LED Light Strips
This post isn't really about an RV of any kind but I know you folks here are very familiar with LED lighting. My work shop has some aging flourecent lights in it that need replacing. I would like to r...
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I ordered a couple of meter long LED strips at low cost on eBay, thinking of replacing the bulbs and ballast in a 4 foot fluorescent light fixture. They were nowhere near bright enough.
Next I bought Cree brand LED plastic tubes which take the place of fluorescent tubes while leaving the ballast in place. These were five times the cost of fluorescent tubes and the expected lifetime is about five times that of the fluorescent and rated at about a third of the power. Not bad. These LED tubes have a lumin rating a little lower but appear significantly brighter because all the light is directed downward. I'm thinking the lifetime and power consumption have been compromised by having to work with the ballast. I understand a new kind of LED tube where you have to remove the ballast and change the wiring a bit will soon be available. I bought a case of fluorescent tubes and am waiting for the new kind of LED tube. Note that it will be a hard sell to people who are unable to do the wiring changes without hiring an electrician at $100 per hour. I think LED fixtures are beginning to come down in price so I Look forward to seeing which way it all goes.
I'm a big fan of LED lighting in RVs where the replacements are inexpensive, draw 1/7 th as much power, have a nicer warm white colour and appear to have longer life than incandescent bulbs. The only downside is shore power users with newer converters providing higher charging voltage may require more expensive LEDs with voltage regulation.
Next I bought Cree brand LED plastic tubes which take the place of fluorescent tubes while leaving the ballast in place. These were five times the cost of fluorescent tubes and the expected lifetime is about five times that of the fluorescent and rated at about a third of the power. Not bad. These LED tubes have a lumin rating a little lower but appear significantly brighter because all the light is directed downward. I'm thinking the lifetime and power consumption have been compromised by having to work with the ballast. I understand a new kind of LED tube where you have to remove the ballast and change the wiring a bit will soon be available. I bought a case of fluorescent tubes and am waiting for the new kind of LED tube. Note that it will be a hard sell to people who are unable to do the wiring changes without hiring an electrician at $100 per hour. I think LED fixtures are beginning to come down in price so I Look forward to seeing which way it all goes.
I'm a big fan of LED lighting in RVs where the replacements are inexpensive, draw 1/7 th as much power, have a nicer warm white colour and appear to have longer life than incandescent bulbs. The only downside is shore power users with newer converters providing higher charging voltage may require more expensive LEDs with voltage regulation.
