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Outside Lights - camping tips

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
Not to argue the use of outside lights when camping (pros and cons, lights on all night, blinding your neighbor at 2:30 am, etc)... But ...

But to share a simple money saving tip for those who do use outside lighting: Buy lights after holidays!

After Christmas is a great time to purchase string lights, rope lights, all kinds of lights with different colors very cheap. Stock up and if a string of lights goes bad, it's no great loss financially.

I've done this every year for many, many years now, (purchased holiday items after the holiday), especially lights.

At one time, we had over a hundred boxes of Christmas outside ice-sickle house hold lights. I ended up giving them all away to my son so he could hang them at his house a few years ago. So I had no more.

Actually, I got tired of hanging outside items out when camping, including lights.

Well, there is another holiday that is great for after-holiday buying... and that is Halloween.

This last year, after Halloween, the local grocery store had all kinds of left-overs, including rope lights. I bought 9 strings for about $2.00 each. They are purple. I thought that would be pretty especially NOT during Halloween.

Well, this week end is the first time I used them. So I put them out in a very simple fashion.

So, if looking for some cheap lighting and a simple way to use them at your campsite without a lot of work, here's how it worked out for me. FYI, I turned them off at 9:30 pm.... I don't like lights when I'm sleeping either! They look red in the photo, but they are actually purple. The photo below was taken just right before it got dark last night, so the sky looks much lighter than it really was.

Feel free to share your outside lighting ideas! Photos welcome!



31 REPLIES 31

3_dog_nights
Explorer
Explorer
I've got a flower pot that a co-worker made for me years ago. Drilled holes all over it and inserted lite-brite pegs in the holes. Low wattage bulb and a timer that comes on at dusk. All I need.
Bob & Lynn
2 Chihuahua's, Ella, Gracie

was-2013 Open Range 424RLS,06' Chevy 3500, dually, Duramax/Allison

also was - 2015 Winnebago Adventurer 37F, towing 2003 Jeep Wrangler

now - 2021 NoBo 19.5, 2019 Honda Ridgeline RTL (Talk about downsizing!)

rekoj71
Explorer
Explorer
The type of light that Michigansandzilla has under his awning in the picture above are great, and are usually not really rope light but known as ribbon light. They come in 16 foot rolls but can be cut to any length, and are 12 volt so they are pretty easy for us to find a place to wire them into. They have an adhesive on the back and some are waterproof and you will find that amazon has a lot of them in different colors including the color changing ones and the prices on amazon are much cheaper than anywhere else. I bought a set for $7 and wired it right in to the porch light.

Thunder_Mountai
Explorer II
Explorer II
skipnchar wrote:
Just one thing. Hanging lights up in the air ANYWHERE contributes light pollution that EVERYONE has to enjoy. Ground lights have minimal effect on your neighbors. NEITHER will keep wildlife or the boogie man away.


Thank you so much for chiming in. It saved me from the pain of getting flamed. Unnecessary light pollution is one of my pet peeves.
2016 Winnebago Journey 40R
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Two old hippies still trying to find ourselves!

BusaGuy
Explorer
Explorer
I don't have any pictures of my lights, but please keep the picks coming. They are nice to look at, plus it gives me ideas.
2012 Dodge Ram 3500 DWR Cummins Powered
2014 Wild Wood Heritage Elite
DW, DD's, DS, and our 2 little dogs!!

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Explorer II
I have clear rope lights zip tied to the underside of the trailer frame. I also have 3 other rope lights (red,white and a blue) for the 4th for the awning.

I also have a 20A mini fuse for the running lights and a flasher for part of the Halloween display!!!!

Just this spring I now have a string of LED lights for the awning track that changes color!

Let there be light!
Wife Kim
Son Brandon 17yrs
Daughter Marissa 16yrs
Dog Bailey

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A bad day camping is
better than a good day at work!

