Switching to LED ceiling lights.

[Bob86ZZ4]

My camper has those flourescent two tube light fixtures all over it. As well as a ton of small round halogen recessed lights. There are 11 of the flourescent ones. Some of them have burned out tubes. I was at Camping World a couple weeks ago and decided to buy an L.E.D. fixture to replace one of the flourescent ones and see how I like the different light. The one I got is their double pancake led fixture here: Double Pancake LED Light Fixture - Diamond Distribution Group Llc 52430 - LED Lighting - Camping World

Here's the description of it:

Upgrade lighting with eco-friendly, energy-saving 12-volt LED fixtures.
Features:

•our 36 Diode "Daylight White" diodes for superior light output.
•Great for new installation or replacement fixtures.
•Surface mount and easy to install, 2 wire.
•Three way switch provides lighting from one side of the unit or both.
•12 volt with 0.22 amp draw.
•5500 Kelvin and approximately 350 lumen output.
•To cover up old square style fixtures use part 52552 (bezel) in conjunction with this item.

I didn't buy the 52552 bezel since I was only buying one and not sure if I'd like the light. I figured if I like them I'd buy more and get the bezels. I put the one up and really like the light output. It is much whiter than the old lights. And seems to be pretty bright and good light spread. I just ordered 10 more to replace them all. I also ordered all the bezels so the dents in my vinyl soft ceilings won't show from the old lights. I know I could probably find the lights on line somewhere cheaper. But, I don't mind supporting Camping World because I do like being able to go to their stores and want to keep them open. I am taking a bit of risk here since I didn't wait for the Mrs. to see the difference and make sure it's okay with her. Oh well, better to beg forgiveness than ask permission.

 

[Warpath-TC]

Take a pick before and then after you install them. Curious to see the difference which I am sure will be dramatic. Love LEDS for everything but interior lighting, way to harsh and white for me. I have the multiplex lighting which is dimmable so I am not sure LEDs will even work. That wasn't a cheap upgrade, then again are there any Could you have just swapped out the bulbs or were the fixtures toast?

 

[Bob86ZZ4]

Good idea on the pictures. I'll do that. The present lights are at least 9 years old. I don't like how the plastic covers fit over the fronts. They kind of snap along a ridge the lenght of both sides. But they don't fit tight. One of them never stays on. And they are a bit yellowed by age. As well as the housings. Not worth it to me to try to upfit led's. I know what you mean about the color rendition. The ones I'm going to are the 5500 degree, very white. They do offer a "warm white" one. I kind of like the bright white look. Guessing MrsBob86ZZ4 would prefer the warm ones. I'm not going to tell her there is a choice. Your dimable lights, are they flourescent?

 

[bushpilot-TC]

i installed some bulbs from superbrightled in our 'house' fixtures & we have found them to be too bright (color temp is too high/too white).

High Power SMD WLED-xHP15-T (194 type) 360 degree Wedge Base bulbs Specifications

 

[papa skwirl]

The white bothered me at first too. Now I am more use to it. Have tried some of the warmer ones but they don't put out enough light. What I like is the longer run time I get out of my batterys. Even replaced the courtesy lights in the cab.
I hope the manfs get a little less white and a little brighter warm..that might make them easier to handle.
For now, I'll take the brighter light for the longer run time.

 

[jbeech]

