LED Florescent Light replacement

Topic: LED Florescent Light replacement (Read 3920 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #25 – November 12, 2013, 07:52:52 pm

Thanks for the tip, Jerry. We're finally back home so I can get back to working on the coach. Later this week I'll put up some of our stories on the "Around the Fire Ring" part.

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #26 – November 15, 2013, 04:28:05 am

I just bought a 2 strip led set from Lowes. Gutted the flurecent parts out and peel and stick the leds. Cut the lead that plugs into the led strip off the supplied 110v to 12v power supple and wired into coach wires. 20 min complete. Works great maybe the color is slightly on the green tint but I'm good. 30 bucks.
Now I'm going to install them in my basement so I can quit knocking the plastic covers off the flurecent ones. Also add some in the middle to see at night.

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #27 – November 15, 2013, 11:28:29 am

Alan, why not make your own strips up from coils of it? A lot cheaper. You can buy the 15' rolls for $17-25 a roll on Ebay or Amazon as many of us have and do it for a 1/4 of the one you have. No big effort involved.
John H

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #28 – November 16, 2013, 03:22:19 pm

I'm going to do that but I needed to fix the front light right away. We sold the big house way sooner then they said it would take. So now
We are 6 weeks full timing. AND LOVE IT!
Still learning a lot only 4 months owning coach. She needs some TLC but we love her. Wish we had 1 slide but it's fine right now. Never knew how much these foretravels have over other breeds.

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #29 – November 16, 2013, 05:26:50 pm

Quote from: John Haygarth – November 15, 2013, 11:28:29 am

Alan, why not make your own strips up from coils of it? A lot cheaper. You can buy the 15' rolls for $17-25 a roll on Ebay or Amazon as many of us have and do it for a 1/4 of the one you have. No big effort involved.
John H

I haven't done it but I wonder if one could get rid of the old fixtures and insert the LED strips into plastic tubes and then use some kind of clamps to hold them to the ceiling of the basement. Maybe cable clamps or mirror clamps?
I think a 1/2" square tube might work assuming the LED strips are 10mm wide (.39"). With a 1/16" wall, I calculate the inner diagonal to be .53" (not counting radius) so the strip would rest at an angle pointing towards the center of the basement floor.
Here's a good photo of the tubes: 6 Square Acrylic Tube 500 OD 1 16" Wall 3ft Long Clear Extruded | eBay
Here's another (surprisingly cheaper) source: McMaster-Carr But I suppose shipping will cost more being 6' long.

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #30 – November 16, 2013, 05:59:25 pm

See the discussion of LED strip lights in ...
Fluorescent light ballast?

Roger

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #31 – November 26, 2013, 10:38:21 pm

Has anyone ordered LED lights from the sources Ted mentioned (DHGate)? Be careful. I ordered a set on 10/24. Seller claimed they were shipped on 10/27. 14-21 days for delivery. The tracking number was invalid. Several inquiries later the seller claimed they were shipped on 10/31. The tracking number for that shipment was also invalid. Now they claim it was shipped by Swedish airmail (really!). No tracking number. No package after more than 4 weeks. I have sent more than 10 messages to the seller and to DHGate with no useful response. Called the credit card company and disputed the charge as fraud. I got a refund. If the package ever shows up i will refuse it or just leave it in the front yard for them to come from China and get it.

It is really too bad that this outfit is so far from being customer oriented. I have ordered stuff from AliBaba in China with no problems ever.

Roger

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #32 – November 27, 2013, 12:54:25 am

Hi, for whatever it is worth, and this might almost make a handy Topic:

I ordered LED's : 100Pcs DC12V SMD5050 white 3 LEDs module waterproof
From Seller: ukseasy2013

and they arrived from China in 13 days. Packaged decently, and as stated in their auction. I am happy with them.

I also ordered;

LED modules for dome lights and such (this was just a sample to see if I like them): Light Panel 48 SMD LED+T10+38mm Dome Festoon Bulb Base

Seller: bijouterie-de-amelie

They arrived in just under 3 weeks. They were as promised, and look quite versatile.

Also;

From invotech: 2CH 24keys controller 2x5M 10m 5050 RGB LED Strips 600led Waterproof 60leds/m

They came in 8 days.

There are a zillion Sellers, so perhaps it is handy to mention the good ones...

