LED Bulbs for Scamp 13

[Bob Greene]

I'm sure this question has already been asked and answered before but any suggestions as to what type of LED bulbs to use for the interior lights on a 2017 Scamp. Aside from sizes, are there differences between the different LED bulbs. Thanks. Bob G.

[1500]

Originally Posted by Bob Greene

I'm sure this question has already been asked and answered before but any suggestions as to what type of LED bulbs to use for the interior lights on a 2017 Scamp. Aside from sizes, are there differences between the different LED bulbs. Thanks. Bob G.

Best way to do it is to just pull the bulbs and then look on ebay/amazon for "led bulb size".

There is only minor differences between them, some are whiter, or a little brighter. But the difference is minor. Just don't spend a lot on them. Camping world is a true rip off. Most places are just getting them from the same supplier in China (This includes camping world), so you might as well order off of ebay and get the best price.

I would expect they would be the same as what is in the 16'. I used these and find they work well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$12.99 for 10, camping world wanted $50 for 8

If you have a range hood, I found these work for replacing that light.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Bob Greene

I'm sure this question has already been asked and answered before but any suggestions as to what type of LED bulbs to use for the interior lights on a 2017 Scamp. Aside from sizes, are there differences between the different LED bulbs. Thanks. Bob G.

LED bulbs come in various colors and light ouput. Color is measure in degrees Kelvin. A standard incandescent bulb is about 3500°K. That's a warm color (redish). Sunlight is about 5900°K. Light output is measured in Lumens.

Have fun and happy travels.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by 1500

..
There is only minor differences between them, some are whiter, or a little brighter. But the difference is minor. ..[/URL]

I have used a wide variety of LED bulbs in a few RV's and IMHO the differences are not minor. I have had cheap LEDs with light that is so blue that it I found it intolerable, or so "warm" that you could not tell them from incandescents. I have had some that got very hot but many more that did not. Some that emitted so much radio frequency interference (RFI) that they obliterate my TV or FM radio reception. Some that lasted and some that were cheap and did not. Some bulbs have 360 degree light output, others have directional output.

And if you get away from using the standard light fixtures and replacement LED bulbs, then the options include color changing lights, dim-able lights and more.

You might be very happy with cheap LED replacement bulbs from most anywhere, or your might not. So you might want to buy from a source where you can easily return or exchange them. I have used superbrightleds.com a few times. They have lots of technical information on their site, and the bulbs I got from them are high quality (although one does have the aforementioned RFI problem). They are not the cheapest but do run 10% sales very frequently.

There is much on this topic in this forum and on the internet in general, The more homework you do the more likely you are to be satisfied with the result. Or you might be happy with 25 cent bulbs from China. (YMMV)

[k0wtz]

I have gone to all mini fl. bulbs in the house I hate those warm bulbs they put out hardly any light. went to daylight and love those!


bob

[John Linck]

I had a lot of fun converting my Scamp to all LED. Its an easy and cheap mod that cost me about $40.00 after some mistakes in purchasing the wrong things.

You could do your whole trailer's inside for about $7.00 with a product like this. I used a similar tape cut to various lengths to light the inside of my closet, pantry and the underside of some upper level cabinets. You might want to add these switches if you can afford another $5.00.

I also bought a couple dozen LED bulb replacements for the stock Scamp light fixtures. This included two 10 packs in two different mounting styles. Unfortunately, this is where I made some errors in color temperature. I returned some and ordered others. In the end I used all warm lights (around 3000K). Somehow those daylight temps didn't feel like camping.

Anyhow, now my electrical demand for lighting is about 10% of what it was when the Scamp as new. I no longer worry about lighting's current demand exhausting my battery when boondocking.

Now if someone would just make an outside exhausting propane furnace that runs on less than 1 Amp my world would be complete.

john

BTW. Here is a nice thread of adding LED Lights inside a cupboard.

Pic of LED tape lights inside my closet.

[1500]

Originally Posted by gordon2

I have used a wide variety of LED bulbs in a few RV's and IMHO the differences are not minor. I have had cheap LEDs with light that is so blue that it I found it intolerable, or so "warm" that you could not tell them from incandescents. I have had some that got very hot but many more that did not. Some that emitted so much radio frequency interference (RFI) that they obliterate my TV or FM radio reception. Some that lasted and some that were cheap and did not. Some bulbs have 360 degree light output, others have directional output.

And if you get away from using the standard light fixtures and replacement LED bulbs, then the options include color changing lights, dim-able lights and more.

