How to choose a good led caravan interior light?

What is an LED RV interior light?

LED stands for: light-emitting diode. LED lights have been around since the early 1960’s but until recently the bulbs were fragile and expensive. LED lights give a bright, rich light without consuming a lot of electricity. LED’s are also much safer than traditional bulbs as they emit little to no heat. (in other words, you aren’t going to burn your fingertips if you touch it)

Most recreational manufacturers did not install LED’s as RV interior lights until recent years. Interior LED lights were too expensive. The good news is, today any RV owner can update their personal lighting with a huge variety of affordable LED options.

Why LED RV Lights an affordable investment:

If you own a motor home or trailer, you know just how important it is to keep your electrical usage low. RV parks usually ask rig owner to pay for electricity along side their space rent. Electric rates vary across the country. Using the average of .14 cents a kilowatt, the cost of running your lights can add expense. If you are boon docking (dry camping, off grid) managing your electrical usage is crucial.

Low wattage LED lights can offer hours of comfortable illumination. Imagine clean, bright light without draining your battery or your solar reserves.

Just how much energy will I save?

The average 60 incandescent watt bulb will cost $4.80 cents to run over a period of a year. Most bulbs will average 1,000 hours of use. In comparison, a 12 W LED light (the kind used in RV’s) will cost a mere $1.00 to run. This LED bulb will work for up to 25,000 hours providing the same volume of light as its incandescent friend.

Many recreational vehicles have fluorescent or halogen lights in their interior. While fluorescent and halogen lights are more efficient they often give “tainted” light. Tainted lights often distorts and makes things seem either yellow or green.  Halogen lights run hot and while more cost-effective than an incandescent bulb they will burn your light fixture or ceiling over time.   If you prefer fluorescent style fixtures look for LED copy cats such as LED Tube lights to replace your current old fashion bulb.  You can also update to an all new LED Tube Light fixture produced by Thin-Lite and available at Amazon.com

Ok, take a moment to count your rv interior lights….yep that’s what I thought. There’s a ton of them. By replacing your old lights with new LED rv lights in the interior of your unit, you will save a bundle over time.

Now that you know WHY you need new LED lights here’s HOW to buy them WITHOUT all the hassle.

Step #1: First, Choose The Correct LED RV Lights For Your Interior:

Examine the base of your bulb. Some original bulbs will single filaments while others will have a pin. Examine your current bulb and use a simple conversion chart to decide which LED light is right for your rig.

FITLED provides an PRODUCT that can help you get started: CLICK HERE

Be sure to take note of the number on the bulb or on the light fixture.

Step #2: Second, Choose The Right Color For You:

Believe it or not, light varies in color and this variation can affect your RV interior. In this chart you can see how the light spectrum varies. For simplification let’s divide your choices into three colors. You can choose natural light, cool light or warm light.

Natural light feels like sunlight. It is a combination most like walking in the sun.

Cool light is oftentimes the brightest light and appears the most white.

Warm light offers a gentle “blush” and provides a traditional interior color.

Step #3: Third, Choose Quality Components:

All LED bulbs are not created equal so reading product reviews and speaking to LED providers is an important step. While you can buy LED lights on sites like Ebay and Overstock, you may not always know what you are getting. Buyer Beware! This is where some basic research can go a long way. Consider trolling RV forums on the topic of RV Interior LED Lights and see what other owners are recommending. Amazon also offers a great variety of LED bulbs with accessible reviews and an easy return policy.

Step #4: Finally, Ask Some Questions:

• Was this light designed specifically for RV use?
• Is it rated with the correct voltage for RV use? (usually 10-30)
• Does the light use aluminum heat sinks for longer RV life?

Taking the time to talk to an LED RV light expert can help you make the correct decision the first time around. Don’t skimp on the research. You don’t want to buy bulbs all the time (that’s the point right?) so do the research now and find the right bulb for your current fixtures.