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Topic Closedled lights to replace tubes

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doggyc View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: led lights to replace tubes
    Posted: 02 May 09 at 11:33

Has anyone changed over their 12 volt strip lights for led’s if so are they any good for lighting the van and are they costly, any info would be appreciated

1987 LT 31 LWB HIGH TOP 2LT PETROL
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 09 at 12:02
we used them in the yacht that we built and they are really quite good and obv. a hell of a lot better on the electrickery consumption, not sure about cost,

 but http://lmgtfy.com/?q=led+strip+lights


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Edited by Crew Cab Sam - 02 May 09 at 12:03

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 09 at 14:19
love it! - i've never seen that site before.  added to my novelty bookmarks collection.   
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 09 at 15:42
Besides fixed "two floor" bed (from left to right) in our "New LT Camper", LED lights, was one of the most important wishes for the conwersion. While camping in the middle of nowhere, there is no more "Turn the lights OFF"....
 
Even outdoor light - under the awning is in LED technology. It is in the lenght of 2,5 metre, consumption: 0,35A.
 
But you must be wery careful, because 12V LED lights (3 led in serial connection, with integrated resistor) need realy 12V - no more. Use of a Low drop voltage stabilizator (12V) is recomended.
 
 
 


Edited by John - 02 May 09 at 17:14
"92 LT28 2,4eTD Hi Top Self made camper, VW T4 ServiceVan
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 09 at 18:20

Cheers for that but I’ve already done the Google thing I wanted to get peoples firsthand experience

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 09 at 18:21
cheers john that looks good
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 09 at 22:31
Hi, I have a VW LT40 with a yank body fitted to it and have changed all my lighting to LED and now can have more lights on for longer. Go for it it will be the best thing you could do........Cheers  John
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 09 at 07:38
Where are folk getting them from ?
LT28 Westfalia FloRida, 2.4 diesel

miserable fooker



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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 09 at 09:20
Another LED in a fridge: Four LED-s from a cheap "chineese" led-head-lamp, build in a magnetic sensor (reed) for window alarms (double connection of two serial led-s, with a resistor). A magnetic half is on a door.... and I made a small hole to the upper part of a fridge - for cables (1,5mm).
 
 
But now my wife wants to upgrade this system with a fridge alarm - to sound whenewer I open a fridge for a cold beer.... Lucky me!


Edited by John - 05 May 09 at 09:33
"92 LT28 2,4eTD Hi Top Self made camper, VW T4 ServiceVan
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 09 at 18:30
I bought some small "closet" lights from the £1 shop, they are circular with 3 LEDs, approx 2" (5cm) diameter, work of 3 AAA batteries so 4.5volt  - really quite bright for lighting an under-stairs cupboard, but I'm sure if you're technically minded you could pull them apart and adapt to run on the van battery - does anyone know if LEDs have a specific voltage like a light bulb? If you ran 12 volts through mine, do you think they would blow? Alternatively could you wire three 4.5v units in series? - 13.5v total so close enough to a 12v car battery I would guess.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 09 at 19:55

LED-s has different voltages (from 1,3 - 3V), depending of colour, power, type.... But the voltage is not important, because LED-s are driwen by current - with an serial resistor. You must first determine, at wich current brightnes do not rise any more. At that current, find out the voltage at the led. Now you can calculate, how many LED-s can be wired serialy (usualy 3). The rest of the voltage must be dropped on a serial resistor.

Formula for 12V:

Resistor = (12 - (suma of all serial LED-s)) / current

Power disipation at the resistor = current x current x Resistance

Example:

12V supply

3 white bright LED-s (3 x 3V) = 9V

average current cca. 30mA

Voltage drop at the Resistor = 12V - 9V = 3V

Resistance = 3V / 30mA = 100 Ohm

Power dissipation at the resistor = 3V x 30mA = 90mW

Complete power dissipation (Res + 3 x LED) = 12V x 30mA = 360mW = 0,36W
 
In your case Petergeeky, three LED-s are wired paralell and with a small resistor o 4,5V. Of course, you can wire 3 lamps together (serial - positive to the neg. of next...), but they must be all in ON position. Turning OFF one lamp, all three will be OFF. You can connect one lamp (3 LED-s to AAAx3 batt), with use of resistor of about 330 Ohm. But in this case, most of the power will be lost at the resistor ( still under 0,5W).


Edited by John - 05 May 09 at 20:13
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 09 at 21:12
Originally posted by petergeeky petergeeky wrote:

I bought some small "closet" lights from the £1 shop
Peter.
got some of these last year sticky pads kept coming away from the carpet seems like a good idea though , but i think i'll go for something brighter i was even thinking of a disco rope light that runs on 12volt and run a loop of it around the roof
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 May 09 at 12:07
I've got LED lighting in my van.


I've two Labcraft orion strip lights and 4 LED round push lights.

It's enough to light the van up so you can comfortably cook, read and generally see what you're doing without being too intense. 

I got them, and lots of other stuff too, from http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Campers-and-Caravans-Parts-online

The fittings are cool in various ways....

they don't get hot. 

they use hardly any power

they look great.

they emit cool light....  by this I mean that the colour of the light is quite blue rather than the warmer coloured light you get from tubes or filament lamps.    When I fitted them I thought this might bother me from a lack-of-cozyness-type-way but actually they're fine now I'm used to them.  

I think LEDs last a very long time too so.....  highly recommended.






LT35 2.4 diesel (not turbo) hybrid van/camper type thing...
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