Best

Dave

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #33 – December 04, 2013, 12:33:15 am

So, did a sample Thin-Lite to LED conversion today; here are my thoughts/questions;

I simply pulled the existing components out, and installed 4 3LED (5050's) in each end where the tubes were. I placed the LED's side by side, 2 inline. I thought that single rows would be too dim.

I find that the LED being the 'white' choice is 'too' white, and the 5050 shines way too intensely through the plastic diffuser, you can easily see each individual diode. I am now going to order some 'warm' white, and try that. I also might order some theatrical gel and try to opaque the diffuser some more.

Has any one found this? My Wife thought they look too much like opening a modern fridge, and I agree.

Thanks...

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #34 – December 04, 2013, 10:58:54 am

I just replaced some thin lights with white leds and we found them to be too harsh for use in the areas where we sit and read. However, in areas where you want bright light, such as the kitchen or bath or inside cabinets, the white lights are, in my opinion, a better choice.

I think of the warm white as being mellow.

Jim

P.S.

I used 6 rows of 3528 leds (120 leds/meter) in each thinlite. This seems about the same brightness as 2 fluoresecent. I've ordered some 5050's that were on sale. A singe 5050 contains three 3528 leds but the sale ones only contain 60 leds/m. Still this makes them 1.5 times as bright as the 3528 strips for the same price.

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #35 – December 04, 2013, 03:35:56 pm

I decided to play a little with LED lighting and just got nice cable ends to avoid soldering. It took exactly one week to get them. Each of the 10 cables can be used as jumpers between strips, or you can cut them in the middle and use only one to power a strip. Certainly worth the $3.95 for stress reduction soldering the little buggars. 10pcs 8mm Width Connector for Single Color 3528 LED Strip Light No Need Solderig

I also bought 12V 5M 300Leds 3528 SMD High Bright Cool White Flexible Strips Lights Waterproof to try some waterproofed strips for the bays. I ordered these on Wednesday, 11/27 and received them today, 12/4, from China. That is the fastest I have ever seen from China!

My first purchase from these folks were non-waterproof to see what they were like with minimal investment. I bought 2 of the 5 meter non-waterproof rolls, one warm and one cold. Warm white for the interior: 5M Bright Warm White 3528 SMD LED Strip Lights 300 LEDs Strip Non Waterproof | and cool white that I originally mounted inside a 5/16 ID x 7/16 OD plastic hose in 2 bays are Special OFFER Super Bright White 5M 300Leds 3528 Flexible Lighting Strips 12V | . A fun project, made a lot simpler with the solderless plugs, and still awfully inexpensive!
In the bays, I used plastic u-clips to hold a 3 ft light section on the main bay, driver's side. I took the bulb out of the rear of the two round lights, and I just pushed solid wires into the bulb slots. (I used Garage door sensor wiring from my last opener). Thus the switch of the rear round light controls it. I did feed the wire inside the black loom. I left the front incandescent alone, but it is really unnecessary. I managed to get a 5 foot section on the passenger main bay, and again, I used the rear round fixture to feed and switch the light. Here are a few pics. The tubing doesn't really show unless you look up at it.

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #36 – December 04, 2013, 05:14:34 pm

Don't forget the entry light. I replaced the amber lens with a white one and used two rows of LEDs. Amber is good living where bugs are but I like the 6500K white with a clear lens. Made a huge difference.

Pierce

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #37 – December 16, 2013, 11:13:24 am

Earlier in the month, I posted that I was purchasing some 5050 LED's to use inside the Thinlite's. I had used 3528 LED's with no problem, so I thought the 5050's would be just as easy. Not so, as it turns out.

The 5050's generate a LOT more heat at each individual "button" (there are 3 LED's inside each 5050 button as opposed to 1 in the 3528). As a result, the glue on the supplied double stick tape fails after the light has been on for a while.

Has anyone else had this problem, and what have you done to prevent it?

I think buying the waterproof LED's that have no installed double stick tape would be a better way to go. You could then use an adhesive designed for high temperatures.

I'm trying various solutions as I have 7 rolls of the 5050's. The first attempt will be to remove the installed glue with acetone or some other dangerous solvent (hmmm... I feel a "Yes dear, I was stupid" moment coming).

Don't quite know what to use as a high temp adhesive. Maybe 3M car emblem tape, or some other 3M VHB tape.

Any suggestions?

