LED lights for '94 Mallard

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campergirl

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Joined
Jan 16, 2011
Posts
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Location
North-Central BC
Hi everyone, I'm researching upgrades for my '94 Mallard TT, and have been told that LED lights would drastically cut down my power consumption. We camp without services most of the time, so this is a big consideration. Is there anything I should be aware of if I were to replace my inside lighting with LED lights? BTW, this isn't a DIY, my RV service guy would do this. I'm just wondering if it's a simple replacement, or is it a major job / rewiring, that kind of thing? Thanks for any input!
 
It s relatively simple and I'm sure you could do it yourself if someone showed you how one time.

Be sure to get quality Leeds that will operate over a range of voltages.  There are a number of suppliers and if you search here  for Leeds you will find lot of good information on them and where to get them.  It will be expensive to do the change as they are pricey.  I just changed 2 halogen bulbs at a cost of $25 for the pair.  Other bulbs may be more or less depending on the number of Leeds used.

Good Luck and enjoy them as they should use about 1/3 of the power you now use.

 
Replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs should be as simple as changing a light bulb. Leds are now available with standard 12v light bulb bases that just plug in.

Replacing fluorescents with Leds requires a bit of rewiring to bypass the ballast, which is not used with the Led.

You should be aware that Leds are VERY expensive to buy - think in terms of $8-$12 per incandescent bulb and $14-15 per fluorescent bulb for the type that slip directly into existing bulb sockets..
 
i recently replaced the 2 12'' fluorescent lamps in my over the sink light with an led kit from jirah. the light quality is similar to daylight fluorescents, but not quite as bright.
we are very satisfied with this conversion.
my dw says that the kit installation was simple enough that she could have done it by herself.
the pn is jc-18-fl-t. ups shipping was 2 days. 

http://jclampstand.com/
 
Gary, mine are all incandescent now, so that should be a simple replacement. That's what I was wondering, thanks. They may be expensive, but they'll last a lot longer than the incandescent ones, won't they?

Dan, good to hear that I could do it myself if I needed to, though if it's electrical I'm sure I could wreck it fairly easily!! Thanks :)

Kathy
 
kathy,
my fluorescent fixture ballast burnt out in just over a year, just out of warranty. the fixture cost $75 to replace. the ballast alone was over $50. so the led kit was cost effective. the led's last a very long time, several thousand hours. these led's don't generate much heat as they consume about 1/7 the power.
the led kit was very easy to install. the directions were brief, but very well written. the light strips use pressure adhesive. basically, cut the existing wires and strip the insulation off the ends about 3/8''. then use wire nuts to connect the wires. it does not matter if the polarity is correct as long as you are consistent with both led strips. we use the same switch and white plastic cover.
why don't you order a kit and try it?
 
Thanks, everyone. It'll be another month or so before I dig out the trailer. Then I'll get it in for servicing for the major parts, and start shopping for the DIY parts. I'm hoping it'll be ready to go by mid-April or so -- super early for camping here, but there's always hope :)
 
I actually stumbled across that this morning, Gary, thanks! I'm learning a lot here, and spent quite a bit of time this morning on the tech threads, reading back. Would that apply to Canadians as well?
 
Don't know about the free shipping to Canada, but certainly the discount applies. You would probably have to call and ask about shipping to Canada anyway. Call the Hitching Post at 800-241-2122. Jay (the owner's son) is a good guy to ask questions on things out of the ordinary.

Meanwhile, I'll email my contact there and ask about the web sites ability to handle Canadian addresses.
 
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