I am doing some research on adding the LED lighting kit (under my awning) on my Class A motorhome. It doesn't look too hard to install by yourself. Any ideas on this would be appreciated.

They come in two types. Make sure you get the water proof type. 5050 comes to mind.

You mean Christmas lights? That's what us Rednecks call them in June and July.

I installed some last year. Got them from eBay out of China. They were like $20 for a 15' length. I used 5050 SMD waterproof ones. I stuck them to the exterior wall just below the awning rail. The lead was way too short so I had to lengthen it. I ran the power down the awning bracket with the lead to my power awning and then in the coach through the same hole. I was fortunate that it ended up in the basement so I grabbed power from a basement light and installed the control box there. When I want them on...I open the basement door and point the remote in there and let it rip.

I chose the warm white style, instead of the multi-color. Spend a bit extra and get the brightest you can find, which is also dimmable. Then you can adjust them as the situation requires when outside.... Our coach has a Girard Awning, so I stuck them underneath the edge alonf the wall of the coach. Then I ran the power cord in behind the entry light and wired it inside the coach, behind the inverter control panel. The remote works from outside or inside, perfectly. I can have the lights very bright for playing cards, reading, etc, and can turn them way down for "mood lighting" most other times.

I did this also to our MH last Spring. Like mguay and a few others mentioned, I went with the 15' length of 5050 SMD waterproof lights. Can be had on Amazon and other places online for around $20. Do NOT buy them from Camping World - They sell exact same lights at a RIDICULOUS mark-up, around $70 IIRC.I also installed ours directly underneath the awning roller, up against the coach like others mentioned. There was a channel along there under the awning roller that seemed like it was made just for this light strip, worked perfectly. Was also enough cavity inside the awning arm to snake the wire for it down through there, and have it come out right at the bottom of the arm. To hook it up, I just pull the wire out from the storage bin, connect it to the connector at the bottom of the awning arm, and use the remote to turn it on/off. I had to buy an extra length of the wire and some connectors to do this, but it worked out great.Have some adhesive caulk of some kind handy, and plan on using it at the ends of the light strip. The 3M adhesive the light strip comes with is good and holds well, but the ends WILL peel off shortly after you put it on. A small dab of adhesive caulk on each end solved that.Provides great light outside, and is totally adjustable - Can make it one of several different colors, fade it in or out, make it as bright or dim as you want, etc. DW always used to like putting 'tacky lights' on the manual awning we had with the TT, but we did not want to do that with the power awning on the MH. These lights are what we did, instead. Highly recommend this, if you want some more light outside, but don't want to fool with having to constantly attach and remove lights from the awning roller.Oh, one other really nice thing about using LED lights like this: They do not attract mosquitos and other flying critters, like conventional lights do. :)

Multi color LED awning lighting kit ? | Good Sam Community

Effy
Explorer II
Feb 14, 2014
Disneyfix wrote:
Effy wrote:
I have looked at no less than 300 sets of these between Amazon and Ebay with prices from $19 - $80. How in the world do I know which ones to buy? I am looking for the 16ft, multi color (with soft white or dimmer) with remote, with power supply. Anyone find a good source for that? Tested and reliable?

These look decent and low cost.

Cheapos from Ebay

Hey Effy how do you like the shades of white in the RGB set?

Responded to your PM, but you can truly get any range of color on the ones I got. Everything from bright white (if you ever need that) to softer amber tones, red, blue, purple, pink and everything in between as well as dimmable.
paulcardoza
Explorer
Feb 14, 2014
This
is what I got, with the IP67 waterproof rating. Yes, I spent more, but these lights are awesome. They can go from extremely bright to extremely dim and anywhere in between.

And they stick like glue with very good adhesive!

Worth the money to do it once and right. IMO
Disneyfix
Explorer
Feb 14, 2014
Effy wrote:
I have looked at no less than 300 sets of these between Amazon and Ebay with prices from $19 - $80. How in the world do I know which ones to buy? I am looking for the 16ft, multi color (with soft white or dimmer) with remote, with power supply. Anyone find a good source for that? Tested and reliable?

These look decent and low cost.

