LED lighting

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rubberrat
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Joined: August 25th, 2014, 7:54 pm
Location: North Norfolk - Near the coast

LED lighting

Post: # 233Post rubberrat
August 27th, 2014, 9:29 am

So, in an effort to preserve my leisure battery when off-grid, even though I have a solar panel I decided to get some LED bulbs.
Now I know those cheap Chinese things are a waste of money apparently, but I thought I'd start there and bring in better ones if I got on with them.


I ordered some capsule bulbs off a Hong Kong ebay seller, but at the last minute decided to get 12 LED G4 bulbs instead of the 24 bulb model. I only spotted as I hit 'Buy' that the pic had changed to a flat bulb from the cylindrical one I planned to order, but... too late!
Anyway, they only took a week to get here, cost £9 for 6 bulbs, and although they only project light from one side they seem to not only do the job, but are very bright. The 'one side' thing doesn't seem to be an issue in this application with the swivel spotlights.

My primary reason for change over and above the power saving was a safety issue, my halogen G4's burn extremely hot and more than once i've found my bed pillow touching the bulb in the overcab! ...could be nasty. These LED ones are only just warm when on.

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Location: Alresford, Hampshire

Re: LED lighting

Post: # 239Post Sheriff
August 27th, 2014, 12:28 pm

I changed to LED for the same reasons - I got these cylindrical G4s from Amazon and they seems to work fine and plenty bright enough, though they haven't had a lot of use yet.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B ... UTF8&psc=1
Guy
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zildjian
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Re: LED lighting

Post: # 259Post zildjian
August 27th, 2014, 8:28 pm

Quite a benefit in voltage drop aren't they I was amazed actually just how little difference having them all on made to the battery
I have a string of them mounted up underneath the wind-out awning another smaller string in that faux step light/camera on back (I wound a length of only about 10CM in a loop around camera and it chucks out loads of light on steps)

picked up a 12V PIR sensor box about size of a fag packet

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and was wondering if to include that in circuit as well

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richc
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Location: Leicester

Re: LED lighting

Post: # 291Post richc
August 28th, 2014, 9:31 am

I did the same in the Iveco and could switch every light in the truck on for the same current as one halogen, and the halogens were melting the fittings anyway

I'll have a look at the Apollo lighting when I get it back

Rich

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zildjian
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Re: LED lighting

Post: # 299Post zildjian
August 28th, 2014, 10:10 am

Not certain which are the 'good' or 'bad' LED's I picked some up and they seem great, cool to the touch & the camper doesn't overheat in ten minutes of the old ones being switched on
and consumption drops like a stone, mine are the one-sided ones as well they are a good buy

amazing really how LED technology has moved on since they only provided an indication of your power being on in years gone by

Mean to mention I installed a further IM long string of them behind the panel on edge of bed bulkhead and that creates a long pool of light on the dining table really handy

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rubberrat
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Joined: August 25th, 2014, 7:54 pm
Location: North Norfolk - Near the coast

Re: LED lighting

Post: # 429Post rubberrat
September 3rd, 2014, 8:43 am

I now need to take apart the the single roof light and the bathroom cabinet and change the bulbs there, unless they are tube type in which case they can stay.
From what I understand from a chap in the lighting industry on another forum, the cheap LED's tend to start losing one or two of the single LEDs quite quickly so are a false economy, so we'll see. With a bit of luck Lidl or Aldi will have them in the near future so we can get good quality but cheap.
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zildjian
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Re: LED lighting

Post: # 431Post zildjian
September 3rd, 2014, 10:00 am

Cabinet in bathroom is (on mine) a screw fitting bulb like in a fridge,
lens just pops out the front BTW

I wouldn't object to renewing them cheaply every once in awhile, household bulbs seem to blow on a regular basis anyway

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