10 Watt Halogen light bulbs

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The problem I have had with LED Lumen rating is it seems overly optimistic. I did a little research and it seems most vendors rate them at maximum output for the specific LED not for the lamp assembly as they have configured the replacement LED lamp. If the replacement LED has 12 LED's with a maximum output of 20 lumens each, then they rate the bulb assembly as 12X20 or 240 lumens when it may actually be something significantly less than this.
I have tried 4 or 5 different LED lamp assemblies, most from China off ebay and have yet to find one that has the output of the 20w halogen. I am using some of them, but the DW complains constantly. My concern is primarily the heat the 20w halogens produce and the damage to the puck light fixtures from that heat.
The 10w halogens are easier to replace as LED equivalents seem more available, but the 20w halogen has been somewhat elusive for me.

David
 
I  used the HP-G412C Ffor the 20W bulbs and the G409C for the 10 W. Both work well. Incidentally, the 1141C Tower works for the outside light. These are bright white and 170 and 130 Lumins respectively for the G4 replacements.

Ernie
 
The lumen rating is a lab spec number, whether incandescent or led or fluorescent. Your 20w halogen and other incandescent bulbs also suffer from lumen degradation - they get dimmer over time. Same thing happens to fluorescents. Plus, any incandecent bulb will be brighter (more lumens) in an over-voltage situation whereas an led will stay constant because it regulates the voltage to the lamp (though some leds are dimmable and that would be an exception). RVs run their nominal 12v system anywhere between 11 and 14 volts, so brightness can vary a lot.

A 20w halogen is typically in the 400-800 lumen range, depending on the bulb type. Takes a lot of leds to match that!
 
The last led I used was rated 360 lumen and while bright enough for me, the DW isn't happy yet. I got it off ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-G4-4W-4-WATT-DC-10V-18V-18-5050-SMD-360-lumen-Bulb-LED-Light-Cool-White-/271048492106?pt=US_Light_Bulbs&hash=item3f1bbfc44a
It is probably brighter than a 10w halogen but not as bright as the 20w version. I only ofdered one to make sure it fit, which it did. So far the brightest I have found. Bought one at the GoodSam rally in Orlando from one of the vendors and it was only a little less bright but also cost. 5 X as much, so waiting to see if anything else shows up on the market as this technology is changing quickly.

David
 
I bought a couple to replace the ones above the sink. Those are on the most. My problem is -- they are too thick and even after bending the leads, still short yo the reflector. I taped the back, but still no fit. Ideas?
 
What sort of fixture and which led bulbs did you buy? There are a lot of variations...

For the halogen "puck" lights in my rig, I had to remove the reflector to utilize the size and type of led I wanted. The reflector doesn't do anything for the led, which is pointed downward anyway.
 
Ernie n Tara said:
Note that the higer voltage equals higher lumens does not hold true for quality LED's. They are regulated to the spec voltage and should not vary their light output.

Ernie
the good ones are regulated, and that's a good point to watch when purchasing any LED.

I replaced a 10W Halogen with the Starlights G4-208. There are two different pin assemblies: side and rear. 

This LED puck is way brighter than the 10W lamp it replaces, and is the only one I've seen that makes this much light. Like anything else Starlights, its expensive. But buy the best and cry only once.
 
SCVJeff said:
the good ones are regulated, and that's a good point to watch when purchasing any LED.

I replaced a 10W Halogen with the Starlights G4-208. There are two different pin assemblies: side and rear. 

This LED puck is way brighter than the 10W lamp it replaces, and is the only one I've seen that makes this much light. Like anything else Starlights, its expensive. But buy the best and cry only once.

Internet search shows a G4-250SP, 150 lumens (since your Meridian has the same puck lights as our Horizon). Can't find a G4-280.

Another question to anyone. Has anyone purchased the LEDs by Ming from RVLedBulbs? If so, what is verdict? We would like Warm White bulbs and Ming makes those.
 
Here is where I bought my 10w Puck Light replacements...Many of us have bought these from the Chinese sellers with good success.  If you are spending more money than this, you are wasting your hard earned dollars, as I have NO intention of buying ONE of these bulbs for $10 each, as these will last just as long as the overpriced USA ones.  10 of these for $27, and they are as bright (or brighter) as the annoyingly hot 10w puck lights they replaced.  Not one of these have burnt out in the year or so since I have installed these, and if they ever do, I'll just pop in a spare or pick up another batch and still be ahead....WAY AHEAD.  ;)  Make sure you get the 5050 LEDs, as these are the bigger LED bulbs.