Cheapos from Ebay

Hey Effy how do you like the shades of white in the RGB set?
Meffrig
Explorer
Feb 13, 2014
I too have purchased a set of LED lighting kit and am going to have Camping World install them. I could probably do it myself but I don't feel comfortable drilling thru my coach. I want to wire them to an inside electrical outlet or to my porch light. My concerns are: 1. I don't think my IR remote will work from the outside. 2. I am not sure that wire extension will be long enough to be able to do the hook up. Anyone dealt with Camping World on this type of installation? Thanks for your input in advance.
Effy
Explorer II
Feb 12, 2014
I went with these and although not installed yet I have tested at home. They work great. They also survived my 10 yr old son's rigorous "testing" as well. All buttons, modes, etc work as designed. I even tested them in the sink, and submerged they still worked. I am certain they will be just fine. The remote works wihout apparent line of sight so that's nice. For the price I couldn't beat it. The adhesive is the only lacking part, but A roll of 3m adhesive will solve that. Also, pay attention to the LED count. I noticed more expensive systems have 300 LEDs and this set has 150. I am ok with that and frankly they put out a lot of light so the 300 would be overkill in my opinion.

Funny I saw the EXACT same set at my local dealer the other day for $129.00. No kidding.

Lights
Disneyfix
Explorer
Feb 12, 2014
Thanks Effy.
Any other testimonials out there. Sooo many choices when ya look on amazon. What manufacture did you guys go with?
Effy
Explorer II
Feb 11, 2014
Disneyfix wrote:

Were they the 5050 outdoor model? Can the be spliced up into a few different sections and run into 12v light for instance? Or would I need a control box for each little section?

PS How did you guys get these tiny things to stay on the frame rails?

I think the plan is to buy a good roll of 3m adhesive. Yes got the 5050. I am not sure about splicing but they can be cut to fit.
Disneyfix
Explorer
Feb 11, 2014
Effy wrote:
Disneyfix wrote:
Effy wrote:
So I received the lights yesterday. Tested them here in the house. THey work great. The remote does not appear to require line of sight. I tested from all angles and distances and it works fine. The adhesive stio that came on it appears to be worthless but I can buy a roll of that. So one final question on the install. I planned on attaching them directly on the wall of the coach just underneath the awning. Originally I had thought about running the power lead inside the awning mounting rail as my outside receptacles are right there and a bin right below that. The only problem with this seems to be that the power lead is really short. The 4 pin connector to the remove receiver is only about 3" long. So I either have to run the lights themselves down through the awning rail, or make a lead. I have never worked with the 4 pin connector lke that but I imagine I could splice it and run a length of it. How did you giys mount yours? I'd rather not drill into the wall if I don't have to.

So did ya go off ebay or amazon?

Bought the lights off ebay $29.00 including shipping. I got the extension 4 pin cord from Amazon for $7.00.

Were they the 5050 outdoor model? Can the be spliced up into a few different sections and run into 12v light for instance? Or would I need a control box for each little section?

PS How did you guys get these tiny things to stay on the frame rails?
Effy
Explorer II
Feb 10, 2014
Disneyfix wrote:
Effy wrote:
So I received the lights yesterday. Tested them here in the house. THey work great. The remote does not appear to require line of sight. I tested from all angles and distances and it works fine. The adhesive stio that came on it appears to be worthless but I can buy a roll of that. So one final question on the install. I planned on attaching them directly on the wall of the coach just underneath the awning. Originally I had thought about running the power lead inside the awning mounting rail as my outside receptacles are right there and a bin right below that. The only problem with this seems to be that the power lead is really short. The 4 pin connector to the remove receiver is only about 3" long. So I either have to run the lights themselves down through the awning rail, or make a lead. I have never worked with the 4 pin connector lke that but I imagine I could splice it and run a length of it. How did you giys mount yours? I'd rather not drill into the wall if I don't have to.

So did ya go off ebay or amazon?

Bought the lights off ebay $29.00 including shipping. I got the extension 4 pin cord from Amazon for $7.00.
Disneyfix
Explorer
Feb 10, 2014
Effy wrote:
So I received the lights yesterday. Tested them here in the house. THey work great. The remote does not appear to require line of sight. I tested from all angles and distances and it works fine. The adhesive stio that came on it appears to be worthless but I can buy a roll of that. So one final question on the install. I planned on attaching them directly on the wall of the coach just underneath the awning. Originally I had thought about running the power lead inside the awning mounting rail as my outside receptacles are right there and a bin right below that. The only problem with this seems to be that the power lead is really short. The 4 pin connector to the remove receiver is only about 3" long. So I either have to run the lights themselves down through the awning rail, or make a lead. I have never worked with the 4 pin connector lke that but I imagine I could splice it and run a length of it. How did you giys mount yours? I'd rather not drill into the wall if I don't have to.

So did ya go off ebay or amazon?

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