I’ve been a big fan of new tech stuff, so I have followed and supported diode lighting and its introduction for a lot of years. That is, until I started using the bulbs for the RV, home and flashlights. These things were supposed to last long, provide acceptable lighting, low heat, and savings on energy.From my experience, none of these things are true although I’m not sure about the energy savings part because the home bulbs go bad so fast. Acceptable lighting: Look for yourself compared to others.Run cool: Check the base of 110 bulb assembly. It will burn your hand and stay hot for a long time after it is turned off. Long lasting: I’ve had some $25 home light bulbs fail within 10 days and 6 months. I can’t trust them for safety lighting. I bought them from Home Depot. They claim you will save $85 sometime in the future. Flashlights: I have some for my RV, cars, and home. Unless you check and clean all contacts regularly, they will be dead when you need them most. Anyhow, I’ll keep using fluorescent and regular RV bulbs when I can. Joe

We have switched to diode lighting for our outside driveway and outside house lights turned on and off via a photo cell. They are on whenever it is dark. They run several 100 hours a year. Have not had one fail yet. We must be lucky.

I was going to jump on the LED bandwagon for the RV then one day I realized: "I don't care"... We turn the lights on when needed then off.If it's dark we're normally sleeping or viewing TV or sometimes outside by one of those horribly irritating (to many people) campfires.Besides we have a few LED nitelite candles that are pretty cool for use in the trailer, they last forever.As far as home use LED's or LED flashlights no failures yet.Sorry about yer bad experiences there Joe.

My LED Maglight is the best flashlight ever. DD bought some low price small LED flashlights from HF and they have worked great. Relamped entire RV with LED, no failures. No worries about draining the battery, very pleased.Home is mostly R40 flood CFL and a dozen ceiling fixtures with CFLs. A couple failed but most have been going ten years. Front lights are on 5 hours every evening and only 1 has given up in 10 years.Replaced the final 8 PAR16 incandescent with LED as CFL does not fit right. Time will tell on these LED but 4w vs 50w will allow me to actually use them now ;) Home electric bill is minimum $100 per month less than my neighbors for the past 10 years. $12,000 savings :E

Try using a quality flashlight such as a Fenix. I've had mine for 2 years with no problems and have thrown away all my Maglites.

Diode lighting disappointing | Good Sam Community

29 Replies

gbopp
Explorer
Oct 08, 2013
The Falcon wrote:

Flashlights: I have some for my RV, cars, and home. Unless you check and clean all contacts regularly, they will be dead when you need them most.

Joe

I have several cheap LED flashlights, some from HF, and they always work. I don't do anything to them and I've had them for several years.
Maybe it's the environment where you live?
Popsie
Explorer
Oct 08, 2013
Of course as an alternative to diodes or CFLs, they now make energy efficient incandescent halogen light bulbs that look like the regular old bulbs, last a long time, work with dimmers, and meet the new energy efficiency standards. They are available for home lighting at 110V, but I don't know if they are making 12V ones.
westend
Explorer
Oct 08, 2013
Well, there are LED's and then there are LED's.

The US market is at it's infancy with this type of lighting and a lot of what comes across my path is from Asia and marketed to sell at low price point. I believe as the technology matures we'll see very reliable product and it will become mainstream for all manners of lighting. There are just too many good attributes with LED.

For RV's where the power is 12v and capacity may be finite, they are a very good fit. They are the coolest running lamp available, also.
wbwood
Explorer
Oct 08, 2013
I switched out about every bulb inside our Class C to LED. I'm not 100% thrilled with the ones I picked out. They of course are dimmer than the original ones. Someone mentioned about switching only half of them. I got them because I figured we would be dry camping more. I ended up buying three little LED lanterns (one for each of us). We actually use those more when dry camping than any of the lights inside the RV. I may switch them all back to their normal bulbs and just result to using the little lanterns. If I feel we may need to use more overhead lighting, I can switch them out as needed.
docj
Explorer
Oct 08, 2013
Try using a quality flashlight such as a Fenix. I've had mine for 2 years with no problems and have thrown away all my Maglites.
time2roll
Nomad
Oct 08, 2013
My LED Maglight is the best flashlight ever. DD bought some low price small LED flashlights from HF and they have worked great.
Relamped entire RV with LED, no failures. No worries about draining the battery, very pleased.
Home is mostly R40 flood CFL and a dozen ceiling fixtures with CFLs. A couple failed but most have been going ten years. Front lights are on 5 hours every evening and only 1 has given up in 10 years.
Replaced the final 8 PAR16 incandescent with LED as CFL does not fit right. Time will tell on these LED but 4w vs 50w will allow me to actually use them now ;) Home electric bill is minimum $100 per month less than my neighbors for the past 10 years. $12,000 savings :E
deleted-2
Explorer
Oct 08, 2013
I was going to jump on the LED bandwagon for the RV then one day I realized: "I don't care"... We turn the lights on when needed then off.

If it's dark we're normally sleeping or viewing TV or sometimes outside by one of those horribly irritating (to many people) campfires.
Besides we have a few LED nitelite candles that are pretty cool for use in the trailer, they last forever.

As far as home use LED's or LED flashlights no failures yet.

Sorry about yer bad experiences there Joe.
path1
Explorer
Oct 08, 2013
Agree with OP.
MrVan
Explorer
Oct 08, 2013
We have switched to diode lighting for our outside driveway and outside house lights turned on and off via a photo cell. They are on whenever it is dark. They run several 100 hours a year. Have not had one fail yet. We must be lucky.

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Diode lighting disappointing

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