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Old 05-17-2010, 12:19 PM   #61
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Quote:
Originally Posted by klattu View Post
Perfect photo...now I understand your problem.

I would gut it...loose the bulbs and sockets.

Replace them with the 6 LED strips down each side...
Maybe even a double row down each side.
Probably 3 to a row? for a total of 12 strips.

And if switch is hi and low, or has two 'ons' you could make a dim and bright setting.

That cover should defuse light very well.
It will look like flouresent tubes.

Save those sockets...good for some other project.

Think how low your battery power bill will be after going to LEDs too.
What Hi/Low switch would you recommend (URL links)? Are these specific 12v switches or will 120v switch work as well?
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Old 11-07-2010, 08:31 AM   #62
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LEDs on the move

LEDs available now make these I used almost retro...

Heres more LEDs on the wagon...installed a inverter, and left them on all night to see if drain was too much.
They flash in random order, and I took out all the blues.
Not stopped...yet.
It started right up without any fade after 8 hours on 3rd shift.
Now I gotta put them on the MH $$$

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Old 02-18-2011, 07:15 PM   #63
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Thumbs up Superbrite LEDs

They sell strips of lights that can be cut into threes with a resistor built in. Slick! Get your solder gun going and replace all the interior lights first to reduce your draw for dry camping.
Note that they sell different colors of white. The warm white is nice and more like a regular bulb. The super white is almost blue. I used those for the 'high' position on my 1979 and the warm for my low. Due to being a cheapskate, I replaced each bulb with one set of three leds. I think I will put in more to get better dispursion of light. I glued them right onto the lens with clear silicone and put on a quick disconnect at one end for ease of future servicing on each circuit.
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Old 02-18-2011, 09:11 PM   #64
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Splitting LED lights

GrandP

I am confused about what exactly you are doing. Could you please post some pictures? I would like to change out the bulbs in my TW, but each fixture has 4 bulbs, so it is rather expensive.

Thanks, Dan
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Old 05-07-2011, 12:51 PM   #65
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made the Change, all the way

Took some time, some $$$'s But over a 2 year time frame. got ER done
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Old 05-09-2011, 06:33 AM   #66
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Superbrite LED strips

I will take some photos for you.
Unlike the easy, but expensive bulb-end fitting that most of these pictures show, Superbrite also sells LEDs by the roll with a peel and stick backing that I did not use. It is a flexible tape with soldering buttons spaced out every 3 LEDs. I am not an electrical genius, so if I can do this, anyone with modest soldering skill can also do it. You can cut these things in multiples of three and get perfect 12 volt illumination. Using thin flexible wire makes it easier to solder. After a few lumpy efforts, I got pretty good. I cut the tape into multiple 3-LED sections and bridged the gaps with short lengths of wires. It would be easier to just lay in a full strip complete and only solder one set of wires to it, but I am a cheapskate, so I did more work and spent less money. I may have gone too far in spacing and now I might go back to add some more in.
Keep in mind the directional nature of LEDs. The light does not come out in all directions like a regular incandescent bulb. Each one is like a mini spot light, so you need to plan ahead. I may silicone some more into the fixture corners at an angle to spread the lighting out more.
Superbrite's online site and catalog is very informative. Take a look.
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Old 05-09-2011, 08:23 PM   #67
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Super Bright LEDs great!

I have to agree that SuperBrightLEDs.com is a great source for your LED needs. Fast shipping and fair prices and a great selection for your standard socket bulbs, strips and exterior lighting.