You might be very happy with cheap LED replacement bulbs from most anywhere, or your might not. So you might want to buy from a source where you can easily return or exchange them. I have used superbrightleds.com a few times. They have lots of technical information on their site, and the bulbs I got from them are high quality (although one does have the aforementioned RFI problem). They are not the cheapest but do run 10% sales very frequently.

There is much on this topic in this forum and on the internet in general, The more homework you do the more likely you are to be satisfied with the result. Or you might be happy with 25 cent bulbs from China. (YMMV)

I have also purchased many over the years, that is why I expressed the opinion I did. I have never had RFI interference from LED replacement bulbs, Nor most of the problems you faced.

I said there are minor difference based on the idea you purchase what you want. As in the minor differences between the "brand" or manufactures is minor. You still have to pick the color or brightness, I would assume that would be understood. Both might sell a bright white, one might be a little closer to your idea of bright white, but most people would not be able to tell the difference.

You can get lots of technical information from Ebay purchases as well. Looking at superbrightleds.com, yep they are the same LEDs as you can find on ebay. Most likely you are just overpaying for the exact same product. Doing a little research can also save you money.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by 1500

I have also purchased many over the years, that is why I expressed the opinion I did. I have never had RFI interference from LED replacement bulbs, Nor most of the problems you faced.

I said there are minor difference based on the idea you purchase what you want. As in the minor differences between the "brand" or manufactures is minor. You still have to pick the color or brightness, I would assume that would be understood. Both might sell a bright white, one might be a little closer to your idea of bright white, but most people would not be able to tell the difference.

You can get lots of technical information from Ebay purchases as well. Looking at superbrightleds.com, yep they are the same LEDs as you can find on ebay. Most likely you are just overpaying for the exact same product. Doing a little research can also save you money.

Well like I said, and you confirmed.. YMMV. But its really gambling as far as quality goes which is why I suggested buying from a company with a good exchange or replacement policy (which is rare on eBay except for simply defective products). Or just buy them so cheap that you don't mind taking the loss (which is what I did with a few 941 LEDs that I could not live with).

With the exception of a single higher wattage bulb with a RFI problem, every "problem" I have had has been with bulbs from eBay or similar sources and not superbrightleds. Without getting too technical, the bulbs that I have bought from superbightleds were of overall higher quality than the other I have bought in the past. Perhaps I am overpaying but it is a simple fact not all LED bulbs are constructed with the same quality.

Superbrightleds is just one of many suppliers. I know that their customer service is very good and I am sure there are other companies with good customer service also. Usually Amazon has a liberal return policy so there is another option, but if it is an independent seller on Amazon.. well you guessed it.. YMMV

We all have different opinions based on different experiences so its good to compare notes.

[1500]

Originally Posted by gordon2

Well like I said, and you confirmed.. YMMV. But its really gambling as far as quality goes which is why I suggested buying from a company with a good exchange or replacement policy (which is rare on eBay except for simply defective products). Or just buy them so cheap that you don't mind taking the loss (which is what I did with a few 941 LEDs that I could not live with).

With the exception of a single higher wattage bulb with a RFI problem, every "problem" I have had has been with bulbs from eBay or similar sources and not superbrightleds. Without getting too technical, the bulbs that I have bought from superbightleds were of overall higher quality than the other I have bought in the past. Perhaps I am overpaying but it is a simple fact not all LED bulbs are constructed with the same quality.

Superbrightleds is just one of many suppliers. I know that their customer service is very good and I am sure there are other companies with good customer service also. Usually Amazon has a liberal return policy so there is another option, but if it is an independent seller on Amazon.. well you guessed it.. YMMV

We all have different opinions based on different experiences so its good to compare notes.

Well they can afford it after all, you are paying 10 times the price for the bulbs.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/more.../attributes/16

But think you could be spending 18 times for the same item.
1156 LED Bulb – 27 SMD LED Tower – BA15S Retrofit – R.T.S. Solar Solutions LLC

There are many 3rd party companies out there that greatly increase the cost of the LED just because some people think they are getting a better product. But if you actually compare the specifications you find that they are the same. It is not just LED's, you see it with many products. Much of the oddities (and small electronics) on amazon are actually just stuff you could have purchased on ebay for a fraction of the cost. Some product just a different name stamped on the outside, sometimes it is even the same name.

Lets take those bulbs i listed as an example. You can get a pack of 10 on ebay for $12 (free shipping). You would spend $120 (with ~$4 shipping) for the same bulbs at superbrightLED. I have never had issues with the stuff I buy on ebay (and I buy a lot), it is all about buying from sellers with good ratings. But lets say you think well perhaps this seller is not that good and the standards are a little lower so some of the bulbs will be crap (assuming that both companies are not just selling from the same manufacture, I am sure superbrightLED are just china made stuff you see on ebay). You would need a 90% fail rate on the Ebay LEDs in order to equal the same price as buying from superbrightled, and that is to just brake even. For ebay to be a worse deal you would need to have higher than a 90% fail rate.