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #38 – December 16, 2013, 12:35:19 pm

Jim,

There is a big difference between strips with a clear silicone covering and those with the strips inside a protective silicone/vinyl sleeve. The type with molded on covering still have the double sided adhesive backing. The others are just slid inside the cover and don't have any backing at all. I liked the full cover as they would seem to take a lot more abuse and installed them where they were likely to get hit a lot.

I did have some start to peel off at the ends on our Thinlites where there was some stress because of the wires I soldered on. I cleaned the aluminum and then used Ajax on them but still got some separation. I used super glue to finally fasten them down in a couple of problem spots and have not had a problem since. GE Silicone II would probably do the trick also but has a much longer cure time.

Pierce

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #39 – December 16, 2013, 01:48:59 pm

Pierce,

Thanks for the heads-up on the differences among the waterproof LEDs.

Jim

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #40 – December 16, 2013, 04:40:05 pm

The strips that I installed in the porch lite on mine would not stick. I used small strips of aluminum tape ( Fason Tape ) like the HVAC folks use, to secure the strips to the metal in the lite. I screwed up when I used five strips, I can read at nite 30 feet away from coach, three would have been plenty.
Gary B

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #41 – December 16, 2013, 09:50:24 pm

Shoe glue may work also. Don't have to glue the whole strip, just a few dabs should hold them in place.
I got some 5050's also that came in a waterproof sleeve. They came with clamps made of a soft material like the sleeve. I can't use them on the Thin-lite fixture, so I thought I'd try the shoe glue. I'll use the clamps elsewhere.

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #42 – December 16, 2013, 10:11:24 pm

White plastic Romex hold downs work well with the stock nails or screws on the enclosed waterproof strips. You can also cut off one leg with a single sided blade when you need the room.

Pierce

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #43 – March 15, 2014, 02:17:53 am

I bought 2 rolls of the strips that Brad and Christine's post pointed to and put one row in each of the thinlite housings above the pax side galley cabinets. I think 2 rows will be better. So next I soldered up 4 rows to go in the entry light. Aaaand they don't work. I don't get it, if I plug a separate 12v source right into my leads, all 4 strips light up, and my voltmeter shows 13.5v at the wires coming out of the coach, but apparently *those* volts just aren't high quality enough for these snooty leds... kinda wishing I had an amp meter. And thinking that the load represented here should not care. I guess tomorrow I'll plug a known good 12v lamp into the porch light wires and see what happens.

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #44 – March 15, 2014, 09:24:36 am

Shoe Goo will hold anything! I got tired of the "baby moons" on the front wheels coming off on rough roads so I shoe goo'd them on. Had to pry them off to check the axil oil level!

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #45 – March 15, 2014, 10:35:14 am

As Michelle pointed out in a post a while back, LED's are simply diodes meaning they are current devices, not voltage devices. As long as the current is above the minimum needed to operate and below the maximum that causes damage, the LED does not care what voltage is applied. The cheap LED strips use simple resistors to limit the current to a level that does not cause damage. Expensive LED systems use current limiting integrated circuit devices.

I suspect you have a current issue caused by wiring being too small or poor connections. Also, too much other "stuff" on the circuit could be an issue.

Or it could just be Foretravel gremlin. I find some of those every once in while.

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #46 – March 15, 2014, 10:40:54 am

Jay,

I didn't understand why if I had 12v, my leds wouldnt light.

Cut out the balast - led lights work, go figure

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #47 – March 15, 2014, 11:25:48 am

Jay,

A little more clarification.

When you measure the voltage on the two wires coming out of your coach with nothing connected, you are measuring an "open circuit" voltage which gives you the the "potential" voltage available from your batteries.

What you need to measure is the voltage drop across your LED's. Do this by connecting the LED's and measuring the voltage at the "+" and "-" connections on the LEDs (where the two wires coming out of your coach connect to the LEDs). If there are no other devices, small gauge wires, or bad connections, you should get a value near the open circuit value.

In your case, I suspect you will find this value to be much lower than the open circuit voltage. Which indicates there is not enough current to drive your LEDs.

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #48 – March 15, 2014, 12:55:16 pm

Yep, that's the only thing that makes sense. What doesn't make sense is why it would be that way but I'll measure it later today..

Re: LED Florescent Light replacement

Reply #49 – March 16, 2014, 11:24:39 am

Quote from: twobus – March 15, 2014, 12:55:16 pm

Yep, that's the only thing that makes sense. What doesn't make sense is why it would be that way but I'll measure it later today..

Check to make sure you've got the polarity correct on the LEDs. Won't work if reversed.

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