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Old 09-12-2011, 01:18 PM   #1
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lighting?

Can someone give me some ideas for interior lighting. I should add that mine is a passenger van with rear air and the stock double square reading lights in the ceiling, so i have a stock headliner which i plan to keep. In other words, i don't really think i could add can lights or anything, but wondering about some led strips or something i could mount or hide above or along corners or windows?

Also, anyone know of a salvage yard that has a lot of Ford vans. I'm looking for a new rear dome light, i have tested mine and the problem seems to be in the light housing itself. I have tried to rig it several ways and just can't get it working. May just replace it with something better like an led fixture if i could find one.

thx

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Old 09-12-2011, 02:12 PM   #2
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Re: lighting?

Many of the Ford work trucks have the same lightd as the vans. The newer style rear dome light was also used in the Taurus.

My van has a separate reading light above each of the 12 rear seats. So yes, it's possible to add more.

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Old 09-12-2011, 10:06 PM   #3
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Re: lighting?

Thx, i'm gonna research this one awhile. It seems like wiring under (or above rather) the headliner would be pretty easy, but i'm kind of hoping i can find a salvage yard to find a few used lights (MUCH cheaper) or maybe some LED strips here and there if i could hide them where it didn't look like some sort of homemade custom conversion disco party. I HATE those gaudy custom van interiors.
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Old 09-12-2011, 10:10 PM   #4
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Re: lighting?

Just found these on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/LED-Bar-Light-res ... pd_cp_hi_1

http://www.amazon.com/LED-Bar-Light-res ... 30&sr=1-14
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Old 09-12-2011, 11:41 PM   #5
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Re: lighting?

Scotty,

I'm putting these small domes in my Sprinter: http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... sNum=10576

I use a headlamp mainly at night(red) so I'm only putting three of the above in my Sprinter build. I'll put a forth over the galley with the red light option.
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Old 09-13-2011, 05:08 PM   #6
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Re: lighting?

I think you can buy LED bulbs that will plug into the factory fixtures. At least I hope so because that's our plan for some of our lights...
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Old 09-13-2011, 11:37 PM   #7
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Re: lighting?

Yes there are many plug in types, some have wires to the socket adapter, some are solid with the socket adapter. I prefer boards with the circuitry in the board and wires so that I can cut the plugs off and just do +/- ... I have 3 boards crammed in my outdoor porch light like this.

On superbrightleds.com you can look up by automotive bulb type, e.g. your dome takes a 183, you can look by what fits a 183 then go by photos. The only issue I ever had was buying a short tube style that didn't fit in my fridge clip, because I didn't look at the size.
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Old 09-14-2011, 06:05 AM   #8
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Re: lighting?

Very cool Jage, that's the direction i'd like to go in. I have heard there are lots of short-lived chinese junk leds out there. Have yours from SuperbrightLEDs lasted pretty well?
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Old 09-14-2011, 09:25 AM   #9
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Re: lighting?

I'm running bulbs from SuperBrightLEDs in my existing fixtures for the past year and so far I've been pleased. I bought the "warmest" color they had and the light is still a little blue compared to the incandescent originals. One issue I did have is that the replacement "festoon" bulbs that are supposedly a direct replacement for the rectangular dome lights (that come on when the door opens) don't fit perfectly. I wedged them in and they aren't going anywhere but I would have expected them to fit a bit better.

My van was pseudo-customized before I bought it and had adjustable spot lights in the ceiling on the passenger side. I have LEDs in those too. You can see the 2 adjustable and rear dome in this pic.

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Old 09-14-2011, 02:38 PM   #10
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Re: lighting?

Only one of my "fluorescent" conversion strips have gone out and I haven't looked at why. I'm 100% LED in the van, and both my other vehicles have them in the dome lights. The outside light has boards that are subject to everything, heat, cold, sun and rain (thanks to a melted housing) and have to my astonishment been fine.
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