LED Lights
Submitted: Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 09:25
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pojo
Having just ordered a LOTUS extreme caravan ,I was quoted $75 per light extra to install LED lights is this expensive and what is the advantages of LED to normal lights . The whole system will be running on 12 volts.All input appreciated.
Reply By: Rangiephil - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 09:51
Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 09:51
The main advantages of LED lights is that they use a fraction of the power of a QH light and they theoretically last virtually forever. I am assuming MR16 downlights here.
One LED 3x3W =9W downlight is about equal to a 50W QH.
However be careful that the colour temperature is acceptable to you. I am currently having an ebay dispute where lights were advertised as "warm white" and they are "daylight" or even bluer. I am happy but SWMBO objects to them in the
kitchen.
$75 is also a lot of money . I just bought 4 9W for $75 from Ebay, and I doubt that the ones offered would be 9W.
The technology is changing rapidly and the main problem seems to be that retailers cannot keep up with the changes in cost vs performance. And a lot of LEDs in the market are 'toys" as far as output is concerned.
I just bought a strip of 72 flexible lights from hong Kong for AUD 2.54 plus postage. They are terrific.
So my recommendation is that they are the future , but you are being charged excessively.
Regard sPhilip A
AnswerID:
409325
Reply By: _gmd_pps - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 11:45
Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 11:45
there are bulb replacements on ebay for a few $ and they
fit every type light.
also you get dome lights in all shapes and forms for a few $
dome light.
get the minimum from the supplier and do the rest yourself.
Have not seen a single caravan equipped the way I would want it.
We have just aquired a 32 foot horse float with living quarters and the
finishing and equipment is shocking.. very low level Australian at inflated
prices, and it is called the top of the range "Grande" from a Vic manufacturer.
Rofl... what a drag... just fitting markerlights at the right height to make it even
street legal.
good luck
gmd
AnswerID:
409342
Follow Up By: Member - Allan B (QLD) - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 14:29
Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 14:29
When you see superlatives such as "Grande" you should automatically be on your defensive!
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Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 14:41
Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 14:41
True ..
but the Grande in that situation was meant for the length more than anything.
It was their longest they did, still you'd expect a bit more from the flagship ..
anyway we bought it second hand (year 2006) with a real decent discount
so one cannot complain too much and just do what we need.
But its really ludicrous when you see a water pipe going down the middle of a cupboard making it useless for storage where it was no problem to run it along the sidewall, what we are going to do... and many more things like that ...
have fun
gmd
FollowupID:
679303
Reply By: Brett and Judy - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 14:05
Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 14:05
Hi pojo, one question needs to asked, do you mean the vans tail lights or interior lights. $75 is about right for tail lights, interiors should be cheaper than that.
One thing, led's are good for reading lights but not for overheads, they do not have much spread and are very
bright to look at.
Brett
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: TerraFirma - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 17:36
Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 17:36
You can buy LED Flood lights, don't believe that LED's don't have spread, it's because it isn't a FLOOD version of the said light. The best little light I have ever seen is the Zebra "FLOOD" headlamp , the flood is amazing and all from one 1 x LED. A standard LED dosn't have much spread.
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679319
Reply By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 17:52
Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 17:52
The latest and obviously from what I am reading in the SEPT 2009 Handyman mag are CFL lights or
Compact fluorescent lights.
According to the article and what I have read on the web they are the most efficient of all types of lights
Eg running cost over 10,000 hours is $27 for a 18wcfl batten $7ea
for 100w incandescent bulb $150 50c ea $5 over10,000h
4 x 50w Halogens $300 plus $54 for transformer losses $2 ea $40 for 20
4 x30w IRC $210 plus $54 as above $5 to $15 ea
4 x 3w LED $18 plus $54 as above $15to $75 ea
4 x 11w CFL Downlights $66 $15 to $25ea
They also run much cooler BUt contain Mrecury so care is needed if one breaks
Interesting?????????
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: olcoolone - Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 12:31
Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 12:31
Funny how new technology isn't always the best.
Over the years we have done a lot of testing with work lights and interior lighting in trucks and vans body's and in real life conditions and the old fluro is still the best.
LED lighting is good for spot lighting but causes to much shadowing and black spots for general use.
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679424
Reply By: GerryP - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 23:00
Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 23:00
Hi Pojo,
I paid (from memory) about $400 extra to go all LED outside and inside, except for the main inside lights, which are fluoros.
I reckon it's worth it as you'll never have to replace another globe, they draw minimal power, they won't upset your car's
hazard flashers due to overload, they're
bright and they are waterproof.
Cheers
Gerry
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409429