How to convert to LED lighting
Hi, I think some of you will be interested in how I converted my RV lights to LED. I initially tried 12 volt LED bulbs about 5 years go, and they were not satisfactory: they were expensive, didn'...
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Soldering Tips: Many people are afraid of soldering. It is really quite easy, as long as you have a basic understanding of the technique. Here is a good youtube video about soldering: Soldering Basics
On the incandescent fixtures I converted, I soldered the wires from the LED panels to the fixture's #1156 light sockets. In fixtures that are not new, the socket will normally have some oxidation on it. Solder will not stick to oxidation, so to get a good solder connection, it is critical to clean the surfaces down to bright metal. Sandpaper is one good way to do this.
Once clean, heat the spots where the wires will be attached with the soldering iron until they are hot enough to melt solder, and pre-tin those places with solder. The trick is to get the work hot enough to melt the solder.
For wiring and electronics, always use Rosin Core Solder.... not Acid Core. Radio Shack is a good place to buy solder.
Have fun....
On the incandescent fixtures I converted, I soldered the wires from the LED panels to the fixture's #1156 light sockets. In fixtures that are not new, the socket will normally have some oxidation on it. Solder will not stick to oxidation, so to get a good solder connection, it is critical to clean the surfaces down to bright metal. Sandpaper is one good way to do this.
Once clean, heat the spots where the wires will be attached with the soldering iron until they are hot enough to melt solder, and pre-tin those places with solder. The trick is to get the work hot enough to melt the solder.
For wiring and electronics, always use Rosin Core Solder.... not Acid Core. Radio Shack is a good place to buy solder.
Have fun....
