cancel
Showing results forย 
Search instead forย 
Did you mean:ย 

Converting to LED lights to the outside of your rig

MagillaGorilla
Explorer
Explorer
Anyone on here do it?

Was it hard?

Got any pictures you can share?

Estimated costs?
Magilla

2005 Holiday Rambler Admiral 37' Gasser
16 REPLIES 16

westend
Explorer
Explorer
austinjenna wrote:
Yeah, 24 SMD LED's are not 400 or even 100 lumens, probably. You certainly don't need that much output for a marker light. It also makes a difference as to the actual die type used in the LED panel. IOW, a 5050 LED is brighter than a 3628 LED.

If Barney says they are the same or better, then it would be a fairly accurate description of the output, more accurate than an Asian E Bay merchant trying to sell LED bulbs with the other 10,000 vendors and inflating the numbers.

I'd suggest to forget about lumen output and buy a couple LED replacements based on anecdotal assessment. Install them and see if you like them, then order the remaining.





I wasn't talking about the marker lights but rather the interior lights that he mentioned. I have LED's now that the wife doesn't like so I was looking at others, you cant ignore the lumen output, that's like saying a 15w bulb is the same as a 40watt. They are not, if I am replacing 2 921 bulbs in a fixture that together produce 500 lumens, that's quite a difference if the LED's produce 200 that is quite a reduction in light output.

OK
Yes, theoretically, it would be a reduction in output of light. No argument there. The point I was trying to make is that there is large disparity in advertized ratings and I don't need/want to be a lighting engineer in order to illuminate the interior of my RV. What I see that works for most folks and myself, is to buy a couple or a few of a certain type/s and if results are good, buy what's needed.

FWIW, I used the panel type LED's and made my own fixtures. The fixtures are flat and only protrude 1/2" down from the ceiling. My ceiling is low. I mounted the LED panel onto a piece of aluminum sheet. It is screwed into the ceiling paneling. The aluminum also serves as a heatsink and the glass with frame slides onto the aluminum. It's about as easy as I can do it.

These ganged fixtures on an additional aluminum plate cover junction boxes for AC and DC wiring:
'03 F-250 4x4 CC
'71 Starcraft Wanderstar -- The Cowboy/Hilton

trail-explorer
Explorer
Explorer
wcjeep wrote:
On my Truck Camper I used all new light/assembly. Did have to scrape off some old sealant.


Seems like I remember these being the ones you used:

http://www.ledtrailerlights.com/cm-1a-s68.htm

They are a popular light among the truck camper owners
Bob

huron52
Explorer
Explorer
I used these for clearance lights

http://www.ledtrailerlights.com/cm-1a-s68.htm

Used these for interior lights

http://www.ledtrailerlights.com/rv-interior-led-lights-1141-24ww.htm
2006 Dodge quad cab RAM 3500 drw 4X4 6 speed stick
2007 Fleetwood Redline 335 Toy Hauler

msb1766
Explorer
Explorer
I have these in my camper for inside lighting, they are a little brighter than the incandescent bulbs.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EDFM5QU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

austinjenna
Explorer
Explorer
Yeah, 24 SMD LED's are not 400 or even 100 lumens, probably. You certainly don't need that much output for a marker light. It also makes a difference as to the actual die type used in the LED panel. IOW, a 5050 LED is brighter than a 3628 LED.

If Barney says they are the same or better, then it would be a fairly accurate description of the output, more accurate than an Asian E Bay merchant trying to sell LED bulbs with the other 10,000 vendors and inflating the numbers.

I'd suggest to forget about lumen output and buy a couple LED replacements based on anecdotal assessment. Install them and see if you like them, then order the remaining.




I wasn't talking about the marker lights but rather the interior lights that he mentioned. I have LED's now that the wife doesn't like so I was looking at others, you cant ignore the lumen output, that's like saying a 15w bulb is the same as a 40watt. They are not, if I am replacing 2 921 bulbs in a fixture that together produce 500 lumens, that's quite a difference if the LED's produce 200 that is quite a reduction in light output.

2010 F350 CC Lariat 4x4 Short Bed
2011 Crusader 298BDS 5th Wheel
Reese 16K

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
Clearance lamps normally use the smaller lamps SAE 194. Some older rigs used #53 lamps.
921 are used inside and 912 are the same size and shape but lower output.

