Maintenance & Restoration

Legacy Posts · 12-08-2002, 07:38 AM

My '99 Casita 17' Freedom came with these light fixtures throughout. Each fixture has a single 1141 bulb rated at 18 watts at 12 volts. The two fixtures above the side dinette just did not provide sufficient light for reading or for working my crosswords.

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3df34a4e7f9122002_1208_060015AA.JPG/>

Legacy Posts · 12-08-2002, 07:41 AM

I bought two of these flourescent fixtures from Camper's Choice. Each is rated at 16 watts at 12 volts. They should produce about 3 times as much light output as the incandescent fixtures they replace.

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3df34c01c4463flourescent.jpg/>

Legacy Posts · 12-08-2002, 07:44 AM

Here is the two fixtures installed in Lazy M. I took the pictures at night to show the amount of light.

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3df34c7d211e62002_1208_055638AA.JPG/>

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3df34c8d217ed2002_1208_055710AA.JPG/>

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3df34c999bda52002_1208_055720AA.JPG/>

Legacy Posts · 12-08-2002, 08:09 AM

12v huh, nice. light is good.:cool

Legacy Posts · 12-09-2002, 02:12 AM

looks real good - may I suggest that instead of COOL WHITE (F8T5/CW) that next time you try and find DAYLIGHT (F8T5/D) :)

Legacy Posts · 12-09-2002, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Orginally posted by Rick

looks real good - may I suggest that instead of COOL WHITE (F8T5/CW) that next time you try and find DAYLIGHT (F8T5/D) :)

Thanks Rick,

These tubes will probably outlive me. :weep The electronic ballast is supposed to extend the life of the tubes. It also reduces heat and electrical noise.

We have daylight tubes in our bathroom at home; they make a real difference. :sunny

Legacy Posts · 12-09-2002, 06:50 AM

Hey Morgan! You just keep solving those crossword puzzles and you'll likely live to be 100. Our friend's mother just died at 94 and she worked both of the Republic's crossword puzzles every day and in ink.:wave
Darline

Legacy Posts · 12-09-2002, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Orginally posted by Bill and Darline Harper

Hey Morgan! You just keep solving those crossword puzzles and you'll likely live to be 100. Our friend's mother just died at 94 and she worked both of the Republic's crossword puzzles every day and in ink.:wave
Darline

I hope I don't, Darline. :wink

I just do the Sunday crosswords and never in ink. I sometimes wear a hole in the paper erasing. :bh Remember my sign?

If you need light fixtures, I have extras. :laugh

Legacy Posts · 12-09-2002, 08:36 AM

Morgan, thanks for posting the pics and info. I have been eyeing those at Camping World (and other places) for a long time. I had wondered how they would work. I've also wondered if the would produce less heat than the regular lights. If so, that would be an added benefit.

Legacy Posts · 12-09-2002, 10:04 AM

Man, I gotta go to Phoenix and have you make some improvements for me, Morgan!

I'd love to convert one of the many lamps to a mini-fluorescent.

Also like to convert one of them to a multi-LED light (Our webmaster Michael tells me he may have a source for these early next year. I told him I'd buy the first one (if Morgan will come and install it!)

Legacy Posts · 12-09-2002, 01:51 PM

Morgan:

Pull your blinds the other way............

I think I see the silouette of Charles sitting outside your dining window with a book in his hand.
:inbox

=========

Rick says try 'Daylight' ???....

The F8T5CW is rated at 4,150k,
The F8T5D (daylight) is rated at 6,250k.....

for reading, daylight would 'sharpen' the text, improve the contrast on the printed page.

with two fixtures, you'd be the perfect guy to 'test' the two types of bulbs. For $10. whaddya think?? You've gone this far........

:jump
=========

according to my book, each bulb is 8w @ 120v?!:o

Legacy Posts · 12-09-2002, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Orginally posted by PineConeDon

Morgan:

Pull your blinds the other way............

I think I see the silouette of Charles sitting outside your dining window with a book in his hand.
:inbox

=========

Rick says try 'Daylight' ???....

