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Old 01-15-2007, 09:08 AM   #41
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Good news and bad news -

I ordered some lights and the good news is that they were shipped quickly and arrived Sat am. I wanted to try the square array (similar shape to what Klattu used for tail lights) over the front gaucho, as that is where we spend a lot of our evenings - reading. Bad news is that the light output is not nearly sufficient for any indoor use aside from a nightlight for a bathroom.

Oh, well. I'll find some use for them I guess.

Pat
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Old 01-15-2007, 05:54 PM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pmclemore
Good news and bad news -

Bad news is that the light output is not nearly sufficient for any indoor use aside from a nightlight for a bathroom.

Oh, well. I'll find some use for them I guess.

Pat
Your situation is very common...although LED lamps can replace conventional lighting, many manufacturers of lower cost LED lamps do a poor job of producing a lamp with useable light. Quality LED lamps that DO put out enough light to do the job are available, but at a premium price that many are unwilling to spend. The Department of Energy (DOE) is currently working with state agancies to accelerate commercially viable, energy efficient, cost competitive LED lamps for the consumer market. Keep your eyes open and keep searching the NET and soon you will have more options. Don't let a few poor performing LED lamps turn you off.

John
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Old 11-01-2007, 05:44 PM   #43
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LEDs go mainstream

Just back from Wally World...
Scooping up as much discounted Halloween stuff we could...
Went thru the just set-up Christmas items,
Wow...LED Christmas lights at Wal-Mart?!
I know were available at special places last year, but now everywhere.
Bulbs have to be on the way out.
Package clames 90% reduction in power consumption!
Price was in line too...large size 40+/- bulbs were $6
They had agreat display, but not all of them were available yet.

I'll be there the day after for clearance prices!
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Old 11-10-2007, 06:15 PM   #44
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All He Could See Were My Six Tail Lights

Did away with the center back-up...
Converted it to a tail/brake light.
The markers are LED too.
The large round back-ups have halogen bulbs and are more than enough.

Now need to find a sequencher for that Thunderbird blinkblinkblink

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Old 11-10-2007, 06:36 PM   #45
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Kewl!!! I am wanting to go with the LED's myself!!!
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Old 01-16-2008, 06:45 PM   #46
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Liberator as-built

Going to use this thread as a story board on the progress of building the 'Liberator' ...and the reason behind its name.
Many have asked, and info is spread out thru too many threads.
Such a good start with LEDs, will continue from here.
Mostly photos with a few words...will take more than one try,
So hold on, your answers are on the way.
----------------------------------------------------------
During WWII, Dad was a tail gunner in "Worfless" a B-24.
(B-24s are called 'Liberators')
He flew out of Norwich England.
Stationed at Horsham St.Faith AFB
He survived the war, and D-day too.
Knocked out many fuel tanks across the Rhein.
Did not talk about it until right before the end.
Physicaly lost him just a few years ago.

We were tring to think of a name, going thru many names for our 'new to us' 345, like Liberty, Independance, Freedom, anything that explaned our feeling while out on the road or camping.
Did not even think of Liberator till the next day.
It was perfect and things took off after that.
We are going all out with the 'Liberator' WWII bomber, nose art theme.

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Old 01-16-2008, 07:02 PM   #47
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Speed Stripe

This was close to the first change made.
Replacing the wood grain stripe with red/white/blue reflective tape.
(Police Equipment - Public Safety Equipment - Police Uniforms : Galls)
Got this idea from our friends at NASA.
Peeled of any that was loose and lightly scrubed the rest.
Cleaned with Windex...then applied tape.






Very bright in your headlights


To do the tire cover I sketched out a pattern by the grid method to scale needed.
That whole section in gold is made up from 2" strips of tape.


I just thought this looked fantastic.
Notice the feathers are not outlined yet.


To compare now and then is night and day.
Red circle in center of star is 3rd brake light too.