I just unscrewed the clear glass puck lense, pop out the silver metal reflector, plug these in and while making sure these are aimed straight down, screw in the glass lense, and there you go!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-G4-12-5050-SMD-LED-Warm-White-Light-Bulb-Lamp-DC-12V-/170749601495?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27c17826d7
 
NoMoreAZ said:
Internet search shows a G4-250SP, 150 lumens (since your Meridian has the same puck lights as our Horizon). Can't find a G4-280.

Another question to anyone. Has anyone purchased the LEDs by Ming from RVLedBulbs? If so, what is verdict? We would like Warm White bulbs and Ming makes those.
its possible they have changed the model number, but I know there are two versions.

As far as the cheapest lamps... You often get what you pay for. I like Starlights because even though they are built overseas, they are designed here. I know the owner and have talked to him many times about design improvements, and have helped them with some of their early RFI testing and suppression. Currently they are the only ones out there that are FCC certified, and that costs money. 

Also with the puck light, there may be others but the Starlights lamp is the only one with a heatsink (the copper strip tail). For all other lamps I insist on WW. But this being what it is, really don't
care. And if and when they break, I know where to call.

It's the little things..
 
I have some of the Ming bulbs, a couple 12" fluorescent replacements and a couple standard BA15S base bulbs in the storage bays. They seem to be a quality product.  I think Jim Dick has some too, the G4 bi-pin types.
 
I have replaced the puck light bulbs in our coach for two reasons. Heat and life span. The chrome reflector just snapped out qith long nose pliers as I learned here. No need to glue anything. Here are pix:
 

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We have a ton of the halogen fixtures. Some of ours aren't like the illustrations you posted, but thanks for doing that, it helps. On ours, the whole fixture pulls down on a spring, so the bezel and fixture are all one unit. Also, there's no glass on these. To change the bulb, you just reach up inside with two fingers and hope your fingers are pretty small so you can do it -- very unsatisfactory design. Not sure whether the "puck" style LED would fit that, or how it would look with no glass, just the puck sticking in there inside the reflector.
 
Pierat said:
  On ours, the whole fixture pulls down on a spring, so the bezel and fixture are all one unit. Also, there's no glass on these. To change the bulb,

Those are usually 20 watt fixtures mounted under the cabinets... The ones mounted in the ceiling with the glass are 10 watt fixtures & should be similar to the ones shown.
 
Gary,

Yes, I do have some of those as you know.  :) I did have a problem with one of them as it wouldn't stay on but, after some adjusting, I have all of them working just fine. I did miss seeing the owner of RVLED Bulbs at QZ. I'm hoping to convert many of my other halogens to LEDs.
 
I am reviving an older thread that had lots of good info in it. I am going to pull the trigger on the LED replacements for the halogens in the lounge. I had to replace 3 more of the JC10 bulbs today.

Just a question for those that may have done this already. In looking at the sponsors web site, there are 9 and 12 led versions. Which ones did you use to replace the halogens in your rig? I like decent light, but don't need to perform surgery..........
 
I bought 30 of these cheap G4 base LEDs from Hong Kong at $1.20 each to replace my halogens. So far working well.  They don't have sophisticated pulsing drivers, etc.  They do have built in dropping resisters  so they do get a little warm, not hot like the halogens.  I replaced all of the halogens on my old sailboat with the good stuff and spent over $12 each for the replacements.  At this price I bought a few spares in case I have any failures.  These are warm white and look about the same as the old halogens at about 1/10 the current flow.  Bought them on eBay.

I also bought 10 B15 base bulbs to replace bulbs in those type fixtures.  They were a little higher. $4.90 each.  At least as bright as the old incandescent lamps at about 1/10 the current.  I used these in bathroom fixtures, front and back porch lights and reading lights at the bed.  Quite happy with the results.

I bought a bunch of wedge type bulbs to replace a couple in the coach and all of those in the basement compartments.

All of my lights are now LEDs and spent less than $100 for 60 bulbs.  The Hong Kong shipping takes 2 to 3 weeks.
 

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The 10W and 20w G4 halogen bulbs may be reversed in the above discussion. Mine were 10W under the cabinets and 20W in the ceiling. I'pretty sure these were the original bulbs. We can all agree thar they burn out rapidly, and my 20W seemed to go faster.

I also left the reflectors in when I installed LED's.

Ernie

PS I suspect that the economy LED's using resistors waste a high percentage of the power as heat rather than producing light as compared to regulated LED's. Individual LED's drop about 0.5V. In combination; some light is probably lost by ensuring adequate voltage drop to keep all of them conducting at lower input voltages or they will burn out quickly.
 
I have two different sizes of flat mounted fixtures in my mh.  I have replaced the bulbs in the larger of the two with LEDs.  The smaller fixtures have only enough room for a G=4 bulb and not enough room for an LED.  I can't find an LED device that is the same size as the G-4 bulb.  I suspect if there are some the lumens won't be as high as the G-4 bulb.  Comments?
 

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