Hey, I finally have something to post on this thread because I swapped out 4 of my light fixtures to LED bulbs. The reading light over passenger seat, the two puck style halogen reading lights centered one each over the read windows, and one my 3 florescent fixtures. (that each contain two tubes.)
Replacing the reading lamp over passenger seat was a cynch since it was just unscrew the old, screw in the new. The halogen puck lights were very easy too, pull the two pronged halogen bulbs out, slide the LED circular panel bulbs in. The trickier one was the florescent. But, it was actually pretty easy too. The new LED strip for lights 12 inches and longer just double sided tape glues into the fixture where the old bulb was. I cut one in coming power lead from the van, that lead to the on/off switch to splice to one wire. I cut the lead coming out of the light switch and towards the ballast to splice into the second wire from panel of LEDs. They provide 'in line' splicing clamps that make it very easy.
I tested the lights that night. The one over passenger seat isn't a panel LED, it is a grouping of bulbs and it is okay but kind of dim. The two halogen replacing pucks are just about equal with what left. The florescent LED panel is GREAT. So this morning finished the florescent off by putting a second 12 inch LED strip where the second tube had been. It was even easier to splice cause I did not have to cut any wires, I just used their clamp to do an inline slice to the leads I had set up yesterday. (Luckily someone else's post here mentioned not wiring in series but giving each it's own lead to 12 volt so I avoided the series wiring which I would have tried.) I now feel like that light is brighter than it was as florescent. Eventually, I will probably do my other 2 florescent fixtures and, if i can figure out how to get the bulb out of my porch light, I will do that.
One kind of unusual thing. I ordered the LEDs from a site I read listed among a few others in either Trailer Life or Highways. It listed the url as
http://www.jirahled.com They are in Ontario, California. I noted when you get to the site it flips sometimes to
http://www.jclampstand.com. I read that in my head as J CLAMPSTAND. Well, when the package of LEDs arrived, each was packaged as XTREME LED in orange and yellow and black packaging. and, each light bulb package had a Psalm quoted. a little blurb was included that said The Lampstand Ministry is dedicated to sharing the light of Jesus Christ with those who don't know Him as the true light of the world. It goes on for another paragraph and then immediately begins installation instructions.
Didnt see that coming. Guess it was JC Lampstand. Not J Clampstand. Oh well, the lights work well and they shipped fast. I got a little univited preaching but, having been raised in the bible belt I am used to that!
finding the right bulbs was pretty easy, read the old number off the outgoing bulb and the site tells you what new bulb wlll replace it. (except the halogens, I think I kind of eyeballed those to pick the right kind.)
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