When you are speaking about color temperature, you should know lights are specced in terms of degrees Kelvin. Thus, 2800 degrees is a warm white, roughly in accord with an incandescent bulb. 3200 degrees is a halogen, which is a little bit whiter but still 'warm' in appearance, e.g. yellow-ish. Cool white is about 5000-5500 degrees. This is typical of what you find in many offices, as well as most shop-type fluorecent bulbs and yes, this is a definitely whiter than an ordinary incandescent bulb. It really doesn't matter which you use because your eyes will adapt to a very wide range, the sun at noon can be 9000 degrees, yet still looks yellow but a 9000 degree light will look blue-ish because it's so white. In fact, some grow bulbs and aquarium lights will be as high as 20,000 degrees Kevin, which looks really blue but makes the corals 'pop' in color and look really bright. Anyway, what most find objectionable is mixing and matching, e.g. some warm white with some cool white in the same space. What I am doing with my conversion is settling on "cool white" because the purpose of my truch is as a mobile workshop and thus, I'll be going in and out during daylight hours and the transition is less noticeable at this point in time. By the way, I opted for a nifty LED fixtures (4' long replacement for fluorescent fixtures) for the box area. They're made by Utilitech Pro and they're available at Lowe's (part number MXL-301). Anyway, I purchase four of them for about $80 each, which is a pretty good deal as of this writing, mid-2013. FInally, LEDs are available in a wide agmut of color temperatures. For example, I equipped my shop with warm white fluorescent replacement tube (you just eliminate the ballasts and connect them to the tombstones just like a regular tube attaches) and they are very easy on the eyes, come on instantly, and greatly reduced the HVAC load because they just don't get hot like a T-8 ballast and bulbs do.

 

[Doc Weaver]

even though they are a little "blue", I replaced three of mine with led. I like them.

 

[jbeech]

I forgot the link to the LED shop lights. I expect them tomorrow.

Shop Utilitech Pro 48 ½ in LED Wrap Light at Lowes.com

 

[bushpilot-TC]

Ive recently discovered that the LED replacements are interfering w/ my over the air TV /antenna reception.

ive discovered w/ a particular (3 bulb fixture) ceiling light on - when either programming tv's or watching any of the TV's (after the tv's are programmed) that i either receive fewer stations or loose some stations that i know were in fact programed and available earlier.

ive been able to narrow this even further to a single (3 bulb) fixture that is close in proximity to the roof mounted wineguard road star RS2000 powered antenna.

if i turn off the ceiling mounted (3 bulb) fixture all is fine....but with even more trouble shooting ive discovered that if i remove ONE of the 3 (LED) bulbs the tv reception is also fine (i can watch and receive more channels, than w/ the bulb in the socket & powered on).

its possibly one of the strangest things ive ever trouble shot (actually my wife noticed a sudden lack of tv reception, while we were parked on the curb of my mother-in-laws curb) and i now know its due to the fact that LEDs and their voltage stabilizing / switching circuits generate a tremendous amount of RF or EMI interference.

im not sure i can blame the LED Bulbs - cause ALL LED's give off RF/EMI (and btw LED TV screens and monitors do it too)....im undecided at the moment how ill permanently rectify (pun intended) the problem....since 1) it is occurring only in our coach and 2) we dont generally watch a lot of TV when we camp or travel.

 

[jbeech]

Surely the 'fix' is to either replace the bulb or the fixture, right? Anyway, thanks for the heads up on a possible problem. My test will involve scanning the channels without the lights being on, and then checking afterwards.

 

[bushpilot-TC]

ive not read of any way to really resolve the problem - some say its related to inexpensive voltage circuits in the bulb.

I cant (easily) move the fixture...and honestly i may just go back to conventional bulbs...i havent need a tremendous decrease in amperage draw using LED's (which shocks me too).

for now, i just pull one of the bulbs and were fine...or i turn some other lights on while we watch tv.

 

[hot rod]

Very interesting. I have had the same tv channel issues you mentioned, but had never really managed to figure out why it was happening. I just wrote it off as bad digital reception. But I have been sitting here thinking about it and I generally program the tv when we arrive during daylight hours, so I would guess I have no lights on at the time. When we go to watch tv in the evening, several of the previously strong channels would cut in and out or not come in at all. It was a head scratcher, but I never really tried to track down a cause and effect. But I have replaced the standard bulbs in the ceiling fixture closest to the tv (maybe 12" from the tv, and almost directly under the winegard roof antenna) with the square arrays of led's, 2 per fixture. I left some fixtures with regular bulbs and switched the rest to led so I could use the brighter standard bulbs when needed, or shut those down and just use the led's when on battery. So now you have me wondering if I am having the same issue. It sure sounds like it.