Low Amp lighting plan for 13'...

[Matt O'Bryan]

For those that don't know, we're in the very slow process of a deep rebuild on a 13' Eco, and are setting it up for quite long boondocking/ offroad trips.

Anyhow, the current project is a complete lighting rebuild, with particular emphesis on task lighting for Herself, Queen of the Kitchen and All Lesser Realms

The current plan is:

Gina's LED hockey pucks: 1 above the sink, 1 mounted near the dinette as a reading light, 1 on the rear wall, under the gaucho table (to act as a footlight/nightlight)

12" CCFL- 2 tube set above the cooktop, 1 tube (in custom plumbing supply fixtures) on each overhead cabinet, fore and aft.

I'm muddling about with some plans to make door-switched lights for the inside of the cabinets, but I'm not sure how much they will be needed.

Any suggestions? The big needs are kitchen lighting, a good low amp reading light near the gaucho, and reasonable overall lighting, but we don't need to have a Glo-Egg


Thanks,

Matt

[Gina D.]

If you put th CCFLs above the cooktop, I suggest you find a way other than the supplied velcro to mount them.

Mine in my 13 kept failing down when cooking. The adhesive on the velcro does not like humidity.

I did manage to get them to stay, eventually.. but it was a long trial and error.

[Lizbeth]

I used white real Velcro bought at the 99cent store to hang my CCFL because i didn't like the black stuff they came with. So far so good but i haven't done much cooking yet.

I have one 12" over the stove and one over the sink and find them to be bright enough for all kitchen tasks. I have some blue ones in the back over the bed because, well, I thought they were fun!

As for reading light I got a LED book light that works pretty well and doesn't disturb the Mr..

[Matt O'Bryan]

If you put th CCFLs above the cooktop, I suggest you find a way other than the supplied velcro to mount them.

Mine in my 13 kept failing down when cooking. The adhesive on the velcro does not like humidity.

I did manage to get them to stay, eventually.. but it was a long trial and error.

Well, maybe all 4 will go into my mad plumber's fixtures.
Do you think a single bulb above the cooktop and another above the sink, in place of the planned LED, would be enough light?


Matt

[Gina D.]

oh, way more than enough.

I have my CCFLs over the sink now (Range hood prevents them being over the stovetop) but I also have drop in LED towers in the stock fixture over the sink. I use the LEDs for those less than stellar solar days and they seem to do just fine.

[Gary Carvajal]

Matt,

When we redid our scamp this past winter, lighting was like your project, a priority.

We put three 18 inch 12 volt 15 watt two tube flourescents in, one over the new front dinette, one over the sink and one over the back window under the book shelf. In the two back corners we put in swivel head spot lights with halogen bulbs. These were from an RV dealer and cost if I recall about 20 bucks apiece.

Now regardless of which way we sleep there is always a light in the rear corner for the Mrs to read by.

With this setup, previously of two floruescent lights only we could go at least a week to ten days before needing to recharge the battery. As long as we did not use the old forced air furnace---then we could go about three days---MAX.

I would expect we will be able to boondock for up to ten days time before needing to recharge the battery with our current setup. If the Mrs watches too many movies on the portable DVD, that may be reduced by a day or two.

If at all possible do away with incandescent bulbs and go with halogen or flourescents, your amperage draw will be a lot less.

Good luck with your remodel!

Garo