Why worry about returning? You can buy 5 times as many bulbs, and if even half of them work out then you saved half your money and ended up with way more bulbs then you will ever need. And the price difference gets worse unless the more expensive company has free returns and they pay for shipping both ways.

[ststefan]

In my experience, if you want the bulbs now go to a store. If you have lots of time , go to ebay. A little time, use amazon. Especially in Canada ebay takes extremely long to deliver.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by 1500

..

There are many 3rd party companies out there that greatly increase the cost of the LED just because some people think they are getting a better product. ....

All I can tell you is that there was a great deal of difference in quality between some 941 bulbs I got on eBay and the ones I got from SuperbrightLeds. You can choose to believe that or not. I am sure there are some on eBay that are just as good and not as expensive as well as some that are not. Of course there are many resellers who jack up the price but add no value. And there are some that add value in the form of customer and technical support.

Short term failure rate is one metric.

Another is heat dissipation and this is one area where there is a variation in quality. A poorly designed bulb will run hotter, and that means shorter life. But LED lights do not usually burn out as incandescents do, they slowly go dim. If they are cheap, then just replace them every year or two if you think they are dimming. But if it's in a hard to reach fixture, it might be worth getting a quality bulb that lasts longer at closer to full brightness.

Another other metric I mentioned is Radio Frequency Interference, and again, that might or might not be an issue depending on your specific situation. For Amateur radio operators, this research is helpful.

As for eBay there are plenty of bargains and good sellers there. I just bought a garage door opener for $100 that everyone else in the world was selling for $170-180 or more. The seller only had 79 ratings but they were all positive, so I took a gamble. It was a gamble that paid off and saved me about $80 (that I can now spend on overpriced stuff )

[John Linck]

I try to buy most of my stuff on eBay. Ebay merchants are mostly little businesses like mine. I always try to support the little guy. If you check their merchandise star rating you can quickly avoid the bad apples. Also, Amazon is getting too big for their britches and is trying to take over the world.

OTOH most of the stuff from both places comes from China. They are the ones really taking over the world. Amazon, Walmart, and Android are just the facilitators or is that collaborators.


John - the micro businessman

Pics of Dad and Mom's first RV c.1960. We traveled tens of thousands of miles in this rig, with 5 kids. I'm the one taking the pictures.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by ststefan

... Especially in Canada ebay takes extremely long to deliver.

Well I have had stuff on eBay that came from China to take nearly two months. But that is in part because I would not pay extra shipping charge. Amazon seems to beat eBay a lot of times on price also, but it all depends on the item. All the little stuff I get for electronic projects is always cheaper from Chinese eBayers.

[mchalewj]

Has anyone had any experience with converting the tail light bulbs to LED? I tried two different "cheapie" brands from ebay and was disappointed. Neither had enough contrast between the tail light circuit and the turn signal/brake light circuit. My tail lights use the 1157 incandescent bulbs from the 1970's. Any recommendations?

[John Linck]

[QUOTE=gordon2;672458]

Originally Posted by ststefan

..

Well I have had stuff on eBay that came from China to take nearly two months. But that is in part because I would not pay extra shipping charge. Amazon seems to beat eBay a lot of times on price also, but it all depends on the item. All the little stuff I get for electronic projects is always cheaper from Chinese eBayers.

I aways check an eBay listing to see where the item is coming from. U.S. merchants get it to you quicker, usually a few days if you choose free shipping. Chinese merchants often sell the identical products for less but transit takes a few weeks. I really don't understand how they can ship a $1.00 item from China to Wisconsin for free. Must be some subsidy somewhere. I shipped a toy to London last week for $148.00 in postage fees. Go figure.

John

.

[ststefan]

[QUOTE=John Linck;672464]

Originally Posted by gordon2

I aways check an eBay listing to see where the item is coming from. U.S. merchants get it to you quicker, usually a few days if you choose free shipping. Chinese merchants often sell the identical products for less but transit takes a few weeks. I really don't understand how they can ship a $1.00 item from China to Wisconsin for free. Must be some subsidy somewhere. I shipped a toy to London last week for $148.00 in postage fees. Go figure.

John

.

Or in my case Canadian merchants. If I buy from U.S. merchants shipping usually costs more than the item.

