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Topic: Specs for replacing lights with LED's (Read 388 times) previous topic - next topic
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Specs for replacing lights with LED's
All but one of my running lights are out.  Inside, I have 3 fluorescent lights and 3 lights with little pop-in bulbs 18.4w (1141 LL 3169, like this Sylvania 1141 Long-Life Miniature Bulb, Twin Pack - Walmart.com

Can I swap fluorescent for LED without a wiring mod?  Same question for the other bulbs.  I'm betting I have to rewire all the receptacles. What about the running lights? Same issue?

Thanks.
Save a life.
Adopting a pet is the closest a human
will ever come to choosing a relative.
hsus.org  aspca.org
1992 Lazy Daze T/K  23.5' Ford 460 c.i.d./7.6 liter V8 engine, electronic fuel injection, E4OD 4-speed auto transmission
Full time 6/2017
Re: Specs for replacing lights with LED's
Reply #1 –
I changed the incandescent 1141 and 1156 etc. for LED right away.  That gives a 10 to 1 power savings on battery power.  I changed all interior incandescent lamps except the spot lights. 

Fluorescent conversions typically require wiring modifications and only give a 4 to 1 power savings.
Rodney
1988 Mid Bath
Re: Specs for replacing lights with LED's
Reply #2 –
LED 1141's are the easiest mod out there. In the old days turning on one incandescent 1141 would take a fully charged battery below 100% on a sunny day with our one solar panel. Since swapping out it is the sixth 1141 that takes the batts below 100%.

My unofficial test. 😋
Ruby, the red 2004 26' RK hauling Dave and Kristine hither and yon
Re: Specs for replacing lights with LED's
Reply #3 –
We have a part original / part LED setup in our LD.  I replaced all of the 1141's with ebay replacements.  It's very easy.  You can do all of them in just a few minutes.  

For the fluorescent fixtures, I only replaced the ceiling middle fixture in the back of our MB with LED.  That one fixture, combined with the 1141's (overcab, kitchen, bath, in front of the closet, porch light) give plenty of light when we want to conserve power.  Other times, we enjoy the original fluorescent lights.

The options change so frequently that it's hard to take a recommendation from someone who has done it even a few months ago. 

Rich
'03 MB in NC
2003 MB
Re: Specs for replacing lights with LED's
Reply #4 –
I replaced all the indoor incandescent lamps plus the patio light lamp with LED lamps that simply plugged into the existing sockets, but left the florescent lamps alone due to the greater complexity of converting florescent fixtures and the lesser power savings from swapping florescent lamps.

There is an issue with proper cooling of LED lamps, so I got mine from M4 Products

M4 Products

which has a reputation for supplying superior LED lamps. I'm sure this could be done well for less, but I'd rather pay a bit more for less risk.

This conversion has worked well, leading to clear power savings and longer battery life, especially during winter camping. Should have done it sooner.

Terry
2003 26.5' RB
Gardnerville, NV
Terry
2003 26.5'RB
Gardnerville, NV
Re: Specs for replacing lights with LED's
Reply #5 –
I did much the same as Terry Burnes to my o7 MB. I too went with M4. What I liked very much was talking to them about the relative color for various fixtures. For example I went with a very white and much brighter than stock for the under the vent hood light to help with cooking;  The same for the porch light; the other lights I used a color temp much closer to that of incandescent bulbs.  They were very easy to work with.
John
o7 MidBath
Currently: 2008 36' Tiffin Open Road
Previously: 2007 Mid Bath
Re: Specs for replacing lights with LED's
Reply #6 –
Thank you everyone!  This is great info.  One thing I don't understand, is about the proper cooling of led's. I didn't think led's emitted any heat. 
Save a life.
Adopting a pet is the closest a human
will ever come to choosing a relative.
hsus.org  aspca.org
1992 Lazy Daze T/K  23.5' Ford 460 c.i.d./7.6 liter V8 engine, electronic fuel injection, E4OD 4-speed auto transmission
Full time 6/2017
Re: Specs for replacing lights with LED's
Reply #7 –
I replaced all flourescent tubes with the M4 LEDs. One tube replaces two fluorescent tubes giving as much light, but then there is a lopsided look to the fixture when in use.  Cool white seems better to me for task lighting.  It does take a very simple working connection. If the instructions were not printed in Klingon it would be easier.  YouTube to the rescue.

 I replaced some incandescent fixtures, and other bulbs with different varieties. I found the fixture replacement performs the best, but the M4 bulbs do quite well. I have been very disappointed in other LED bulb replacements.
Paul
'92 Mid Bath
Re: Specs for replacing lights with LED's
Reply #8 –
I was looking at the Amazon reviews of bulbs and several folks complained about the glue that holds bulbs to a fixture getting soft in high temp areas, mostly with lights in fixtures similar to our incandescent bulbs and mostly when the fixtures were in cars or RV that were stored out doors in the summer.  After the good reviews of M4 here I called them.  I have not had any issues with the bulbs last summer, the first full summer they were in the RV.  Our LD sits out side and it does get warm in side.  Not as hot as a car because I have covers on the vents and they stay open.  If the RV happens to be home I turn on the fantastic fan letting the solar recharge the batteries.  When the rv is in storage the fans are off, and I would not be surprised to find greater than 120 deg temps inside on the hottest days of  the summer. 

I do not know if that is the heat issue others were worried about,  but it is one of the issues I came across and it applied to lights from a bunch of places.  I really like the Amazon reviews.  The glue issue might not be as bad now.  
Currently: 2008 36' Tiffin Open Road
Previously: 2007 Mid Bath
Re: Specs for replacing lights with LED's
Reply #9 –
Many of the higher output LED "bulbs" get quite hot.  They often will have a heat sink on the back of the circuit board to help dissipate the heat, but you still need to be careful what that comes in contact with.

Now, in a lamp type situation you have plenty of airflow around the "bulb", but in an RV where you might have "puck" lights on the ceiling (like many class A's do) and you're using a G4 base LED "bulb", you might need to shield the ceiling material.  We had this in our Foretravel when we went to high power CREE lights.  Those are likely the heat issues the folks on Amazon are referring to.