12 volt light replacement? Options

[Christi V.]

well now i need to replace the square 12v light above the sink..! The switch is broke ( I am so tired of the little things going whacko!!) Any ways I went out this morning... to see how to fix the thing and darned to damned.. its rivited on!! why would scamp rivit them on in the first place?? I have NO way of getting the rivits out...
sooooo how do i get the rivits out?? I dont want to take it into the RV place for that costing me $60 and hr plus my time and gas... I think i can do it myself if I knew how..

This post has been edited by Christi V.: Mar 7 2009, 10:00 AM

[Donna D.]

You drill the rivets out the same was as if they were through the hull. A drill, and a proper sized drill bit.

[Jim Bennett]

Rivets work good for fastening into thin fiberglass or metal where a screw would not get enough grip and work loose easily.

Don't despair, rivets are easily removed. One way is to get a drill and a drill bit and use it right on the end of the rivet. A grinding bit on the end of a Dremel tool works great as well. If you can expose the head enough to use a small grinder, that will work fine too. The biggest thing is to grind/file the head off somehow, don't use any kind of force, like a hammer and chisel.

If you need to replace the light with rivets, it is something real easy to do. Even if you have to buy the riveting tool, cheaper ones are about $20 or so I believe, and often come with a few rivets. You just drill the holes the size of the rivet, and you need to use a rivet sized properly for the two pieces you are holding together (1/8. 3/16, 1/4, etc.)

This post has been edited by Jim Bennett: Mar 7 2009, 10:09 AM

[Randya]

You might consider replacing it with an LED light fixture, helps save the battery and is brighter.

[Donna D.]

Maybe install a new light fixture with a clear lens too instead of the opaque white. Here's a source: BARGMAN Euro-Design Light. My original posting was merely a reminder of topics to search for.

[Norris Jeffrey]

We have added a few LED fixtures to our rig. Got a package of 3 small LED fixtures from Costco for less than $20. Inexpensive, long bulb life and very long battery life. They are very lightweight and we use a strip of velcro to anchor them......You could replace the existing fixture after drilling out the rivets. Usage of LEDs is increasing dramatically and we will see many of our current lighting schemes switch to LEDs.

This post has been edited by Norris Jeffrey: Mar 7 2009, 02:10 PM

[Ed Harris]

I put a Thinlight Flourescent over the sink in each trailer I have had.
This is the one spot where I really appreciate having enough light.
They are very bright and more effecient than incandescent fixtures without making any real heat.

I like LED's a lot for what they are but I have yet to find any that can replace the Thinlights.

[Christi V.]

ahhh the lights are under the cabinets above the sink... thats why I really didnt want to put the rivits back on...
I might see what they have in LEDs to replace them with...
Donna I like those Bargman Euro light fixtures too..

thanks....

[peterh]

Christi: A power drill and drill bit that's slightly larger than the hole in the top of the rivet usually does the trick. Sometimes you have to get someone to hold the back side of the rivet with a pair of pliers to prevent it from spinning while you drill from the other side. You can replace the rivet with a screw, capnut, and a pair of lockwashers, but rivets work really well too.

I put a Thinlight Flourescent over the sink in each trailer I have had.
This is the one spot where I really appreciate having enough light.
They are very bright and more effecient than incandescent fixtures without making any real heat.

I like LED's a lot for what they are but I have yet to find any that can replace the Thinlights.

Don't Thinlight fixtures require 110v AC? We have a fluorescent fixture over our curb-side kitchen counter, too, but generally don't use it even when we do have hookups because the light isn't well distributed and our LED fixtures already do a good job of lighting up the trailer.

I made a nice LED fixture using an LED strip light from LED Wholesalers over the bathroom door in our 5er (the darkest part of the trailer) with that LED light strip and it does a great job there. . .Lights up the whole area really well. We also adapted two sets of IKEA's Dioder LED puck lights for use over our kitchen counters; the two sets of Dioders aren't as bright as the single 110v AC flourescent light, but because their light is spread around over the counters on each side of the trailer we have ample light for any kitchen chore.

 09Feb27BathroomDoorLEDLight.jpg ( 145.38K ) Number of downloads: 45
 Ikea_Puck_Lights.jpg ( 16.17K ) Number of downloads: 40

[Ed Harris]

Don't Thinlight fixtures require 110v AC? We have a fluorescent fixture over our curb-side kitchen counter, too, but generally don't use it even when we do have hookups because the light isn't well distributed and our LED fixtures already do a good job of lighting up the trailer.

No,the ones I use are 12vdc and fairly modest current draw.
They are designed for just these applications and are very well made.
I prefer them to any LED I have used so far where I want really bright even light.

[Chris L.]

Hi Christie,
Is the switch a small rectangle "rocker" switch or a sliding one? If it is a rocker type switch, just pry it out and undo the wires, attach the wires to the new switch and push it back in place. Should only be a couple of bucks for the switch and best of all, NO DRILLING! Good luck.

[Christi V.]

Hi Christie,
Is the switch a small rectangle "rocker" switch or a sliding one? If it is a rocker type switch, just pry it out and undo the wires, attach the wires to the new switch and push it back in place. Should only be a couple of bucks for the switch and best of all, NO DRILLING! Good luck.

yes.. thats whats broken.. thanks... does it pry out from the inside of the ficture or the inside?

[peterh]

No,the ones I use are 12vdc and fairly modest current draw.
They are designed for just these applications and are very well made.
I prefer them to any LED I have used so far where I want really bright even light.

Do you have a web link for them?

[Randya]

Peter, did you also install some of the v-leds? If you did , which ones did you use and where did they work best? I was looking at the 48, two for over the table or maybe the 36, not sure which color of white to try either.

[Roy in TO]

http://www.thinlite.com ?