[mszabo]

Bob save your time and money. Don’t waste your time changing bulbs. You won’t like them.
Replace the fixture, cost the same or less than some bulbs. You will have a great light and will be happy you did.
Sell your old ones and get your expense back.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[DeBreez]

Replaced the bulbs in our Casita with the cheapo LEDs from eBay. They work fine - you flip the switch and light comes out. Haven't noticed any interference, but we don't watch a lot of TV etc. when camping.

[1500]

Originally Posted by gordon2

All I can tell you is that there was a great deal of difference in quality between some 941 bulbs I got on eBay and the ones I got from SuperbrightLeds. You can choose to believe that or not. I am sure there are some on eBay that are just as good and not as expensive as well as some that are not. Of course there are many resellers who jack up the price but add no value. And there are some that add value in the form of customer and technical support.

Short term failure rate is one metric.

Another is heat dissipation and this is one area where there is a variation in quality. A poorly designed bulb will run hotter, and that means shorter life. But LED lights do not usually burn out as incandescents do, they slowly go dim. If they are cheap, then just replace them every year or two if you think they are dimming. But if it's in a hard to reach fixture, it might be worth getting a quality bulb that lasts longer at closer to full brightness.

Another other metric I mentioned is Radio Frequency Interference, and again, that might or might not be an issue depending on your specific situation. For Amateur radio operators, this research is helpful.

As for eBay there are plenty of bargains and good sellers there. I just bought a garage door opener for $100 that everyone else in the world was selling for $170-180 or more. The seller only had 79 ratings but they were all positive, so I took a gamble. It was a gamble that paid off and saved me about $80 (that I can now spend on overpriced stuff )

And I have seen no quality differences. Perhaps I just purchase quality products from ebay with out spending the inflated cost. I have never had an issue with long term use. I have yet to have one go dim or fry (have used them for 10+ years now). Using them in multiple cars, put them in multiple peoples RV's, and even used them in real time system projects.

I have also never experienced problems with Radio Frequency Interference, never had a problem with my ham radio, or with my oscilloscope when when probing and tracking through my circuits (to be fair I also make sure that any unwanted noise on my DC power is removed). And even that article said that most people don't see problems. I would also point out that you are not purchasing from a brand name, superbrightled is just a 3rd party seller of generic LEDs.

I would also point out that the article you linked was on LED lights that also have the circuitry to convert AC to DC. These type of circuits have always had a chance of putting unwanted infrequence into the 60hz house hold circuit. Along with produces RF interference. It can be a major problem with plug in style DC converts and PC in general. These problems will then show up in other cheap products that don't use enough bypass capacitors in order to remove high frequency noise. Or noise in ham radios, especially ones that do not have good filters. It is the power circuitry that produces the problem. LED's themself do not produce noise.

I prefer to do my research from well known engineering publications. Not that ARRL is an unreputable site.

https://spectrum.ieee.org/energy/env...d-led-lighting


In the case of smaller 12v LED, they can either use resistors to limit the power, this has the draw back of wasting energy in the form of heat, or they can use a switch. Basically adjusting the duty cycle of the current/voltage going to the LED, lower the duty cycle the less energy they use and the less light they produce. Can also be done to length the operating life. The unwanted effect is that these can add frequency to the DC supply. Poorly shielded TV's can see this noise and screw up its tuning.

A fast search shows that some people have experienced problems, but it seems to be very rare occurrence. There is no way to know what they purchased or from whom.

There is no research or testing showing that superbrightled is selling higher quality bulbs, in fact I just showed another site selling the same bulb for more. Perhaps superbrightled is selling the cheap knock off brand of the real bulbs.

In any case people can and will spend their money how they want. It is very possible to buy expensive junk from camping world and pay their inflated prices. Same with any local shop. Some people find the comfort of spending more when it comes from a place they have a history with.

Electronic noise is becoming a real problem.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/telecom/wi...rnet-of-things

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by mchalewj

Has anyone had any experience with converting the tail light bulbs to LED? I tried two different "cheapie" brands from ebay and was disappointed. Neither had enough contrast between the tail light circuit and the turn signal/brake light circuit. My tail lights use the 1157 incandescent bulbs from the 1970's. Any recommendations?

I don't understand what you mean by not enough contrast between the circuits, but...

I have the dual taillights on my Scamp, so I replaced the bulbs in the upper ones with red LEDs for more reliability . They work well and are a little brighter than the incandescent ones. If you read my prior posts you can guess where I bought them

But I still have to watch out for corrosion at the socket since the cheap fixtures are not water-tight. So I have to agree with Mike, especially for an older camper... replace the entire fixture with a sealed LED one. Make sure your wiring is good, esp the ground side, and it should be an nice improvement.