Keeping your running lights on?

[Fenghuang]

We are quite conservative with lighting when dry-camping rarely draining the battery lower than 75%. For example, we never use our halogen ceiling lights or reading lights. The plan is to eventually replace these with LEDs.

I tried the fuse and the flasher with the running lights only once and briefly while dry-camping to check it out since I wanted this for emergency road-side situations. We have 2 solar panels which charge up the batteries 100% by 9 AM during sunny days. We prefer to use candles or LED headlamps inside. LED Christmas lights draped around the trailer are quite impressive when hooked up to shore power.

Larry

Originally Posted by crazylev

Oh man.

Fenghuang, thanks so much for the photos!!! That without doubt will be initiated on the "Lev Zeppelin".

I can't wait to try this.

One question for you all, and I think I know the answer to this, should you be hook up to shore power when you do this? I'm assuming you'd go through the batterys pretty quick if boondocking.

Thanks again.

Jonathan

[Minnie's Mate]

I was just thinking about this the other day and couldn't remember the fuse size I had purchased or the slots to stick it into. Glad this thread popped up again...now I just need to go by the auto supply and get one of those flashers...uh...I mean alternating fuses.

[AirConditioner]

If you're really into an audio/light show it's possible to size an audio amplifier to drive the lamps. Feeding about 10-15 watts of audio output into the light circuit with the other side of the audio amp grounded to the frame should provide adequate results. Just feed your favorite audio into the power amp. I'd have to calculate the wattage necessary - depending on the lamp wattage requirements @ 12vdc. When I get back in to Baltimore I'll run a few tests with an old tube amp for a baseline.

[grantb4]

Do a Google search for Light Organ or Color Organ for more ideas.

[lewster]

Originally Posted by grantb4

Do a Google search for Light Organ or Color Organ for more ideas.

I thought that that late 60's and early 70's were long gone

Light shows and color organs????????? The Doors Philmore East anyone?????

[clancy_boy]

Here is my go at it - I used 4" sch40 PVC pipe and flat end caps for the case - cost was the main factor. The two caps and 12 inches of pipe was under $4 at HD. Wire I had, switch is also from HD and is a 3 way (center is off, up is on constant, down is flash), power availlable light is from Radio Shack and was .89 cents. The 7-plug was the most expensive and from WalMart - around $8. All total I figure I have under $20 in the thing and it works great - I wired all the other circuits to the terminal strip for use later when I want to hook up more switches for testing. For now just the running lights. Oh yes, I put an inline fuse from the power lead and the flasher unit was on sale at WalMart for .49 cents in the red tag items.