And at dusk with lights reflecting
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Old 01-16-2008, 07:19 PM   #48
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Zip-Dee Do-Da

Always admired the units with awnings all the way around.
Worked a few extra weekends...and ordered a full set with replacement main. (boss thinks I always want to work weekends now...NOT)
Get the aluminum strip already attached if you ever replace your main awning.
Made it so easy to swap out.
Amazing at all the options available in Sunbrella.
I went with red/white knowing would have to add blue and stars myself.
This is T-shirt ink, I rolled it on for blue.
Stars are stamped on with some foam cut to shape and dip/stamp/dip/stamp.



(Hold on...I'll get to Wonder Woman in a little while)





Above is our 1st trip.
"TopSail Can Opener 2007"
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Old 01-16-2008, 07:38 PM   #49
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Fastest Flag

This was done using 'One Shot' paint for signs.
Very thick and high pigmentation.
Low fading in Sun light...even reds.
What I imagined was a "Miss Uncle Sam"
Something patrioctic and nose arty at same time.
Did not go for WW at all, just turned out as best example.
Is cartoon based instead of 3-D, may change down the road to something more '40s looking (more curves)
Changed her up to be carring a flag, then it hit me to make flag real, instead of painted on.
Tried different sizes...bigger is always better it seems.





Made the flags easy to replace if lost or faded.
I don't go out in public with faded flags.
And now with lettering...


She gets much more attention than I expected...
Many photos taken while driving beside us.
Popular at gas stops with both young and old.
Truckers scare me good when they toot their horns as I go by.
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Old 01-19-2008, 03:30 PM   #50
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Sorties

Camping missions completed





Took the wheels down to local truck stop to get polished...
$20 a wheel...I was very pleased with results, and price.




A comparison of before and after...
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Old 03-13-2008, 01:32 PM   #51
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Hey Ted...GREAT POSTING!!!
We have started the conversion to LED, at Quartzsite, of all places...?
We bought some samples of different LEDs to try them out...there is a company that makes trade out/screw-in floods(bayonet bulbs) for the swivel lamps that are great for reading. They also make a square panel(2-2 1/2 inch-36 bulb)with a 2-3 inch wire strip that is soldered into a conventional screw-in base...'floods' were $15, I believe the square was mid-$20...the square has peel-n-stick backing, and so far I have just let it hang-it's hidden by the wood valance, and provides plenty of light for night light... the company website is at, and I'm sorry you will have to cut-n-paste, is <<www.jclampstand.com>>==PH# 909 986 1193==
The company with the bright sticks(these puppies have 3 LEDs per pod) sells them at $3 per inch(1 pod/per inch), and we bought one stick to try in the bedroom(back), since both our fluorescents went out...the one 12 inch stick is enought to see most stuff, but we put another one on the other side , and it's enough light to do most anything...right now, they're basically on top of the existing, not-working Fluor bulbs(gravity and a small strip of tape) The company that makes these is webbed at <<rvLEDbulb.com>>==PH# 480 898 0081==
We tried putting in strips inside the Thin-lite covers, but LEDs don't do well within a translucent cover(directional light vs diffusion= lost efficiency...I have heard that the Thin-lite covers with the clear matrix do very well, but we're not in a place where these are available, so will have to wait...it makes sense, tho'...
THANKS for the extra time and effort to put out the dialogue and pics of a work in progress...I'll be following this one, probably because we also have the '89 345...see you, next time...
mike
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Old 03-13-2008, 02:04 PM   #52
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And There Was Light

LEDs have come a long way for the better just is the short time I made this thread.
The ones that have yellow squares are so much better.
And if the have a heat sink even brighter.
Superbrites keep updating, but there are many great places to get from now.
Tried some off Ebay that came direct from China...thet are even better.
(I know they probably all come from there)

I'm even converting my boats to LEDs.
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Old 02-13-2010, 03:14 PM   #53
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LED's

Just ordered some puck chip replacements, bulbs (over dinette, bathroom, etc.) and reading spot lights. This source seemed the most reasonable, and ships free for orders over $30.