The F8T5CW is rated at 4,150k,
The F8T5D (daylight) is rated at 6,250k.....

for reading, daylight would 'sharpen' the text, improve the contrast on the printed page.

with two fixtures, you'd be the perfect guy to 'test' the two types of bulbs. For $10. whaddya think?? You've gone this far........

:jump

PCD,

I'm way cheap, so I'll wait 'til the tubes expire before testing the daylight bulbs.

Quote:

=========

according to my book, each bulb is 8w @ 120v?!:o

PCD,

Your book is probably right. There must be a little magic thingie inside that changes the 12vdc into 120vac. :yep

Legacy Posts · 12-09-2002, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Orginally posted by Suz

Morgan, thanks for posting the pics and info. I have been eyeing those at Camping World (and other places) for a long time. I had wondered how they would work. I've also wondered if the would produce less heat than the regular lights. If so, that would be an added benefit.

Suz,

I don't think $CW has them (this brand) with the new ballast.

Try Campers Choice. They're $30.75 each and you don't have to pay an annual fee. Item number is E244.

http://shop.hiwaay.net/cgi-bin/camperschoi...oice.storefront

Legacy Posts · 12-09-2002, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Orginally posted by Charles Watts

Man, I gotta go to Phoenix and have you make some improvements for me, Morgan!

I'd love to convert one of the many lamps to a mini-fluorescent.

Also like to convert one of them to a multi-LED light (Our webmaster Michael tells me he may have a source for these early next year. I told him I'd buy the first one (if Morgan will come and install it!)

Michael and I both bought a multi LED light fixture, but it was too dim for reading. Michael has information on a super bright unit.

Legacy Posts · 12-09-2002, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Orginally posted by Morgan Bulger
Michael and I both bought a multi LED light fixture, but it was too dim for reading. Michael has information on a super bright unit.

The NEW trick LEDs are over the top price wise. I don’t even know if I told you about those Morgan. Luxeon LEDs are $12.50 each.

Now, they last 100,000 hours and give off something like 4 times the brightness of the Bright white LEDs. Also, they use less electricity then any other LED so I’m told.

Too pricy for my little RV.

So what I’m working on is an cluster of 7 Bright White LEDs. I may have a proto type in January.

Legacy Posts · 12-09-2002, 09:01 PM

I agree with everyone here. I like those lights. Really seems to brighten up the area nicely! Well done Morgan, you get a big 2 thumbs up... AAAaaaaaaaa!

Legacy Posts · 12-09-2002, 09:52 PM

The next thing I'll try is to remove one tube from each fixture. If it will run like that, it should use maybe 9 or 10 watts. I'll let you know if it works and if it produces sufficient light.

:sunny

Legacy Posts · 12-10-2002, 07:55 AM

Consider using the two light fixtures that you removed----Power them from one of Charles' jumpits. One suggestion install one in a location that you could reach from bed at night and the other in a storage compartment. (or anywhere you want light and not powered from the TT battery).
Happy camping,
Ross

Legacy Posts · 12-10-2002, 07:57 AM

Hey, M & M ... please make me one of these 9-volt lights, ok? It would come in handy as a little dry camping light for moving around inside the trailer.

<img src=http://www.benkemp.com/ebay/smasll/R540.jpg/>

Here's how the guy said he made it:

It does indeed use two 5mm, 20 degree Cree (or nichia depending on how cheap I can find them) LEDs wired in series with a 47 ohm resister inside the battery snap. The math tells me I'm driving these LEDs at almost twice their max rated current but I'm counting on people breaking them or losing them long before the LED's toast. All of the voids inside the battery snap and the light head are filled with hot melt glue to offer some resistance to friction and water damage. The wire is tough, nylon coated, 24 gauge solid, 2 conductor intercom wire available at Radio Shack for about 10 cents a foot. The heavy duty battery snaps can also be found at Radio Shack for 40 cents a copy. They are designed to be quite durable