Kayteg1, I have been playing with different LEDs in my TC, 5th wheel and house for years. I do not do it to save money, but simply because I can and I am interested in the subject. I find box store LED stuff to be pretty expensive, so have purchased very little there.
The biggest single issue I have found is voltage. My TC 12 volt system often puts out 14.8 volts, and usually is 13.6. I have several LED panels ($10 each) in my TC that have regulators built in, which allow for 9-30 volts. I have left a couple on for over six months and they still work as installed. I have had some LED panels that were 12 volt only ($1.50 ea), and burn out in less than a week under the same circumstances. I am considering installing something like this
10A 3.5-30V to 0.8-29V DC/DC Converter Buck Charger Power Converter Module at my fuse panel so it makes no difference which LEDs I use.
I have just began experimenting with under the cabinet lights in my home. So far, I have tried two different strip lights. Neither tollerate over 12 volts for long periods of time. I connected them to a transformer, that was supposed to be 12 volts. After checking its voltage, I found it to actually be 16.5 volts.
Wayne