I used strips in my overhead lighting using 4 sections in 3 strips, center for low and all strips for high. Just over 1 amp for all three fixtures on low and about 3.5 amps for all three on high. Much better, light, no heat, and not a 26+ amp drain on the battery's.
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Old 05-10-2011, 08:40 AM   #68
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WOW...that is fantastic !
I don't have that type lighting on the sides.
You really loaded up on the LEDs

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Old 05-10-2011, 02:05 PM   #69
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photos of my semi-handiwork

These photos show my 1979 24 ft motor home lighting fixture over my sink in the kitchen. You can see the numerous bulb locations, some are for low lighting, others for task lighting. Since the switches were there anyway, I used the warm white LEDs in the low and the bright white in the task circuit. You can see the two separate red wires soldered into the existing two circuits and the common ground (black) wires. I still need to silicone them in instead of taping them. I also took photos of the rolls of LEDs and the cut up sections awaiting my next project. Cheap soldering iron is there too.
Hope this helps!
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Old 05-10-2011, 02:30 PM   #70
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Hello. I'm wondering hoe to take those plastic covers off the ceiling lights. I would like to clean the bugs out of mine but haven't tried to remove yet...I don't want to break them!
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Old 05-10-2011, 03:03 PM   #71
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Mine are the longer fluorescent type lights, just push in the sides and they snapp out.
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Old 05-11-2011, 12:09 AM   #72
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Originally Posted by dadstoy View Post
Hello. I'm wondering hoe to take those plastic covers off the ceiling lights. I would like to clean the bugs out of mine but haven't tried to remove yet...I don't want to break them!
As mentioned they do clip out, BUT .... Do warm up the panels first. If you attempt to snap out the covers cold they could chip.. Leave the lights on high for a few minutes first.
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Old 05-11-2011, 03:17 AM   #73
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switch 500063

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnoSheriff View Post
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.
When it comes to repairing this light and replacing the bulbs with LEDs a fellow Airforums member pointed out something in an earlier post. The power draw is so low when using LEDs that you can use the smaller of those 2 rotary switches when replacing that switch. Airstream stocks two of these rotary switches for older units. The larger one, 510195 for this large 18x18 light, which has 6 bulbs (pictured below), and the smaller one, 500063 which is for the bathrooms, kitchens etc which has 3 bulbs. The larger one needs a knob and if you don't have a knob they are hard to find. Hard to find and work well. The smaller switch will now work in the 18x18 inch light IF YOUR CONVERTING TO LEDS. The smaller switch has its own knob. Below is a picture of that light with-out the knob.


The smaller switch 500063 with it's own knob.


The six 1141 bulbs would even challenge the larger switch with the larger power draw.
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Old 05-11-2011, 10:52 AM   #74
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Removing the lenses

Be very careful! The shorter ones are harder to remove since they flex less. To take these pictures, I slightly damaged one corner. I am not sure if replacements are available.

I flexed them in the middle where it is easier to get a grip, then gradually eased the edges out. I took out the easiest most cooperative corner first, then after that end was free, a slight twist or angle change allowed the other end to release or pull out. They may be more brittle with age (Aren't we all?). If new ones are available, they may be easier to work with.

In the unlikely event that I will have to remove them in the future, I used spade connectors (disconnectors?) at the wire ends so I could do the work, glue, tape, and measure, in a comfortable area like my work bench or kitchen table without having to cut and resolder wires.

Best of luck! This will really extend your dry camping battery life!
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Old 05-28-2011, 11:10 PM   #75
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Lite eating

Added some LEDs today...not to save power, mostly to add light in a unique way.
These are tied into the light switch for the stove top area.
One row inside the storage cabinet above microwave...
and one strip just above oven to light up controls.
These are the stick on thype, with a pair of LEDs every 4"

For some reason both these areas are dark and without lighting available.



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Old 05-28-2011, 11:29 PM   #76
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LED conversion completed!

We just completed our conversion from halogen lights to LEDs today in our 27' FB Ocean Breeze (boy... there are a lot of lights in this thing ). We leave on our next trip on June 3rd for Deer Creek Campground at Huntington Lake in the High Sierras. There is no power at any of the sites, and while we have a Honda 3K generator, our goal is to see how long we can go before we need to fire up the noise maker. We will report back on how it goes when we return.
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Old 01-18-2013, 05:31 AM   #77
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Excellent 8th AF tire cover. I had some nose art decals created for my sovereign, just waiting for warm weather to apply them.
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