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

westend
Explorer
Explorer
Yeah, 24 SMD LED's are not 400 or even 100 lumens, probably. You certainly don't need that much output for a marker light. It also makes a difference as to the actual die type used in the LED panel. IOW, a 5050 LED is brighter than a 3628 LED.

If Barney says they are the same or better, then it would be a fairly accurate description of the output, more accurate than an Asian E Bay merchant trying to sell LED bulbs with the other 10,000 vendors and inflating the numbers.

I'd suggest to forget about lumen output and buy a couple LED replacements based on anecdotal assessment. Install them and see if you like them, then order the remaining.
'03 F-250 4x4 CC
'71 Starcraft Wanderstar -- The Cowboy/Hilton

BarneyS
Explorer III
Explorer III
austinjenna wrote:
I did every one of my marker lights last winter. Simple to do. Just pull off the lens, pull out old bulb, insert new bulb, and replace the lens. Here is what I used for the marker lights. They are short enough to fit under the lens cover and the price was right (20 for $7.49 and free shipping). I also replace all the ceiling lights in the trailer with these.


So I started looking at the paddle type 921 replacements again that you posted to. Those show a lumen output of 415, a normal 921 bulb is about 250, but every other paddle type one I come across are only 100 lumen output, see clicky

They all look the same, they both use 24 SMD LED's so I dont know how one can say the output is 415 when all the others say 100 (if they say it at all). I am sure there is really one factory churning these things out so I am hesitant on getting them.

I don't know about the lumens but they are just as bright or brighter than the incandescent bulbs they replaced. They are about the same color temp. I just put them in while we were in Florida this winter so don't know how long they will last. So far I am 100% pleased with them.
Barney
2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch (Sold)
Not towing now.
Former tow vehicles were 2016 Ram 2500 CTD, 2002 Ford F250, 7.3 PSD, 1997 Ram 2500 5.9 gas engine

austinjenna
Explorer
Explorer
I did every one of my marker lights last winter. Simple to do. Just pull off the lens, pull out old bulb, insert new bulb, and replace the lens. Here is what I used for the marker lights. They are short enough to fit under the lens cover and the price was right (20 for $7.49 and free shipping). I also replace all the ceiling lights in the trailer with these.


So I started looking at the paddle type 921 replacements again that you posted to. Those show a lumen output of 415, a normal 921 bulb is about 250, but every other paddle type one I come across are only 100 lumen output, see clicky

They all look the same, they both use 24 SMD LED's so I dont know how one can say the output is 415 when all the others say 100 (if they say it at all). I am sure there is really one factory churning these things out so I am hesitant on getting them.

2010 F350 CC Lariat 4x4 Short Bed
2011 Crusader 298BDS 5th Wheel
Reese 16K

msb1766
Explorer
Explorer
Just replaced all the running lights with LED's on my hybrid, a few years ago I replaced the brake,tail,stop lights with LED's

Here is what I bought for the running lights:
Running LIghts




Here is what I bought for the brake,tail,stop:
Tail Lights


The LED's are so much brighter that the stock bulbs.
They were easy to replace, the running lights took off old housing, scraped off old caulk, cut off the wires and soldered the new wires and used heat shrink tubing on conection. Recaulked the new housing.

austinjenna
Explorer
Explorer
Like BarneyS I just some off ebay and switched out the bulbs...easy..I see no reason to replace the entire lighting unit when you just swap out bulbs.

2010 F350 CC Lariat 4x4 Short Bed
2011 Crusader 298BDS 5th Wheel
Reese 16K

MagillaGorilla
Explorer
Explorer
I am thinking about changing all of the exterior lights (brake, directional and marker).
Magilla

2005 Holiday Rambler Admiral 37' Gasser

wcjeep
Explorer
Explorer
On my Truck Camper I used all new light/assembly. Did have to scrape off some old sealant. Wasn't difficult. My manufacturer did not completely seal the front clearance lights on purpose. This was to let water out. I completely sealed them. No intention of removing or replacing the LED replacements.

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
My problem was with the lamp outage system. I had to install ballast resistors.

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker