LED Conversion of Fluorescent Tubes - READ CAREFULLY... NOT as SIMPLE or CHEAPER??....

[Hypoxia]

2 minutes ago, Tom Cherry said:

Jim,

Thanks....

CURIOSITY....if you go back to my first post, I have pictures of the OPTRONICS fixtures. The later posts showed the Thin-lite, I assumed.

Could you look at your fixtures some time and see if they are Optronics (will have a single SILVER reflector....the Thin-Lites, I assume, have painted ones.

You NEVER know which one Monaco put in.  If you can take a photo of the Brand and Model number, that would be great....

Sometimes what ain't SUPPOSED TO WORK....does....

The sink light is a Liteco model 176.  The porch light is a Thin-Lite model 162A.  Both are 12 volt fixtures

[throgmartin]

I have been doing things the quick easy way. As the ballasts burn out I bypass them and install 12 V LED tubes and call it good. I tried the strips once and found it to be a royal PITA trimming the strips, sticking them down and then wiring each strip. I found it easier to remove the ballast, butt connect the wires and throw the tubes in. I can convert a light in 15 minutes or less now.

The tubes I got from a member ( Jim Gritch ) who sells them through his company. I really like them as the deflectors for the tubes can be rotated to direct the light where I want it.  

[Tom Cherry]

17 hours ago, Hypoxia said:

The sink light is a Liteco model 176.  The porch light is a Thin-Lite model 162A.  Both are 12 volt fixtures

well,

I guess we will find out if there are problems as you have both brands...  Keep us posted on how they last or work...

Thanks,

[veraken]

2 hours ago, throgmartin said:

I have been doing things the quick easy way. As the ballasts burn out I bypass them and install 12 V LED tubes and call it good. I tried the strips once and found it to be a royal PITA trimming the strips, sticking them down and then wiring each strip. I found it easier to remove the ballast, butt connect the wires and throw the tubes in. I can convert a light in 15 minutes or less now.

The tubes I got from a member ( Jim Gritch ) who sells them through his company. I really like them as the deflectors for the tubes can be rotated to direct the light where I want it.  

Can you post a link to purchase these?

[just_john1]

I replaced all of my fluorescents with LEDs Did the whole bus for the cost of 2 sets of bulbs. Much brighter. Tried the strip lights and found them lacking. Then I tried the auto park lights.  They were so bright I used the switch on the fixture to turn on and off half of the LEDs, for atmosphere. All you have to do is eliminate the ballast.

 

4PCS 12V LED STRIP DRL DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FOG COB CAR LAMP DRIVING WHITE US _ eBay.html

[Ivylog]

Timely post as I just ordered the same COB strips but my concern is how hot do they run? A year ago I bought some G4 Cob bulbs to replace the halogen ceiling bulbs and I was not impressed with them. Under the yellow covering was nothing but a bunch of small rectangular chips that ran very hot and one actually got so hot it melted the solder connection for the pins.

John, can you IR temp the strips that you installed to see how hot they are running?

[rpasetto]

On 8/25/2021 at 5:49 PM, Ivylog said:

 I have not had good luck with the LED strips… many chips stop working in a couple hundred hours. I have a light fixture over the sink with three of 18” fluorescent in it plus another four fluorescent elsewhere. Now that they have some age on them I'm replacing a bulb every couple months so decided to change one over to LED using 48 SMD 5050 LED Panels. Drilled the four pop rivets out to remove the guts of the Fluorescent. There were two ridges that holds the metal cover over these guts. By finding a small enough wire I was able to slide the wire into these notches making for a neat way to hold the wires that power the LED panels. I put four of the LED panels in (peal and stick after cleaning alum surface) and used the existing switch and 12v wires. I would say four LED panels put out the same amount of light as the two 15W bulbs. While I had the cover off the fixture, I drilled a hole under each switch in the translucent plastic panels so I can turn each on/off without taking the cover off. This will let me use just the new LEDs (while boondocking) or one or both of the fluorescent. 
Sorry... No pictures but sliding the new wires into the notches and putting the four LED panels where the guts came from made for a neat and simple DIY project. I would space the four panels evenly over the 18" starting with one at each end. 

Excellent idea to use the SMD panels! 

I have some narrow Fluorescents in the bays so may need to get some of the 24's too.

[just_john1]

Ivylog

I don't have a clue how hot these run, never thought of it. I'm sorry I don't have an IR meter. They just seem to work and I love the brightness. Good luck and let me know how they work for you.

[rpasetto]

On 8/25/2021 at 5:49 PM, Ivylog said:

 I have not had good luck with the LED strips… many chips stop working in a couple hundred hours. I have a light fixture over the sink with three of 18” fluorescent in it plus another four fluorescent elsewhere. Now that they have some age on them I'm replacing a bulb every couple months so decided to change one over to LED using 48 SMD 5050 LED Panels. Drilled the four pop rivets out to remove the guts of the Fluorescent. There were two ridges that holds the metal cover over these guts. By finding a small enough wire I was able to slide the wire into these notches making for a neat way to hold the wires that power the LED panels. I put four of the LED panels in (peal and stick after cleaning alum surface) and used the existing switch and 12v wires. I would say four LED panels put out the same amount of light as the two 15W bulbs. While I had the cover off the fixture, I drilled a hole under each switch in the translucent plastic panels so I can turn each on/off without taking the cover off. This will let me use just the new LEDs (while boondocking) or one or both of the fluorescent. 
Sorry... No pictures but sliding the new wires into the notches and putting the four LED panels where the guts came from made for a neat and simple DIY project. I would space the four panels evenly over the 18" starting with one at each end. 

Thanks for the tip.  I bought a few of these 48SMD (8x6-self-adhesive) panels from eBay for about ten bucks each.  They came with adapters to plug into dome light dockets which I didn't need.

Used two panels each to convert some bay fluorescents, soldered connectors to leads which then connected to the 12v + and - power and filed the ballasts in my circular file, but kept the ballast covers for mounting the panels.  Here is the setup using two panels on the cover.  Second picture shows the plastic cover re-installed.

 

 

[BradHend]

Thought I’d chime in and showcase my LED upgrade to all my fluorescents. I also added a small push on / push off switch on the opposite side of the stock switch to a second bank of LED strips for when extra lighting would be required.  Nice easy addition.  Really makes the place pop when they’re all on. 

[Ivylog]

I hope you have better luck with the strips than I have… only LEDs I try and avoid. Between multiple chips not working after less than 500 hours and overall dimming of the rest, I use panels instead of strips.

I removed the single fluorescent underneath the kitchen cabinets and used 6 panels instead of a strip which would have been much easier.

[Rich Cutler]

14 hours ago, Ivylog said:

I hope you have better luck with the strips than I have… only LEDs I try and avoid. Between multiple chips not working after less than 500 hours and overall dimming of the rest, I use panels instead of strips.

I removed the single fluorescent underneath the kitchen cabinets and used 6 panels instead of a strip which would have been much easier.

Ivylog... I purchased a few rolls of LEDs and intend to convert the lights.  Yes my ballasts are failing and I purchased a conversion kit a few years back for too much money and used it in the toilet room.  It is daylight and way too bright.  The rolls I purchased to convert the remainder of the coach, we also use in model railroading and cost only $5ea pre-pandemic off eBay.   At that time, retailers like hobby lobby were selling a roll for over $40.   I do not know current pricing.  I was wondering what are the "panels" you reference as an alternate to the LED strips?

Rich Cutler

06' Windsor

[Ivylog]

48 LEDs 5050 in warm white. The bright white behind the fluorescent’s cover takes most of the bluish color out.