installing those LED strip lights under the awning

I may be an idiot or may be doing something wrong. Probably both. But when I installed my strip this weekend on my trailer I could only get the first half of the strip to light. Through all the testing before putting it up and cutting into the power cord it worked fine. I'm assuming somewhere in my splicing I have a poor connection and the juice just isn't quite making it all the way?

Gonna edit this. Turns out I was an idiot. I'm guessing in daylight you just don't see all the lights on and they wash out in the daylight. I brought the trailer home and after doing absolutely nothing to what I had already set up, turned them on and they worked great. Was dark so maybe that's all I needed.

Thom02099 wrote:

toaobigal wrote:
Just to clear any confusion: the socket adaptor I used is a socket with 2 wires sticking out of it, there is no longer a bulb. I just used the end of the connector from the 120-12 volt converter, slice it on the socket adaptor. And, by putting the remote module inside the porch light, you do loose some range with the remote control. I experienced with the different colors, but I sticked with the blue for now.

This is what I want to do as well. I understand the concept and execution. My question: I have a 1028 bulb in my porch light. I've searched here and Google and can't find any sort of socket wire connector base adaptor, such as the Genssi 1156 that was noted elsewhere in this thread. Is there such a thing? Or would I be better off just going the splicing route for the same end result?

Anyone? I understand about the 1156/1141 adaptor. Is there something for a bulb that's marked 1028, or can I use this 1156/1141 adaptor? Or would I be better off just splicing in to the porch light wiring?

Doug33 wrote:

PacNWChris wrote:
My trailer has an LED strip light already installed. It's one of those "cool white" LED strips. It's great if you need a lot of bright light to find something or direct air traffic ... but not so much for lounging outside, or eating, or playing a board or card game.

That was my experience on my last trip. Several people had them on full power, and it looked like the landing area in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. And unfortunately, two people left them on all night long. The CG looked like Broadway in the city that never sleeps.

It reminded me of the Seinfeld episode where they couldn't sleep because of the Kenny Rogers Chicken bright neon sign across the street.

I was at Lake Powell for a week earlier this month, and this guy, maybe 5 sites down in my loop (and the sites there are pretty far apart) has some kind of flood light clamped to the roof of his trailer to light up his site. Unfortunately, it not only lit up his site, but because it had the illumination power of a small star, he graciously shared his light with a good portion of Loop B. >:-( At least he didn't leave it on all night long.

On a previous trailer we had one that we could adjust the color and intensity on. A nice faint red/orange color is really easy on the eyes at night. Then when you turn it off, your eyes don't take long to adjust for stargazing. :-)

Doug33 wrote:

PacNWChris wrote:
My trailer has an LED strip light already installed. It's one of those "cool white" LED strips. It's great if you need a lot of bright light to find something or direct air traffic ... but not so much for lounging outside, or eating, or playing a board or card game.

That was my experience on my last trip. Several people had them on full power, and it looked like the landing area in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. And unfortunately, two people left them on all night long. The CG looked like Broadway in the city that never sleeps.

It reminded me of the Seinfeld episode where they couldn't sleep because of the Kenny Rogers Chicken bright neon sign across the street.

could never understand this.... don't people have shades or blinds in their trailer or rv's??? why should outside lights bother ANYONE if your eyes are closed and shades closed????
maybe just something to B about,,,,,,,

PacNWChris wrote:
My trailer has an LED strip light already installed. It's one of those "cool white" LED strips. It's great if you need a lot of bright light to find something or direct air traffic ... but not so much for lounging outside, or eating, or playing a board or card game.

That was my experience on my last trip. Several people had them on full power, and it looked like the landing area in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. And unfortunately, two people left them on all night long. The CG looked like Broadway in the city that never sleeps.

It reminded me of the Seinfeld episode where they couldn't sleep because of the Kenny Rogers Chicken bright neon sign across the street.

My trailer has an LED strip light already installed. It's one of those "cool white" LED strips. It's great if you need a lot of bright light to find something or direct air traffic ... but not so much for lounging outside, or eating, or playing a board or card game.

I was thinking of replacing it with one of the kinds you can dim and select the color on. But I need to cut and test the voltage of the wires feeding the current LED strip. I'm sure it's 12 volts and that the DIY kits are 12 volts too, but I want to check first. :) Anyone have any experience with that?

toaobigal wrote:
Just to clear any confusion: the socket adaptor I used is a socket with 2 wires sticking out of it, there is no longer a bulb. I just used the end of the connector from the 120-12 volt converter, slice it on the socket adaptor. And, by putting the remote module inside the porch light, you do loose some range with the remote control. I experienced with the different colors, but I sticked with the blue for now.

This is what I want to do as well. I understand the concept and execution. My question: I have a 1028 bulb in my porch light. I've searched here and Google and can't find any sort of socket wire connector base adaptor, such as the Genssi 1156 that was noted elsewhere in this thread. Is there such a thing? Or would I be better off just going the splicing route for the same end result?

I went a different route I got an 18ft led rope light, that I can plug into the electrical outlet on the side of the trailer. I recently got a outdoor timer (like the one used for Christmas lights) that has a remote control so I don't have to go outside to turn the lights on or off. I used double sided automotive tape to secure the rope light under the awning, and ran the wire down along the rear awning arm to the timer, to the outlet. It is not extremely bright, but there is enough light to light up under the awning or the side of the trailer without lighting up the entire campground.

Just to clear any confusion: the socket adaptor I used is a socket with 2 wires sticking out of it, there is no longer a bulb. I just used the end of the connector from the 120-12 volt converter, slice it on the socket adaptor. And, by putting the remote module inside the porch light, you do loose some range with the remote control. I experienced with the different colors, but I sticked with the blue for now.

APT wrote:
Oh, the other connector (4-pin) is if you wanted to connect multiple strips together from the same controller. You will likely cut that off. I cut about two feet off my strip for example.

Awesome - thanks for all the info. Too bad I can't do this before my trip this Sunday.