, 2008, 02:27:31 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89581Quote "In the one I got the top half of the unit just sits on the bottom half. You can lift it off quite easily."Push harder, and it should snap into place. Ah, you're right, Andy, it did. I had looked for ways the two parts would snap into place and found none. I didn't think that the parts may just fit like a tight lid with a little more pressure. And thanks for the info about aluminum tape. Never heard of it but I'm glad to know about it.Chuck in Bellevue, WA
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #18 – February 29, 2008, 11:14:17 am Yahoo Message Number: 89968This looks keen, but will not catch enough sunlight to work well at all--I have a vent cover over the vent--do you? Perhaps that's my problem.
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #19 – February 29, 2008, 11:23:32 am Yahoo Message Number: 89970"This looks keen, but will not catch enough sunlight to work well at all--I have a vent cover over the vent--do you? Perhaps that's my problem."Carl I believe Andy has his mounted solar light under the shower skylight, not the bath vent. The skylight is translucent and lets in a lot of light. Your solar light is trying to capture light after it has gone through the vent and cover. Each layer of plastic reduces the strength of the light and a dark vent cover will just about eliminate any useful light. Since the solar light is made for exterior use, could it be mounted on the outside of the vent so that it's light is aimed toward the interior?Larry
Re: Fencepost solar lights Reply #20 – February 29, 2008, 01:05:21 pm Yahoo Message Number: 89972"I believe Andy has his mounted solar light under the shower skylight, not the bath vent. The skylight is translucent and lets in a lot of light." That's right. Mine has been working perfectly for weeks now, providing a good bathroom night light that lasts all night. Granted, it's mostly sunny where I am, so the solar light gets lots of flight through the skylight... but it's also February, so the days are still relatively short. I'd say that in most parts of the country at most times of year, this should work very well. Since the solar light is made for exterior use, could it be mounted on the outside of the vent so that it's light is aimed toward the interior?"Interesting idea, Larry! No reason why you couldn't do that. The light's solar panel would get more sunlight that way. Of course, its LED illumination would be somewhat reduced by passage through the vent, so you might or might not be satisfied with the amount of light provided. But it wouldn't hurt to try.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Topic: Neat LED Lighting Alert (Read 6 times)
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Topic: Neat LED Lighting Alert (Read 6 times)
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