Anyone used these lights before?

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Anyone used these lights before?

December 09, 2015, 10:41:08 pm

I know there are a lot of discussions about led type lights on here. I'm very low in the electrical knowledge department. However I'd like to swap out my overhead tube type florescent lights and put in something less battery and energy draining.

Has anyone used anything like these?

If so, are they simple enough that I can cut and splice the ends somehow to my current connections?

I'm not looking to have to install a transformer or what ever contraption some led systems use.

Thoughts?

Definitely, not something I have to have right now. I just happened to have dropped them in a cart on amazon the other day along with some other items and was going to purchase the other two items. It made me think to ask about these. I'm open to really functional upgrades as long as it doesn't involve complex and expensive.

SUPERNIGHT (TM) 16.4ft 5M SMD 5050 Cool White Waterproof Led Flexible Flash...

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Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #1 – December 09, 2015, 10:49:39 pm

Hi Carl,

Yes, the 5050 is a great LED for brightness though you probably should order the daylight ones also in case you think the cool white are too blue/dead/flat looking.

Jim

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #2 – December 09, 2015, 10:52:33 pm

Try warm white inside, around 2700-3000 °K. Most seem to prefer this color. Cool white (higher Kelvin temp) work well in the basement bays.

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #3 – December 09, 2015, 11:14:57 pm

I used a combination of bright (cool) white and warm white to replace the fluorescent lights in our coach. I used two strips of the bright white and one strip of warm white in each fixture. I am pleased with the color of the lights.

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #4 – December 09, 2015, 11:44:38 pm

The self stick function of these strips is poor. i posted elsewhere about 3/8" double stick tape from Amazon that I use. Works great.

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #5 – December 10, 2015, 01:42:30 am

Ah! So it seems they work eell, involve no fancy hardware or other technical components and are almost like plug n play....if I'm reading this correctly. Because I have no idea I have to ask....basic or self explanatory wiring method or is there another product for connecting them?

Sounds like I have another winner here.

So what's with wiring them uo...how simple is it please?

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #6 – December 10, 2015, 01:52:09 am

The strips can be cut to length. We soldered wires on to the contact points of the strips and attached them to our 12v lights. No transformer. We removed the ballasts out of all of our florescent fixtures and placed 4 strips in each. In the toilette room we only placed two strips - 4 was just too bright. I like the brite white for now. May change when these die. Contacts are also made that can be connected to the strip and then the power supply wires. I am sure if you use the Search function you can find numerous threads about how to wire and mount these strips. This was a good upgrade.

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #7 – December 10, 2015, 08:24:26 am

Carl, it's quite simple. It's not necessary to gut your flourescent lights unless you just want to. The existing flourescent lights work off 12 volts so it's just a question of disconnecting the supply wires running to the ballasts and connecting the these existing 12 Volt wires to the LED strips. Here's the quick way.

Remove diffuser from light....carefully.
Remove flourescent tubes. Clean reflector left in fixture.
Disconnect 12 Volt supply lines (cut) close to where they connect to ballasts.
Cut a strip of mtl long enough to provide the light you want.
Solder short leads onto the LED strip.
Stick the strip on to the reflector.
Connect the wires you soldered onto the strip to the wires you clipped off the ballast. Be sure to observe polarity for the strip when you connect it to the coach wire.
I used about 4 feet of strips for each light, sticking it into place in and curving it around ends. Some folks do it differently with lots of soldered connections using multiple short lengths of LED strips. I see no functional downside to either way, both look fine in operation but there are no doubt people who will be horrified at the idea of a non rectilinear installation.
Put the diffuser back on.
Enjoy your new battery saving lights.

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #8 – December 10, 2015, 08:41:37 am

+1 for not removing ballasts and curving around end to reduce wiring connections

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #9 – December 10, 2015, 10:19:30 am

Here is my thinking on this. As we get older more light is better, lots better. So I removed all of the old parts from the insides of the flourescents (and gave them all to another FF who wanted them) and put strips in with soldered or crimp-on wire loops at each end in such a way that I could get the maximum amount of light strips in each fixture. I found the lights over the couch and in the bedroom were OK with less but in the kitchen, hallway and bathroom I put in as many as possible. Dimmers are cheap. You can put up to one spool of lights (16+ ft) on each 12v connection. Do one fixture, put the cover back on and see how much light you get from it. You can always add more. You can always clip a wire for less. These lights are not expensive. There is no magic number here it is just how much light do you want. Most likely more than you have now.

Be sure to watch the +/- connections. The wrong way and the won't work. I tested the lights after every connection to make sure I did it right.

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #10 – December 10, 2015, 10:43:47 am

Don't remember the brand but I went with the higher density of LEDs on a strip (600 per 5 meters, I believe it was) instead of the usual 320. It made a heck of a difference and a whole lot less screwing around with connectors.
I removed the guts in our lights completely, placed all the translucent covers end to end, and only used the opaque covers on the ends to cover the connectors and wires. Our lights run all the way along the cabinets up on the ceiling.
I also removed the guts on the accent lights up under each valance and put single strips of the lesser density lights in. Not as bright but makes for soft lighting when watching TV.
I replaced the guts in the light over the sink and put two cool white strips and one warm white strip in the fixture and the DW loves the better visibility it creates.
In the Bathroom I replaced the o'head FL guts with two strips each of the higher density LEDs and greatly improved the lighting.
I had enough of the high density light strips left over that I ran a strip around the engine compartment under the bed. Really lights up the aluminum reflector insulation!

