Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

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Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

February 04, 2020, 09:42:27 pm

I pulled out the old ballast and fluorescent bulbs and installed new LED strips. The whole project was really easy and took about 30 minutes. Like all wiring jobs I soldered and heat shrunk the connections.

The new lights are very bright. In fact I am contemplating changing out the strips to a 4000K or 5000K color. I only wired the front most fixture as I wanted the weekend to think it over at the campsite.

If I don't use these in the main light fixtures I will use them in the storage bays so nothing really gets wasted. There are so many LED fixtures to choose from. These come with an aluminum backer and double sided tape already installed. You simply cut them to length, press, and plug in. One unexpected bonus is that the strips are wired at both ends for series connecting so when you cut one shorter you actually still have a whole other light you can wire somewhere else!

Can't beat $24 for 5 fixtures plus another 10 accent or small area light strips!
ICIH (Pack-10) Aluminum DC12V 9W... ICIH (Pack-10) Aluminum DC12V 9W SMD5630 Double Row 84LED 0.5M/20" Rigid...

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #1 – February 04, 2020, 10:45:18 pm

And if the strips come loose in the southern heat, put a dob of "Shoe Goo" on the backs.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #2 – February 05, 2020, 12:10:14 am

Nice clean looking job. Curious to hear if you decide these are too bright.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #3 – February 05, 2020, 12:37:57 am

I want to install them in my existing porch light. Do you think they will work there.?

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #4 – February 05, 2020, 01:08:24 am

Did that and it works fine.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #5 – February 05, 2020, 01:41:23 am

Think I will give those a try. Thanks for the link.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #6 – February 05, 2020, 07:10:18 am

Eric, Looks really nice and clean. I made new LED lights for mine last year. Really brightened up the coach, but maybe too much for the DW. I used 5 strips per fixture, I'm thinking of going back to redo with only 3 strips per fixture.

Larry

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #7 – February 05, 2020, 07:53:21 am

Quote from: ohsonew – February 05, 2020, 07:10:18 am

I made new LED lights for mine last year. Really brightened up the coach, but maybe too much for the DW. I used 5 strips per fixture, I'm thinking of going back to redo with only 3 strips per fixture.
Larry

I also did two strips per fixture, brighter than original, seems just right. Both wife and I happy with increased light.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #8 – February 05, 2020, 08:47:04 am

Good Job! They keep coming out with interesting lighting products incorporating LEDs. Fun to wonder what will pop up next.

We rebuilt all the lights on our coach (interior and exterior) with LEDs. I used long rolls of LED strips and cut them to fit. I tried 6000K (daylight) and 3000K (warm white) strips. We preferred the warm white inside the coach, and I used the daylight strips in the storage bays.

You can get dimmers for LED light fixtures, in case they turn out too bright. I bought one but ended up never using it. Turned out our lights were "just right" for us. The older you get, the more you appreciate "adequate" levels of illumination. Of, course, everbody is different.

Another (Interior) LED Project

Bay lights

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #9 – February 05, 2020, 09:33:05 am

I tried both warm white (lower Kelvin temps) and daylight white (higher Kelvin temps). Like Chuck and many we prefer the watm whit inside. All daylight strips are in the bays. And dimmers on most inside. I used several strips in the fluorescent rebuilds and added a switch to have only one strip or all on. Keep experimenting.

If you are running multiple strips in one fixture, wire them in parallel to reduce voltage loss.

In the long run soldered connections will be more durable and reliable. It is not hard to do but some practice helps. Soldering LED Light Strips

I have added lighting in almost every interior cabinet as well.proximity switches on the doors turn on the lights when you open them.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #10 – February 05, 2020, 09:50:48 am

Eric
I used about the same LED lights. I only used one row in the smaller fixtures (front, bath, bedroom) in my coach and two strips in the larger fixtures. Yes it is bright but the older I get the worse my eyesight, so I like the bright lights, but only use them when I have projects or cooking. I use the under cabinet puck lights most of the time.
Just my two cents

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #11 – February 05, 2020, 10:04:16 am

I done all mine in 5000 except the front one which was done before I bought the coach and some time I will redo that one. I have
put led throughout the coach and except the porch light which I just need to buy a bulb, the passenger map light and the door
handle.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #12 – February 05, 2020, 10:11:06 am

These particular lights I bought are not waterproof and I would be leery using them on any of my external fixtures. It would probably be okay since most of those fixtures are sealed but they are also old and prone to leaks.