Lantley
Nomad
Nomad
Nice idea Dutchman. Laying rope lighting on the ground is definitely easy enough.
Unfortunately all lighting has fallen into the less is more category. I used to set up lots of lights to create ambiance.
But sadly now if a want light I just turn on the porch light and use a Citronella candle on the table.
It's a combination of laziness and preferring minimal lighting vs. lots of hanging lights.
The proliferation of LED string lights has turned the CG's into a circus/Vegas at night atmosphere.
After reading my post I think I'm turning into an old "Fuddy Duddy" curmudgeon. LOL :E
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michigansandzil
Explorer
Explorer
We installed our own LED lights permanently to the side of our camper. I do like the seasonal type lights, but it just got to the point where putting up lights was one more thing we had to do at set up/break down.
What I like the most about our lights is that they can be different colors. You can do a fast strobe if you want a party atmosphere or a plain low red if someone needs lighting to see around you but you don't want to disturb the campfire atmosphere.

2017 Coachmen Catalina 323 BHDSCK
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DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
skipnchar wrote:
Just one thing. Hanging lights up in the air ANYWHERE contributes light pollution that EVERYONE has to enjoy. Ground lights have minimal effect on your neighbors. NEITHER will keep wildlife or the boogie man away.


Don't hang lights from trees. Most campgrounds, even state parks usually have "no hanging anything from trees" rules. Beside, that's just too much work. Looking for easier ways, lights on the ground are about as high as I want to "climb" at my age now.

About security. Me, myself, and I don't use outside lights for "security" or to keep animals or people away. We've never camped anywhere (every) we didn't feel safe. When we use lights, we use light for our own purposes, to light up our campsite after dark and when going to bed, they go out.

I have 2 flood lights on my camper, on both East and West side of the camper that is enough to light up a foot ball field. It's TOO bright for ambient "mood" setting (romantic) camping.... which is the type of camping we do now that kids are gone and we have time for each other! :W :W (wink-wink...get my drift!)... actually, now that thekids are grown and gone (and we've been married now 30 years) ... we're re-discovering the "romance" in our relationship and ... BOY is it sweet. So for us now ... mood is everything! SHE loves it! And I'm re-discovering that "romance" I had when I was much younger before being invaded by kids :W :W

SCVJeff
Explorer
Explorer
And here comes the debate...
Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350

skipnchar
Explorer
Explorer
Just one thing. Hanging lights up in the air ANYWHERE contributes light pollution that EVERYONE has to enjoy. Ground lights have minimal effect on your neighbors. NEITHER will keep wildlife or the boogie man away.
2011 F-150 HD Ecoboost 3.5 V6. 2550 payload, 17,100 GCVWR -
2004 F-150 HD (Traded after 80,000 towing miles)
2007 Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer

US Govt survey shows three out of four people make up 75% of the total population

campigloo
Explorer
Explorer
Nice lights and I don't even remember you picking my Outback up:)

tvman44
Explorer
Explorer
I love rope lights, just lay them on the ground around the rig, easy set up and pick up. Lately been using a bucket light with football logos on it, even easier set up. Guess I am getting lazy as I age. ๐Ÿ™‚
Papa Bob
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"A bad day camping is better than a good day at work!"

Dustytuu
Explorer
Explorer
We have been using rope lights for long time. We are full timers. Have a portable
30 inch fence we take everywhere. Put rope lights on it. We now have red white and blue.
We like these, when we let the dogs out for potty, in their fenced yard. We can see them clearly.
We turn them off around 10 at night. They are on a timer.
No one has complained yet. We stay in RV resorts or RV parks. We do have some solar lights we take to the sand dunes when we dry camp. Hang those on the fence.
2008 dodge 5500, diesel,Laramie
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D & D
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Halmfamily
Explorer
Explorer
I have nearly 80' of red led rope lights zipped tied to the outer edge of my coroplast under my fiver. They are plugged into a remote switch in the basement. They look awesome accompanied with the OEM red LEDs on the nose of the fiver.
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Veebyes
Explorer II
Explorer II
Rope lights from the awning here. 2 knots & they are down. Have a string of blue , not much light , & a multi colour LED, much brighter.
Boat: 32' 1996 Albin 32+2, single Cummins 315hp
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