My Thin-Lite 30W mdl 746 12V two tube florescent ballast has burned up. Its about $40 to change it out so I thought it might be a good time to replace it with a LED conversion. I saw the led replacements at the Big Tent in Quartzsite and just poo poo'ed the idea because of the cost. Now its more of a do-able task. I Googled the replacement but came up empty handed. Hoping that someone can give me a vendors address and share their experience with the changeout. Is it as bright as florescent??? Don't bother??? Great idea????

You might find this helpful Option for converting fluorescent lights

I have seen two different approaches to LED replacement of RV fluorescent tubes. One is a strip of LEDs that attach to the top of the fixture where the tube had been and then plugs go into the receptacles that ends of the tube attached to. The other type is a tube the same as the fluorescent full of LEDs and this is just a direct replacement of the original tube. http://www.rvledbulbs.com/product-p/18-0117.htm

1775 wrote:I have seen two different approaches to LED replacement of RV fluorescent tubes. One is a strip of LEDs that attach to the top of the fixture where the tube had been and then plugs go into the receptacles that ends of the tube attached to. The other type is a tube the same as the fluorescent full of LEDs and this is just a direct replacement of the original tube. http://www.rvledbulbs.com/product-p/18-0117.htmThanks to all for the replies. This is what I've been looking for. Question? Is one LED tube enough to duplicate the available light from two florescent bulbs????

hershey wrote:Thanks to all for the replies. This is what I've been looking for. Question? Is one LED tube enough to duplicate the available light from two florescent bulbs????When I did the conversion in one of my 12" fixtures I purposely didn't choose the most powerful LED tube I could have because I wanted to preserve the "look" of the fixture with two tubes. In that case I chose a pair of 300 lumen Ming LED tubes even though I could have bought 400 lumen ones. The two tubes I used provide just a bit more light than the 2 fluorescents did.Look online for the lumen rating of the fluorescents you are replacing and use that to guide what you replace them with.

Looking for a LED conversion for 12 V florescent fixture

14 Replies

mena661
Explorer
Aug 15, 2013
docj wrote:

My fixtures are recessed; this fixture wouldn't fit in the existing holes.
Buy the fixture, take the bulbs out and use them separately. Cheaper than buying the individual bubs.
wintersun
Explorer II
Aug 15, 2013
Those Amazon lights will work perfectly for our needs. Thanks for posting the information.
docj
Explorer
Aug 14, 2013
mena661 wrote:
docj wrote:
In that case I chose a pair of 300 lumen Ming LED tubes even though I could have bought 400 lumen ones.
This is great info!! Thanks. Been looking for some LED replacements.

EDIT: Found this fixture with bulbs on Amazon. Cheaper to buy this and use the bulbs than buy the bulbs individually.

http://www.amazon.com/Mings-Mark-9090103-Light-Fixture/dp/B007SZCUIA

My fixtures are recessed; this fixture wouldn't fit in the existing holes.
mena661
Explorer
Aug 14, 2013
docj wrote:
In that case I chose a pair of 300 lumen Ming LED tubes even though I could have bought 400 lumen ones.
This is great info!! Thanks. Been looking for some LED replacements.

EDIT: Found this fixture with bulbs on Amazon. Cheaper to buy this and use the bulbs than buy the bulbs individually.

http://www.amazon.com/Mings-Mark-9090103-Light-Fixture/dp/B007SZCUIA
docj
Explorer
Aug 14, 2013
I have quite a few LEDs bought fromSuperBrightLEDs and RVLEDBulbs none of which have failed in nearly two years of use. I'd rather pay a little more and get a quality product.
JimM68
Explorer
Aug 14, 2013
I did mine with some hong kong strip lights. I used 3 strips to replace each flouresent tube. After a year, 90% of the individual LED's have failed, only 1 in 10 still at full brightness. Also the ones I bought were way too blue at 6500 degrees.

I will try again soon.

The LED replacements for the halogen hockey puck lights work well. 4500 degrees isjust about the right color, and only a few have burned out. They are not going to last 14 years tho, not a chance. Cheap chinese junk...
tenbear
Explorer
Aug 13, 2013
Here is another less expensive approach to replacing your fluorescent with LEDs.
Canadian_Rainbi
Explorer
Aug 13, 2013
We had two ballasts fail, (1) a small light (12") under the counter and (2) another larger one (18") as the galley over head. Replaced them with (1) a double strip and (2) two single strips.

We used a wire in set, not plug in. Just went to the 12V input wires and soldered them to the light strips. Left the old ballasts in place. (Not connecter!) Work great. Now one of the LR lights is flickering so that's the next job. One of these days!
MrWizard
Moderator
Aug 13, 2013
moved from technology
docj
Explorer
Aug 13, 2013
hershey wrote:

Thanks to all for the replies. This is what I've been looking for. Question? Is one LED tube enough to duplicate the available light from two florescent bulbs????

When I did the conversion in one of my 12" fixtures I purposely didn't choose the most powerful LED tube I could have because I wanted to preserve the "look" of the fixture with two tubes. In that case I chose a pair of 300 lumen Ming LED tubes even though I could have bought 400 lumen ones. The two tubes I used provide just a bit more light than the 2 fluorescents did.

Look online for the lumen rating of the fluorescents you are replacing and use that to guide what you replace them with.