Having replaced all the bayonet cabin lights with LEDs I then turned to the fluorescents. There are a lot of LED replacements out there but most of them require either rewiring or ballast elimination. Being lazy I was looking for something easier and I finally found it!New York LED LuminariesPhone: 718-878-0066Email: nyll11219@gmail.comWebsite: nyledluminaries.comI diect ordered two 18in from the above as a test. Got them today and plugged them in. Holy smokes! What a difference! One set illuminates almost the entire front of the cabin.Amazon used to have them but doesn't anymore. They got consistent 5 star ratings and maybe somebody felt they would blow away all of the other vendors. They have several sizes. Please realize that I haven't tested them for longevity but wow do they work and they are truly Plug and Play

you do realize, the power savings are not the same as if you disconnected the ballasts and rewired the fixtures for straight LEDsyou now have a High voltage LED string with voltage regulator in each tubeand the ballast is still using power to light 'tubes' that are no longer thereits nice that they are Bright

I have not done this switch due to the ballast being the reason most of the fluorescents go bad in the first place. If I were to replace them with LED tubes and then the ballast goes bad I will still need to get rid of the ballast, replace it or bypass it, and continue with the repair.When I change mine out I'll bypass the ballast and get rid of the weak point. right now I don't need the power savings as we don't boondock but always use parks.

Walmart has the 18 inch LED direct replacement bulbs for $8.00. They are sold in the store but not online.

MrWizard wrote:you do realize, the power savings are not the same as if you disconnected the ballasts and rewired the fixtures for straight LEDsyou now have a High voltage LED string with voltage regulator in each tubeand the ballast is still using power to light 'tubes' that are no longer thereits nice that they are BrightYup. Power use wasn't the reason I replaced them. Brightness was. I realize that the swap eliminating the ballasts is easy but told ya, I'm lazy. If the ballast goes I'll deal with is then. In the meantime, 1) Take old bulbs out. 2) Put new bulbs in. 3) Have a brew. Worked for me!

Tinstar wrote:Walmart has the 18 inch LED direct replacement bulbs for $8.00. They are sold in the store but not online.I was there this morning to check. The ones they had in LED for $8 said 120-277 VAC Ballast Dependent. Walmart had none labeled 12V. Maybe my local store doesn't carry them.

Plug and Play Fluroscent Replacements | Good Sam Community

MrWizard
Moderator
Jul 29, 2018
you do realize, the power savings are not the same as if you disconnected the ballasts and rewired the fixtures for straight LEDs

you now have a High voltage LED string with voltage regulator in each tube
and the ballast is still using power to light 'tubes' that are no longer there

its nice that they are Bright
dalenoel
Explorer II
Jul 29, 2018
I have not done this switch due to the ballast being the reason most of the fluorescents go bad in the first place. If I were to replace them with LED tubes and then the ballast goes bad I will still need to get rid of the ballast, replace it or bypass it, and continue with the repair.

When I change mine out I'll bypass the ballast and get rid of the weak point. right now I don't need the power savings as we don't boondock but always use parks.
Tinstar
Explorer
Jul 29, 2018
Walmart has the 18 inch LED direct replacement bulbs for $8.00. They are sold in the store but not online.
F4Jock
Explorer
Jul 29, 2018
MrWizard wrote:
you do realize, the power savings are not the same as if you disconnected the ballasts and rewired the fixtures for straight LEDs

you now have a High voltage LED string with voltage regulator in each tube
and the ballast is still using power to light 'tubes' that are no longer there

its nice that they are Bright

Yup. Power use wasn't the reason I replaced them. Brightness was. I realize that the swap eliminating the ballasts is easy but told ya, I'm lazy. If the ballast goes I'll deal with is then. In the meantime, 1) Take old bulbs out. 2) Put new bulbs in. 3) Have a brew. Worked for me!
ELeland
Explorer
Jul 29, 2018
Tinstar wrote:
Walmart has the 18 inch LED direct replacement bulbs for $8.00. They are sold in the store but not online.

I was there this morning to check. The ones they had in LED for $8 said 120-277 VAC Ballast Dependent. Walmart had none labeled 12V. Maybe my local store doesn't carry them.
MrWizard
Moderator
Jul 29, 2018
ELeland wrote:
Tinstar wrote:
Walmart has the 18 inch LED direct replacement bulbs for $8.00. They are sold in the store but not online.

I was there this morning to check. The ones they had in LED for $8 said 120-277 VAC Ballast Dependent. Walmart had none labeled 12V. Maybe my local store doesn't carry them.

direct replacement means work with the ballast
NOT 12v
NO rewiring

there are NO special 12v fluorescent tubes
they are standard 120v tubes, and RV fixtures use a special 12v ballast

the LED tubes you saw are drop in replacements
just like the OP got
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jul 29, 2018
How much did you pay?

I got some 5 Meter LED strips peel and stick (3m tape) backing from Amazon for less than 10 bucks each.
Took out my short (8 watt) Tubes and removed the ballast. Cut the 5 Meter long into fixture length strips and stuck 'em down Soldered jumpers to all strips work (There is a way to do it without soldering jumpers on but I'm trained in soldering done a lot of it).

WOW is the word I'd use too. Very very happy with results. ONly remaining florcesent is a 120 volt table lamp in the bedroom.
F4Jock
Explorer
Jul 29, 2018
MrWizard wrote:
ELeland wrote:
Tinstar wrote:
Walmart has the 18 inch LED direct replacement bulbs for $8.00. They are sold in the store but not online.

I was there this morning to check. The ones they had in LED for $8 said 120-277 VAC Ballast Dependent. Walmart had none labeled 12V. Maybe my local store doesn't carry them.

direct replacement means work with the ballast
NOT 12v
NO rewiring

there are NO special 12v fluorescent tubes
they are standard 120v tubes, and RV fixtures use a special 12v ballast

the LED tubes you saw are drop in replacements
just like the OP got

I went to Walmart this afternoon to see what they had. I bought some of the 18 in bulbs they had. Doesn't matter what they say about voltage excetera they are drop in replacements. In any case they sort of worked. I don't think they are really all that wonderful quality wise and I'm debating taking them back because of the fun and games I had getting them to function properly in my fixtures. I think the pins might be a bit thinner or something because I had to fool with them to get them to work. They are also 5000k instead of 6000k like the ones I bought from New York. All in all, they work, but I'm not really all that thrilled with them and probably will not keep them.
F4Jock
Explorer
Jul 29, 2018
wa8yxm wrote:
How much did you pay?

I got some 5 Meter LED strips peel and stick (3m tape) backing from Amazon for less than 10 bucks each.
Took out my short (8 watt) Tubes and removed the ballast. Cut the 5 Meter long into fixture length strips and stuck 'em down Soldered jumpers to all strips work (There is a way to do it without soldering jumpers on but I'm trained in soldering done a lot of it).

WOW is the word I'd use too. Very very happy with results. ONly remaining florcesent is a 120 volt table lamp in the bedroom.

The difference is amazing isn't it? Yeah, I saw all that about strips and I could do that too but I would opt for the non solder method because even though I can do it it's a p i t a. I like the bulbs better because they're so bloody simple to put in. Glad you liked the difference whichever you chose.
Executive45
Explorer III
Jul 29, 2018
WalMart $8 NY Luminaries $17 Your choice....Dennis