Great clean install Roger. That panel looks like it will put out a lot of might. The density of LEDs on the strips also has a big play on brightness.

I was also considering using the under cabinet lighting in a warm white as accent lighting and ambience and use the main "bright lighting" for tasking. Since the LEDs are so cheap these days there really isn't much risk in trying multiple setups.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #13 – February 05, 2020, 10:39:24 pm

Eric,

When I changed over to LEDs, I tried warm white and cool white. The cool white were just too bright, and changed all the fixtures to warm white. I used the remaining roll of cool white in the basement lighting. I also used the 3m double-sided tape because I found the tape on the LED rolls was just not effective, and started coming down on it's own.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #14 – February 15, 2020, 09:44:53 pm

Eric, thanks for the tip. Replaced every fluorescent light in the coach with the same strips you used (all Warm White), and we love them. The only difference is I actually gutted the entire inside of the fixtures. Removed tubes, sockets, and ballasts, and direct wired the strips parallel as Roger suggested. Next, all the storage bays in Day Light White.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #15 – February 16, 2020, 05:23:22 am

I finally received them. I went with the daylight rather than the warm white. I removed the existing fixtures, covered the space with aluminum foil tape. I am using 2 per fixture now but might add a third. I want bright task lighting. When not needing that amount of light will just use the warm white pucks. The tape is not 3m and I am not sure if it will hold well over time. Easy to cut and solder the wires back on. Price is good. First order got lost. I reordered and both showed up.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #16 – February 16, 2020, 08:47:07 am

Most LED strip lighting come with a double stick tape on the back and most of it is labeled 3M. Most of it is not actually a 3M product but a fake knock off and in my experience most of it will not last long.

Get a roll of 3/8" glazier's tape. Amazon.com: JVCC DC-WGT-01 Double Coated Window Glazing Tape: 1/16 in. thick...

It works very well. One roll is 50 ft.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #17 – February 16, 2020, 11:32:25 am

You people are a bad influence on me. I ordered one set of ten in 6000K. I've replaced 3 ballasts so far and the bulbs don't seem to last the way they should, maybe because of the lower mercury level. I give up. I throw in the towel. I surrender. Maybe the LEDs will last.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #18 – February 16, 2020, 12:07:51 pm

Dimmer and 3500k
Scott

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #19 – February 16, 2020, 01:07:09 pm

Question, if you order the 20" long ones can you snip off 2" if you only need 18"?

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #20 – February 16, 2020, 05:50:05 pm

Yes. There are clearly identified lines where you are supposed to make the cut. I used metal shears since it is printed on an aluminum board. It cut right through no problem. You can save the pierce you cut off and wore up another spot with it.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #21 – February 16, 2020, 07:39:15 pm

One is LED and the other is original florescent bulbs. I can't remember which. I did these a year and a half ago. 2 rows of single natural white LED self stick strips...el cheepos off Amazon. Gutted the Thin Lite ballasts, etc. So far the chinee self stick fake 3M adhesive has worked okay. I did every florescent fixture in the coach with the same natural whites and all the halogens with warm white. JWID. Woody.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #22 – February 16, 2020, 09:58:31 pm

We installed the warm white in the bedroom and put 3 strips in each fixture. The brightness is not overwhelming. If we need more light we can turn on the side puck lights. We used the same warm white behind all of the valances on all of the windows. We will install the daylight strips everywhere else.
John M.

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #23 – February 17, 2020, 05:36:37 pm

We installed the LED light strips inside the cabinets and I love them. Stuck the LED light strip to the cleat above the cabinet doors and tied into the 12 volt light switch for the lighting under the cabinets. They look great and I can find my stuff!

Re: Fluorescent light fixture upgrade to LED

Reply #24 – February 17, 2020, 06:23:18 pm

Received our order of:

ICIH (Pack-10) Aluminum DC12V 9W SMD5630 Double Row 84LED 0.5M/20" Rigid...

this afternoon after placing the order on Sunday. I didn't feel like jousting with the DMV late in the afternoon on a Monday so I gutted the ThinLite over the dinette and installed the 6,000K LEDs. I like the color.

Tomorrow may turn into a rain day, so I'll do the same thing with the two 20" bulbs in the bedroom Thinlite.

The fluorescent tubes just don't last as long as the old ones.

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