LED Baggage Lights

[phorner]

I was never really happy with the "stock" lights that my bus has to illuminate the interior of the storage bays when you open the door. They didn't really provide much light and half of the light fixture lenses were discolored due to heating.

I found an excellent LED replacement for mine. They are much brighter, are completely sealed so they can even be installed under water, generate no heat and only cost $12.99 at West Marine.

The first picture shows my original light along side the LED replacement. I dissembled my original lights and used the pigtail connection to install the new lights which is shown in the second photo. All I needed to do was attach new spade quick connectors on the ends of the wire of the new light, and plug the assembly into the original connector.

LED lights are polarity sensitive, so be sure to check that everything is working before finishing up the installation. You can attach the LED lights with screws or 3M auto trim double-sided adhesive tape.

The last picture shows an extra light I installed above my electrical outlet in the first storage bay.

[rfoster]

Nice work Paul. I love LEDs. They are my favorite. I think it means "Love Every Damn" thing about them.

Of course Jon and Truck are still on the dark side with their candles.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

I like your new bay lights too, and I would still like to replace all of my outside marker lamps with the newer LED''s, like JDUB and Loc did, but there are so many other things I still need to do, like figure out why my windshield washer no longer works ? Or why my drivers toll booth window doesn't go down?

Dang, so many things so little time. :o

Gary S.

[GDeen]

Way cool - thanks for the tip Paul.

I am having to physically restrain myself from ordering the LED markers and turns from IBP with the stainless enclosures. The bus needs them for sure, just trying to show some upgrade restraint.:cool:

[sawdust_128]

figure out why my windshield washer no longer works ? Dry and stuck check valve in the washer line.

Or why my drivers toll booth window doesn't go down? Dirty switch may have gotten wet.

Dang, so many things so little time. :o

Gary S.


My guesses based on what I found. My toll window switch had coffee/cola/? in it.

[parksincpp]

[QUOTE=phorner;56241]I was never really happy with the "stock" lights that my bus has to illuminate the interior of the storage bays when you open the door. They didn't really provide much light and half of the light fixture lenses were discolored due to heating.

I found an excellent LED replacement for mine. They are much brighter, are completely sealed so they can even be installed under water, generate no heat and only cost $12.99 at West Marine.
______________________________________

Love West Marine, one of my favorite stores.

[phorner]

Yeah, I just can't seem to walk out of a West Marine store empty handed!:D

[truk4u]

Nice job Paul... The King will probably attach his with velcro so they can easily and quickly be placed on his hat!:rolleyes:

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Very nice Paul, did you notice if they had a 24v model?

JIM

[phorner]

Jim,

Sorry I missed your question earlier :o

I did not notice any 24v LED light assemblies....BUT...I figured that the baggage lights on my bus were Prevost items instead of converter items. I checked my voltage first before starting this project just to be sure.

If you check yours, you just might find that yours are 12v also....particularly if these are Prevost items.

Then again, I could be completely wrong.....wouldn't be a new experience :eek:

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Paul, my lights are 24v, so I will try to hunt down some cool LEDs on my own.

JIM

[ToyMan]

I could not find any 24V LEDs either. However, I did find a 24V fluorescent light strip that works rather well.

I ordered them from a place in the UK. http://cgi.ebay.com/24V-Fluorescent-Strip-Light-Tube-TRUCK-24-VOLT-/350156944142?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CommercialVehicleParts_SM&hash=item5186faf30e

I ordered 2 for a total cost of $46.62 US dollars. I received them in 3 days.

[jimshoen]

Paul,
I would like your old lights if you still have them.
Jim

[flloyd]

Converting 12V LED's to work on 24V shouldn't be much of a problem. An in-line resistor of the right value and wattage should do the trick.

The West Marine catalog lists these as Voltage/Draw: 12V DC/0.06A@12V . Bulb Wattage: 0.7W. Using Ohms law, 12V/0.06A gives 200 Ohms, the equivalent resistance of the lighting unit. Therefore, if you place a 200 Ohm, 1-Watt resistor in series with the unit, you will have converted it to 24V operation. If you want to be extra safe, use a 3W resistor. That's because, even if the LED lamp were shorted, the total current through the resistor would be limited to 2.88 watts. Otherwise, a 1 or 2 watt resistor would work fine since the loop power is only 0.7 watts.

[stevet903]

Jim - I'm sure you'll need two to light the compartment, just wire the LEDs in series instead of parallel.... I did it and it works great with little fuss...

Steve

[stevet903]

Or you can get 24v versions here:

http://www.sailboatstuff.com/cb_ledlight.html

[gmcbuffalo]

Is it possible to run a 120 VAC rope lights off of 12 VDC? I was going to attach a string lights to a battery and see if they would worked but can't find the string of lights now, so I ask the question.

GregM

[GDeen]

After reading Paul's post a couple of months back, I ran up to West Marine at lunch and bought enough LED's for all the compartments. Got to the barn and checked voltage - you guessed it, 24v. Took them back and put it off until another day.

I see where the thread has been updated some - interesting alternative Fred.

I also found these 24v options out of Australia on Ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-12-24V-M-VOLT-6-LED-CHROME-BODY-LAMP-BL-103WMC-/230504589022?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories

Look pretty good and the outfit has a great rating. Shipping seemed high so I sent them a note assuming if I ordered 8 lights, it would be nominally more. Got the following back


hi there
we can offer 8pcs BL-103WMC inc delivery to TX USA for AU$180, let me know if interested.
kind regards
paul

Guess I could ask them the price to ship on a shrimp boat or something.....

[Will Garner]

Gordon,

Does the price quote include shipping or is that their quote for just shipping your items? Curious minds need to know.

Hope you are back up to full strength. We sure didn't like to see you suffer in Boothbay and Owls Head.

[GDeen]

Will,
That is an excellent point - I sent a note asking for a shipping quote on the lights. My perception was based on the request, and he may be giving me the turnkey amount for shipping and product pricing.

Yeah, the food poisoning incident in Boothbay is a night that will live in infamy for us. Carole's bottle of the pink stuff was a huge help as was your help in lining Jenny out on hooking up the water to the coach.