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #11 – December 10, 2015, 01:24:01 pm

FWIW,
I have 3 of these fixtures. I have replaced 2 of them with the LEDs. I used 4 strips with one and 6 with the other. I think you should do at least 2 strips for each fluor. tube removed. You will like them. I like the soldered connections better than the crimp. They take a little more work but probably won't have to deal with them again. Some stick and some don't agree with the double sided tape and I used a hot glue gun to tack mine on those that came down. So far so good. Liking the change. I just haven't taken the time to do the third which is in bedroom and frankly doesn't get used that much. All good advice above. Best of travels.

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #12 – December 10, 2015, 02:06:28 pm

Despite my best intentions, I've only converted one of the fluorescents to LEDs; two strips of lights with a spst rocker switch in the end panel to turn the second strip off or on as needed. Bright white. I did remove the guts of the units.

I bought the little rocker switch at Radio Shack but since they closed down the store here in town I'd have to buy more from Amazon, I guess. I do like being able to add light if needed but normally just one strip per tube was enough. Two of them will give you a lot of light even on a bright sunny day.

Easy change. Glue on mine don't stick well... will have to do the glue gun trick later but even if they fall down they still work.

Craig

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #13 – December 10, 2015, 02:13:03 pm

@Carl

Here are a couple of threads covering LED lights.

LED tutorial

LED Florescent Light replacement

I personally like the white lights over the warm white. The warm white has a yellow tint to them that I didn't like. As cheap as they are buy one of each and see which you prefer.

see ya
ken

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #14 – December 10, 2015, 02:29:54 pm

Quote from: kenhat – December 10, 2015, 02:13:03 pm

I personally like the white lights over the warm white. The warm white has a yellow tint to them that I didn't like. As cheap as they are buy one of each and see which you prefer

Ditto for me, as well. When I replace the bulbs, brite white is me!

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #15 – December 10, 2015, 02:41:11 pm

+ one for us also

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #16 – December 10, 2015, 03:38:26 pm

Color perception and preference is very individual. I have always suggested buying both and trying them out. At different times of the day warm white (~3000°K) and cool white (~6000°K) look very different. Objects especially food look different depending on what kind of lights you are using. The colors inside of your coach will look different depending on the LED temperture range you pick. The halogen lights and incandescent bulbs used in the coaches are in the 2800-3200°K range, about what warm white LEDs are. The flourescents are about 4500°K but the actual color rendering of flourescents is different because of how the light is produced. This is a pretty good technical discussion.

Color Temperature & Color Rendering Index DeMystified

Technobabbel aside, get some of each and try them out for yourself. I really like the cool white in the basement and engine bays. I an mpnof fond of the bluish tints of the cool white inside although some like it in the bathroom. These are chep enough that if you want to change your mind you aren't out much. The main reason to change to LEDs is the significant energy savings.

Post pictures when you are done and let us know what choices you made.

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #17 – December 10, 2015, 04:01:28 pm

Quote from: Roger & Susan in Home2 – December 10, 2015, 03:38:26 pm

Color perception and preference is very individual. Technobabbel aside

Well spoken and researched, Rog. As a photographer using color film (what's that?) I had a meter that could measure the "kelvin" temps and I could change the pics ( with color compensating filters) in order to balance the film for existing conditions. Studies have been done on this matter and most all conclude "daylight" (in the 5800/6400 degree Kelvin range) is the healthiest (and best color rendition) for we gringos.
Whew!, have not thought about that in years, hope this gives some insight.

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #18 – December 11, 2015, 10:23:40 am

Quote from: Roger & Susan in Home2 – December 10, 2015, 10:19:30 am

Here is my thinking on this. As we get older more light is better, lots better. So I removed all of the old parts from the insides of the flourescents (and gave them all to another FF who wanted them)

...and thank you Roger, since I was the lucky recipient for the old fashioned bulbs...however, somehow some new fangled ones got put into my BR lamps (thank you Tony P.) & they must be the cool ones 'cause it sure seems darker in there....I started squawking immediately but Tony said I'd soon grow to like them, they were "good for reading". Well, they still seem weird, cooler/darker or something....so did I get the cool ones instead of the old warm lights I had with the old bulbs? ....or am I just getting too old for changes??? (you guys know I'm a ~very young 64~ but being a romantic lighting freak, I like a warm glow, not a cool one) ....am threatening to put the old ones back....

Or maybe root around in the box & find some warm ones....

Thanks for the info Roger, you really are a wiz, one of the 'top brains' here, & very much much appreciated....

Re: Anyone used these lights before?

Reply #19 – December 11, 2015, 12:25:57 pm

I found that the "3M" adhesive on the back of our LED strip lights didn't hold at the ends where the connectors or soldered wires added downward pressure due to gravity and heat. So, after discovering the separation I removed the opaque covers, squirted some Shoe Goo (what else?--from my emergency cache which includes duct tape) and then folded a piece of cardboard so that when I put the opaque covers on the cardboard exerted pressure on the LED light strip. Left cardboard on until the next day and now no movement of the strips.

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