LED Lighting workshop notes

[peterh]

Hello all! I promised people who attended the LED Lights workshop that I'd post some notes on things like websites & such, so here we go!

www.V-LEDS.com -- These are the guys who sell the very bright 48 LED warm white lighting panel I demonstrated in my workshop. Just key in "48 LED Warm White" in their search box and it should take you right to the panels.

www.ledwholesalers.com -- These guys sell the 12v track light bulbs and plug-in bases I like, as well as the warm-white module I can use for projects I wire up myself.

www.superbrightleds.com -- These guys sell a variety of "1156" bulbs that'll fit in most people's trailer light sockets. They're kinda hit-and-miss in terms of finding "warm" or "cool" white LEDs, but worth keeping an eye on. Look in the "auto" section for warm white bulbs.

www.eBay.com -- Often has interesting LED light bulb offers, but be careful! Make sure the products you buy come from a vendor with a good number of sales and positive feedback, check the shipping costs before buying, and don't buy bulbs that are advertised as just "white" LEDs, always look for LEDs that state their color temperature (4500K and under is good, 3000-3500K is ideal.)


What to look for:
If you're not good at soldering and electronics, stick to "1156" conversion LED bulbs that designed for automotive & RV use. These LEDs are designed wo work with the fluctuating voltages present in most of our trailers.

Look for "SMT" or "Surface Mount Technology" LED products. This type of LED tends to remain brighter than older LED technologies as our battery voltages drop off.

Pay attention to color temperature: Bulbs with "cool white" color temperatures over 5000K often have a blue cast that isn't a color our eyes work well with. Look for "warm white" bulbs or bulbs with a color temperature between 3000K and 4500K. (Closer to 3000K is better.)

Remember, warm LED SMT technology lights put out about as much light as a regular light bulb using seven or eight times the power, so a two-watt LED product is almost as bright as a regular light bulb.

I will post more about how to wire your own LEDs later. Right now I am fading and heading off to bed.

[David & Leslie]

Thanx for this info, Peter. We missed the workshop (too many zzzzzz's) but I think we can 'self-teach' from the resources you've given as well as any future posts. We definitely want to go with LEDs to cut down battery use, so we'll keep watching. Happy camping - L 'n D

[efawcett]

Wow this is great information! I've been wanting to go all LED for a long time...

I have to admit though I was a little taken aback by the prices on the "warm white" SMT LED 1156 compatible panels. I have four 1156 style bulbs to replace in my Scamp but didn't want to be paying $80 - 100.

I don't suppose there's any cheaper LED's of that style out there, but if I'm half way decent at soldering is there a cheaper route to go?

Thanks!

[peterh]

I have four 1156 style bulbs to replace in my Scamp but didn't want to be paying $80 - 100.

I don't suppose there's any cheaper LED's of that style out there, but if I'm half way decent at soldering is there a cheaper route to go?

Not at this time, but with the new focus on low-energy lighting in the home I expect there will be many advances in the market in the next few years, and that may bring prices down.