LED's Are Too White and Bright: Replacements?

[Ranger_Tim]

Our Four month old Wolf Creek is getting a lot of use. We love the thing but want to tone down the lighting inside. We prefer a softer, more yellow light and less lumens than what we have. Some of them have two cards and others have a single. All use a card with nine LED's on them.

I found this one on Amazon: LED light bulb/card

Is this what I might be looking for? We don't want to take an x-ray every time we turn on a light. Most of the time lights are just for mood, meals, or navigation around the cabin. I also want to turn one into a red astronomy friendly light for star parties so I don't blast the observers outside with whiteness. I can use a red tape or gel for that, but would like a light with less output.

We will still retain the white blasters we have now over the kitchen sink and under the dinette bunk for those times when we need to burn our retinas out.

Am I on the right track? I know nothing about these new devices and haven't even figured out how to open the diffusers!

[Ranger_Tim]

Soldering? Nah! Just wire nuts and tape...

[AnEv942]

Huh-found a pic of wiring

Leads direct to boards -bizarre, more so the way its wired. Short of finding boards with dimmer leds, a mini rocker switch to control both cards, Id be snipping a wire in the interim. Even then I'm sure one of the boards be too bright for us.

For experimenting I found couple on amazon-
cheap enough- I have 2 older fixtures with bulb cards w/ failed bulbs (not smd) going to try.

EDIT: ordered & recieved. Way too bright for interior use-nor are they regualted-. removed link

Some soldering involved-just to change a bulb...

[trail-explorer]

AnEv942 wrote:
The description says hard-wired...but the led cards really don't plug in? Thats crazy...

Correct. The fixtures are manufactured with the LED board hard wired in, there's no socket.

[Vinsil]

Tim,

Mine are bright. We just turn on one or two further than we are at. It works but I feel your pain. We don't spend a ton time in our TC so it doesn't bother us too much....tuned in for results.

[AnEv942]

Hokey Smoke -that's better than 400 lumens per bulb/card! dang, sure don't want to be looking at them when turned on.
The description says hard-wired...but the led cards really don't plug in? Thats crazy...

[trail-explorer]

Ranger Tim wrote:
That's it! I wish I could find a less intense, lower output, warmer color replacement LED card to fit it. Will probably be easier/cheaper to just replace the fixture...

Those lights are awesome in trailers, toy haulers, 5ers with tall ceilings, but not so much for low ceiling truck campers.

[Ranger_Tim]

That's it! I wish I could find a less intense, lower output, warmer color replacement LED card to fit it. Will probably be easier/cheaper to just replace the fixture...

[trail-explorer]

Ranger Tim wrote:
After taking apart the light(s) I have found that the LED card is hard wired into the RV wiring.

Updated to prevent some other Wolf Creek owner from misunderstanding what we actually have in the 2016 model.

ah.... I know exactly which light you are talking about, and yes, they are bright.

It's this one: LED Light Fixture

[Ranger_Tim]

After taking apart the light(s) I have found that the LED card is hard wired into the RV wiring. This probably will result in me either using gels inside the fixture to cut down the light transmission or (more likely) replacing the fixtures. I would prefer fixtures with actual bulbs that can be replaced. I have not found a replacement card that would fit the pancake light fixture yet.

Updated to prevent some other Wolf Creek owner from misunderstanding what we actually have in the 2016 model.

[Buzzcut1]

I put this over my Dinette. It has both low intesity and full bright settings

I use low for when I'm using my laptop. So far I have been very happy with it.

https://www.amazon.com/Thin-Lite-DIST-LED412P-White-Design-Interior/dp/B00F11JID8?ie=UTF8&refRID=1YV...

[Ranger_Tim]

Thank you for replying everyone. Lots of suggestions and tips are a good thing. I will buy some reputable replacement bulbs for the fixtures. I don't want to cheap out on lighting. Would prefer stuff that has less tendency to get hot and burn my diffuser. Also will keep the dinette light as is for reading. The reading bulbs in the cabover are fine. The double light over the kitchen countertop will stay as well.

I want some warmer, dimmer light for general use, as much of our reading is done on PC and tablet. Once again thanks.

[towpro]

I been meaning to post this reply when I was home, but kept forgetting.

I bought These LED's for my Open Range 5th wheel. the OR sits in my private campground plugged in all the time.
Notice they are marked as 12V.
They run warmer (hot to touch) when voltage is higher than normal battery voltage (IE converter is on all the time). but they went into housing that had 2 incandescent bulbs in them and I have not had any heat problems. I have heard of others having a few go out when converter goes into "float" voltage mode, but my converter don't ahve that option.
I have been running them every other weekend Since October 2014 they all still work. I like the 3000~3500k color (warm white)

in my Wolf Creek I also got tired of the Blue LED's real fast.
I replaced them with These
Note the 12V -28V rating. these to not feel as hot as the first bulbs. my solar system controlled by Bogert engineering stuff (temp compensated) can see some higher voltages at times.

These were a little tight plugging into the wolf creek base. But they went in. no screw is used. I have had 1 fail since May 2015 but I think that was because it got bent installing. These are also 3000-3400K (warm white).

[joeshmoe]

covered wagon wrote:
My kind of thinking Whizbang and there are some minor health risks involved with LED lighting too. There are a couple articles out about it. I don't have a link but you can google health risks with LED lighting and read what comes up.

Like they say there is no such thing as a free lunch, always some trade off or cost associated with a 'freebee'

Yeah, there's a lot of "scientific" propaganda out there. Be careful not to be deceived by "research","evidence" and scewed studies performed by people with lots of letters behind their names. They need to keep the grant money and funding flowing in the interest of an agenda....just sayin'

[towpro]

I been meaning to post this reply when I was home, but kept forgetting.

I bought These LED's for my Open Range 5th wheel. the OR sits in my private campground plugged in all the time.
Notice they are marked as 12V.
They run warmer (hot to touch) when voltage is higher than normal battery voltage (IE converter is on all the time). but they went into housing that had 2 incandescent bulbs in them and I have not had any heat problems. I have heard of others having a few go out when converter goes into "float" voltage mode, but my converter don't ahve that option.
I have been running them every other weekend Since October 2014 they all still work. I like the 3000~3500k color (warm white)

in my Wolf Creek I also got tired of the Blue LED's real fast.
I replaced them with These
Note the 12V -28V rating. these to not feel as hot as the first bulbs. my solar system controlled by Bogert engineering stuff (temp compensated) can see some higher voltages at times.

These were a little tight plugging into the wolf creek base. But they went in. no screw is used. I have had 1 fail since May 2015 but I think that was because it got bent installing. These are also 3000-3400K (warm white).