Replacement porch light lens clear or Amber?

[Gundog]

When I was washing the RV I broke the porch light lens it was pretty fragile. Most of my past RV's always had a amber lens this one was clear. I have heard amber attracts less bugs. Now is the time to change do you notice any difference between the 2 colors? I may just replace the whole light to a LED or at least change the bulb it doesn't light up.

[Big_Katuna]

I think the Starlight is bright enough. Much brighter than the stock light.

It’ left the factory as a 300. You could not order a 330 in an Expedition. If you wanted more HP, you would have to buy a Discovery or Excursion.

Someone might have tuned it up, which is not a great idea as the cooling wasn’t designed for the extra heat. Tuning didn’t change the torque.

You have an economy mode button on the trans. It changes the shift points in gently rolling hills.

5th and 6th are over drives and it doesn’t shift into 6th until about 63.

The good news is the MPG doesn’t seem to change much with headwinds or rolling hills or towing our 4000 pound car.

7.5 is what mine gets.

[GordonThree]

scratching my head wondering how porch light color can impact fuel economy?

[Gundog]

I ran 385 miles going and used 62 gallons ouch but it is hard to say maybe the pump shut off a little early when filling it before we left. It took about an 1/8 of a tank less to get home same mileage. I bucked a lot of wind going and very little wind returning. I have made this trip many times with my other RV's and going always seems to use more fuel especially if it is windy. I don't expect it to be a fuel miser but I did think it would do a little better. The engine is the Cat C7 with Allison 3000 6 speed. I am not sure the HP previous owner thought it was 330 HP but I suspect it is 300 HP unless it was a special order. I may contact Fleetwood with the vin number to see if they can tell me.

[Diplomat_St_Poo]

Gundog wrote:

Big Katuna wrote:
I replaced mine with a Starlight’s smart light, led, motion detector.
I got a very early unit that had lens problems but they made good on it.
Uses you existing switch, you can turn it on or toggle the switch and it’s in motion detect mode. $56.
Amazon.

I like that idea. I will look into it. I want the light most for when entering in the dark it does have a step light but it is not very bright and only comes on after the door is open which doesn't help for putting the key in the door. My remote door openers must need new batteries.

We have made it to Idaho to visit my Mom. We stayed at an RV park in Umatilla OR, the first night everything worked great. WE are camped in front of Mom's house and so far so good. I am really liking this coach so far.

I battled wind for most of the trip the wind pushes it around but not terrible like my last coach but still something you need to pay attention to. Having driven big trucks it doesn't bother me. Mileage doesn't seem too good the computer says average 7.5 MPG I will check that when I fuel up in the morning to head home. I filled up before I left and we have driven 385 miles I have about 3/8 of a tank left. The trip has some grades but nothing big and we are not towing anything but we seemed to buck the wind a fair amount but most of the wind was a cross wind.

Mike

X2. On the Starlight’s smart light. Just replace my old one with a new one. Lasted 10 years. Light comes on when I walk up to it or open the door from the inside. It has an LED bulb.

[Big_Katuna]

7.5 is about all you will see.

The remotes. If the red led flashes when u push a button the battery is fine..

They have become unsynched.

Under the dash behind the swing out door drink holder thing, (has your hinges failed yet?) there is the remote lock controller. It has a led you can barely see and a push button you can barely get to.

You have to push the button (three?) times so fast it’s silly and get the led to blink or change colors (I forget), then you push the lock button on the remote.
Repeat for the other fob.

It lost synch so often I gave up trying to use it.
Got locked out once before I learned how unreliable it was.

Maybe you will have better luck.

There is also a 12V fuse panel back there.

[ArchHoagland]

Gundog what chassis/ engine do you have? 7.5 mpg sounds fine to me.

[Gundog]

Big Katuna wrote:
I replaced mine with a Starlight’s smart light, led, motion detector.
I got a very early unit that had lens problems but they made good on it.
Uses you existing switch, you can turn it on or toggle the switch and it’s in motion detect mode. $56.
Amazon.

I like that idea. I will look into it. I want the light most for when entering in the dark it does have a step light but it is not very bright and only comes on after the door is open which doesn't help for putting the key in the door. My remote door openers must need new batteries.

We have made it to Idaho to visit my Mom. We stayed at an RV park in Umatilla OR, the first night everything worked great. WE are camped in front of Mom's house and so far so good. I am really liking this coach so far.

I battled wind for most of the trip the wind pushes it around but not terrible like my last coach but still something you need to pay attention to. Having driven big trucks it doesn't bother me. Mileage doesn't seem too good the computer says average 7.5 MPG I will check that when I fuel up in the morning to head home. I filled up before I left and we have driven 385 miles I have about 3/8 of a tank left. The trip has some grades but nothing big and we are not towing anything but we seemed to buck the wind a fair amount but most of the wind was a cross wind.

Mike

[77rollalong]

either light does attract bugs, white does give a better view outside, I have been using the tri coloured led strip more than the single light, then it can be any colour I wish or brightness, from a remote control.. I find the led strip is not as bad for bugs though, maybe less light in a single spot, but just more spots..?

[Groover]

DutchmenSport wrote:
My last camper had both a white light and an amber light on the passenger side. Either could be turned on independently. The amber colored was nearest the door. When both were on at the same time, the white always had more bugs flying around it. However, when the white went out, they navigated to the amber anyway. I think they like the white better. So, when using the outside light, we always flipped on the white one because it was farther away from the door and bugs stayed away from the door, hovering around the light.

I have never understood why people put outside lights so close to the door. They work just as well several feet away without drawing the bugs in so close. My old camper had a light built into the assist handle for getting in. It was great if you wanted to get your hand covered in bugs.
The amber lens or coating on an incandescent bulb just filters out other wavelengths, destroying efficiency. On the other hand, colored LEDs just make the desired wavelength, improving their relative efficiency vs incandescent bulbs.

[GordonThree]

ArchHoagland wrote:
I put clear on mine the last time because it provides more usable light.

Didn't pay any attention to the bugs and couldn't tell you if there are more or less with it.

X2 I threw my amber cover in a drawer somewhere and put a clear one on.

Especially important if you've upgrade to LED bulbs.

[DutchmenSport]

My last camper had both a white light and an amber light on the passenger side. Either could be turned on independently. The amber colored was nearest the door. When both were on at the same time, the white always had more bugs flying around it. However, when the white went out, they navigated to the amber anyway. I think they like the white better. So, when using the outside light, we always flipped on the white one because it was farther away from the door and bugs stayed away from the door, hovering around the light.

[STBRetired]

I replaced mine with a clear lens and an amber LED bulb. Went with a low lumen output so as not to annoy any neighbors. The amber LED light under the steps provides all the illumination we need to get in and out at night. The porch light is more of an "Accepting Visitors" indicator than a source of illumination.

[Big_Katuna]

I replaced mine with a Starlight’s smart light, led, motion detector.
I got a very early unit that had lens problems but they made good on it.
Uses you existing switch, you can turn it on or toggle the switch and it’s in motion detect mode. $56.
Amazon.

[rgatijnet1]

LED lights do not attract near as many bugs, no matter what color the lens. Very little heat and no UV rays.