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Old 05-31-2008, 11:47 PM   #1
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12 volt system reading light choices?

Greetings,

I am seeking advice on reading lights that I will install in my van.
One mounted by the passenger seat and two towards the rear, above the bed.
I will have two lights attached to a shelf above the galley.
The layout will be like the SMB 51.
What lights provide the best brightness, but do not drain the battery?
I may look into some boat lamp applications.
Any suggestions on what works and what to avoid?

Thanks,

Zugg


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Old 06-19-2008, 05:53 PM   #2
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LED lights give good light and use very little power. You can buy LED bulbs for most conventional auto bulbs.

I just did an Google search for LED lights and bought some for my SMB.

Mike
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Old 06-21-2008, 10:48 AM   #3
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Hi Mike,

Thanks for reply.
LED lights use very litle energy and that is good for a RV.
I do not like the brightness though. Way too bright!
Just like cars that have LED headlamps, way too bright when they are shining in your eyes!
I hope to find LED bulbs with a yellow or softer filter.

Thanks,

Zugg



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Old 06-21-2008, 02:49 PM   #4
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SuperBright LEDs

Zugg,
I've installed LED lights in my van and love them. SuperBright LEDs make an assortment of LED systems and the light comes in different colours. I got the bright option in the galley and the softer light option in the rear bed. You can also get narrower beams or wider beams. The panels come in those that need to be wired in or panels that simply plug into the existing 12V bulb sockets. There seems to be a huge variety. One of my panels even ended up under water after a lengthy drive in the rain after SMB installed the roof but forgot to place the seal in the runnels in the roof in the front of the van. (They said they leak tested it but it must have been a very cursory inspection.) After a quick drying the panel still functions perfectly. Electrical draw is almost zero and they produce very little heat which is a nice feature in southern Mexico. Their website is great and delivery was fast. Here's their link: http://superbrightleds.com/other_bulbs.htm

Safe travels,
j
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Old 06-21-2008, 06:31 PM   #5
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Hi j,

Thank you for your insights and the link.
I also want to avoid excessive heat, so these bulbs are great.
I will be getting some "soft filter" bulbs from them.
Sorry to hear about the pop-top leak.
Youu might consider this style of pop-top:



Thanks again,

Zugg

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Old 06-21-2008, 06:32 PM   #6
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I'm happy with the ones SMB provided in my '07.
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Old 06-21-2008, 10:44 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zugg
....I will be getting some "soft filter" bulbs from them....

Zugg

Zugg,

Can you give some more info on the "soft filter" bulbs? I can't find anything about that on the SuperBrightLED website.


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Old 06-22-2008, 02:39 PM   #8
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West Marine has a good selection.
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Old 06-22-2008, 07:46 PM   #9
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I also tried replacing my two incandescent reading lights with LEDs from www.superbrightleds.com:



1156-W30 White LED bulb
Super White 30-LED 12VDC replacement bulb
15mm Single Contact Bayonet Base
With 30 Narrow Viewing Angle LEDs
$14.99

I think I chose the biggest and brightest ones I could find on the site, but when they arrived, I found them all to be SIGNIFICANTLY dimmer than the incandescent light bulbs originally installed in my Sportsmobile, so I put old incandcescents back in.

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