LEDs 4, Recreational Vehicles

Will post results when the replacements are received!

-Jerry
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Old 02-15-2010, 10:34 AM   #54
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awesome thread
i searched and searched for the cheapest and found by ordering directly from china i replaced all my lights inside and out for under 200$
just search "1156 led" on ebay
here's an example 2 x 1156 for 7$ and free shipping....
2x White 1156 24-LED Bulb Light Bright DC 12V 1141 1459 : eBay Motors (item 130359980219 end time Feb-16-10 18:08:04 PST)

sometimes you can really find a deal like 2 x 1156 for 1$...i would buy up all 10 available
2 X 36 LED 1156 Park Rear Stop Turn bulb light Bright : eBay Motors (item 180458034529 end time Feb-16-10 18:17:35 PST)

hope my long links work...
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Old 02-20-2010, 10:35 AM   #55
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LED's in place!

Quote:
Originally Posted by ESCAPE POD View Post
Just ordered some puck chip replacements, bulbs (over dinette, bathroom, etc.) and reading spot lights. This source seemed the most reasonable, and ships free for orders over $30.

LEDs 4, Recreational Vehicles

Will post results when the replacements are received!
I just posted my results, w/photos, on this thread. Hope the link works!

-Jerry

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f447...-17392-19.html
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Old 03-15-2010, 07:31 PM   #56
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LED impact on battery

Wow, what a difference in battery drainage! With the factory halogen bulbs, we would typically use the genset every other day to top off the battery after it reached well into the "yellow" zone on our status panel. Now, with LED's installed, we never had to break out the generator even once on a four-night dry-camp in Anza-Borrego State Park (CA). When we left for home, the battery gauge/readout was still well into the green zone. LED's were a great investment, in case you were considering making the change!
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Old 03-15-2010, 09:00 PM   #57
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Jerry, looks like you have sold me on the LED replacements. I want more light without more battery draw, and yours really looks great. Another project for the Silver Hornet.
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Old 03-15-2010, 09:28 PM   #58
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I just ordered two "Warm White LED Upgrade for Bayonet Style Interior Lights " from

LED Lights of all types manufactured by Command Electronics

model 170-112; .47 amps & 510 lumens, warm white light.

I'll report in when they arrive.

-= Bart
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Old 03-22-2010, 11:02 PM   #59
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barts View Post
I just ordered two "Warm White LED Upgrade for Bayonet Style Interior Lights " from

LED Lights of all types manufactured by Command Electronics

model 170-112; .47 amps & 510 lumens, warm white light.

I'll report in when they arrive.

-= Bart
These arrived today; I immediately walked out to the Tin Pickle (which handily lives in our driveway during its refurbishement) and tried out the replacement light in one of the sockets.

These pictures were taken by Barbie using a D70 Nikon on manual exposure to try and get the best comparison possible. The color match between the incandescent bulbs and the LEDs is quite remarkable. I'd guess the LEDs are pretty close to matching three bulbs in light output, of course w/ much less heat and power.

First, a picture of the stock (three bulbs working out of four)
fixture while running w/ charged batteries powered by the Univolt:


Next, a picture of one of these LED units:


Lastly, a single LED unit in action:


Clearly, if we use more than one unit per fixture we're going to be really bright... for now, a single LED per light fixture seems ok; I'd rather add more fixtures along the perimeter of the trailer if we need more light. I'll post more pictures when these get installed.

Looks like we'll be converting the rest of the lights to LED over time as well.

- Bart
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Old 05-17-2010, 12:17 PM   #60
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuck View Post
how 'bout this one:

and with the cover on:

Did you end up doing this conversion? I have similar light fixture. My light switch needs to be replaced and I may start my LED light conversion.
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