Changing fluorescent to LEDs, which one?
We recently purchased a 2002 Winnie and most of the ceiling lights are fluorescents. They give the DW a headache if she reads by them and she wants the tubes gone. I have been messing around with the 5 meter LED strips at the S&B and was thinking about replacing the tubes and ballasts with multiple Warm White LED strips about 15” long.
I have compared strips of 3528 LEDs with 1200 LEDs /5meter strip and 5630 LEDs w/ only 400 LEDs /strip and putting two 15” strips in series for each tube and two strips on the “V” shaped transformer cover for a total of six 15” strips. I would think the 3528’s with about 75 LEDs per 15” strip would provide the most even light due to being closer but would only provide about 585 lumens per foot in pairs, however, with only about 1/3 the number of 5630 LEDs per 15” strip they would provide about 768 lumens per foot. The one thing I dislike about LED lighting strips is the lack of diffusion. Both of these strips diffuse at 120 degrees, I did find a couple that diffused at 180 degrees but they were far less bright than these.
I might add that these are not $4.50 per 5 meter strip, they are considerably more but cheaper than pre-made replacement tubes. I have extensive experience in soldering PC boards so wiring is not a problem. There was an article in Motorhome Magazine some time ago about converting the fluorescent fixtures to LEDs and many members of the forums have reported doing it themselves I have found comparing Cool White to Warm White is difficult because Cool or Cold White seems brighter per lumen, however, we both prefer Warm White(+/- 2700k).
So which way would you go, given the choice of the two types of LEDs I have mentioned? Or do you think you have a better solution.
I have compared strips of 3528 LEDs with 1200 LEDs /5meter strip and 5630 LEDs w/ only 400 LEDs /strip and putting two 15” strips in series for each tube and two strips on the “V” shaped transformer cover for a total of six 15” strips. I would think the 3528’s with about 75 LEDs per 15” strip would provide the most even light due to being closer but would only provide about 585 lumens per foot in pairs, however, with only about 1/3 the number of 5630 LEDs per 15” strip they would provide about 768 lumens per foot. The one thing I dislike about LED lighting strips is the lack of diffusion. Both of these strips diffuse at 120 degrees, I did find a couple that diffused at 180 degrees but they were far less bright than these.
I might add that these are not $4.50 per 5 meter strip, they are considerably more but cheaper than pre-made replacement tubes. I have extensive experience in soldering PC boards so wiring is not a problem. There was an article in Motorhome Magazine some time ago about converting the fluorescent fixtures to LEDs and many members of the forums have reported doing it themselves I have found comparing Cool White to Warm White is difficult because Cool or Cold White seems brighter per lumen, however, we both prefer Warm White(+/- 2700k).
So which way would you go, given the choice of the two types of LEDs I have mentioned? Or do you think you have a better solution.
