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Rv Awning Led Strip Lights project

sills-mack
Explorer
Explorer
Everyone,
The outdoor lighting under the awning on our Winnebago Vista was lacking
So,
I added an Led Strip light to improve the situation.
Take a look and see how I went about it.
I cut out the swearing, cursing & throwing tools parts.
(which may have been the best part)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP1FCQb1FaQ

See You in the Campgounds !!

Mr & Mrs Ourv
San Francisco Bay Area of California
2015 Winnebago Vista 31KE
2012 Jeep Wrangler JK 4 door in raspberry

Visit us on YouTube @ OURv
8 REPLIES 8

4x4van
Explorer III
Explorer III
I installed a 16.5' cheap ($20) strip from Amazon under my awning 3 years ago. Use it all the time, wired through a dimmer that gives me full brightness control. Absolutely love it! No issues, no failures, still going strong. Mine is 5500K color temp, which is pure white; look very similar to the one in the awning pics by FIRE UP. I'm not a fan of the blueish "cool white" (like FIRE UP's undercarriage & step) nor the yellowish "warm white" (like incandescents).
We don't stop playing because we grow old...We grow old because we stop playing!

2004 Itasca Sunrise M-30W
Carson enclosed ATV Trailer
-'85 ATC250R, '12 Husky TE310, '20 CanAm X3 X rs Turbo RR
Zieman Jetski Trailer
-'96 GTi, '96 Waveblaster II

Mile_High
Explorer
Explorer
To each their own, but I walked through the campground the other day and y'all look funny under that bright white light under the awning, almost like the tint under a black light. Nothing looks natural. I'm all for the LED nose art, but that white light ain't for me.
2013 Winnebago Itasca Meridian 42E
2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara Towed

mike_brez
Explorer
Explorer
Soldering iron threw the awning :E. ROTFLMAO
1998 36 foot Country Coach Magna #5499 Single slide
Gillig chassis with a series 40
02 Ford F250 7.3 with a few mods
2015 Wrangler JKU

FIRE_UP
Explorer
Explorer
Ivylog wrote:
I've had good luck will all of my cheap Ebal LEDs except for the strip light ones. After less than a year of limited use too many of the leds have stopped working. I add a 5M strip under my awning and 1/3rd have stoped working. I hope you have better luck with yours than I have.


Ivylog,
I'm certainly not proud of what I paid for the strip I've installed just under my awning 'cause all in all, AFTER the initial kit my son got me for fathers day three years ago, I added another $87.00 worth of sections to the initial kit which, made the total length about 14'-16' long. The initial kit was about $110 or so at my sons RV service center in San Diego but, he got it for much less due to being an employee.

But, the point is, I installed that whole system about 3.5 years ago and, it's still working flawlessly. And, I can dim it way down to the point it's barely visible or, it will go bright enough to very easily read a book at midnight (if one would choose to do so) sitting not even directly underneath it. Now, I don't know if paying more, gets you a better actual LED system, be it a strip or, bulb or what?

There's been countless arguments/discussions on here and other RV forums about LEDs and, how much folks have paid for theirs, from here or from China or where ever. At present, the ones you see under the awning are the most expensive I'd ever seen. But, the ones you see under the coach and, under the step, are somewhat cheap-Os, purchased from Amazon. They weren't from China, as I was lead to believe, but from some place here in the U.S. They too have been on for quite some time but, not as long as the under-awning ones.
Scott

P.S. By the way, in the picture with the steps, you're not looking directly at the LED strip. You're looking at the reflection of it, 'cause it's upside down, mounted on the underside of the door sill lip, to light up the top step.




Scott and Karla
SDFD RETIRED
2004 Itasca Horizon, 36GD Slate Blue 330 CAT
2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Ext Cab 4x4 Toad
2008 Caliente Red LVL II GL 1800 Goldwing
KI60ND

Ivylog
Explorer III
Explorer III
I've had good luck will all of my cheap Ebal LEDs except for the strip light ones. After less than a year of limited use too many of the leds have stopped working. I add a 5M strip under my awning and 1/3rd have stoped working. I hope you have better luck with yours than I have.
This post is my opinion (free advice). It is not intended to influence anyone's judgment nor do I advocate anyone do what I propose.
Sold 04 Dynasty to our son after 14 great years.
Upgraded with a 08 HR Navigator 45โ€™...

garyemunson
Explorer
Explorer
Since you seem to have a similar Vista to ours, I thought you might like to see my additions...
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28908867.cfm
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28903810.cfm
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28908836.cfm
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28901905.cfm

FIRE_UP
Explorer
Explorer
Well Sir,
Not bad, not bad at all. I did the same thing, about 3 years ago on our '04 Itasca Horizon. Yep, I too wanted better lighting under that awning. Well, before I knew about LED lighting strips, for Fathers day, my son got me a "kit" (marketed by Dometic) for LED lighting for under awning. It came with a 36" strip and, some 120VAC and 12VDC power wiring. Long story short, I added three more sections to that original one and, powered everything up with 12VDC.

It (the kit) came with a remote that, also has buttons to dim and brighten it. The project took me the better part of a day and, like yours, it's a welcome addition. And, if you like that, then maybe you'll like two of my other LED projects. I did an "Under body" strip light and, an "under step" LED strip.

Now, it's not so bright that you need sunglasses at night but, those two added lighting sections, sure make for safer placement on steps and, also a more subtle arrangement of lighting, based on your wants and desires, in the evening.

And, none of it will disturb fellow campers. All are controlled independently of each other. Fun projects and, serve a great purpose.
Scott
Scott and Karla
SDFD RETIRED
2004 Itasca Horizon, 36GD Slate Blue 330 CAT
2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Ext Cab 4x4 Toad
2008 Caliente Red LVL II GL 1800 Goldwing
KI60ND

siggyd777
Explorer
Explorer
I love your well organized work shop , it looks just like my garage.
Siggy
Happy Trails
Siggy & Ursula
2011 Dutch Star 4020,ISL 400,Compr.brake,FTL XCR,IFS
Allison MH3000
2015 Jeep Cherokee,4x4 Active Drive II,V6 , Brake Buddy,Roadmaster Sterling,
Camping since 1975 Pop-Up,1986 22Ft.TT,1999 Gas MH,2005 KSDP,
2011 DSDP,FMCA 368283