lighting upgrade
goldstream wing 3 

The existing internal lights were fluorescent and incandescent globes. The single external awning light was also a 12Watt incandescent standard auto globe. Fortunately the tail and clearance lights on the camper were already LED so was only the lighting which needed looking at. The existing light wiring was adequate so was not altered in any way. A bit of looking around on the internet found the parts I needed.

Existing bed lights minus diffuser	LED wedge style LED replacement globe	LED installed

The main fluorescent lights used in the camper were a bit of a challenge but I found an LED replacement. The lights have a high and low setting which I wanted to retain.

high & low setting	main fluorescent lights
front 84 LED replacement light	back 84 LED replacement light

The LED replacement plugs straight into the existing flouro socket but you must disconnect/bypass the flouro ballast first. I elected to remove the ballast altogether but the socket for the replacement light was mounted on the circuit board. Out with the butane torch and carefully remove the socket from the circuit board without destroying it.

Luckily once the solder melted it dropped off the board.

removed light socket

I used the existing standoff insulators from the circuit board in the pin holes of the socket. Only two pins are required so I removed one so the insulator could be inserted.

Wires were soldered onto the existing pins. Heatshink tubing was also used as there would not be much clearance from the metal light housing. The replacement light is self sensing so it does not matter which pin is used for + and -.

The wires were connected up to the existing switch wires. Holes drilled in housing to screw standoff insulators to housing base. One pin on the new LED light had to be cut off as there was a standoff in the socket. The second set of wires are for a small strip (3) of LED lights for the low setting of the switch. These came from a self-adhesive LED roll. These can be cut into smaller strips every 3rd LED.

This proved quite difficult to do as you have to carefully peel away the protective plastic cover and then solder wires onto the rather small + and – connection points. I decided to add a 5Amp inline mini blade fuse just in case. The light circuit has a 20A fuse but would rather lose one light due to failure/short rather than all.

the finished light minus the diffuser cover

The existing awning light, while the LED bulb is bright, is quite low so I purchased one of these 600mm awning lights and installed it under the wind out awning on the roof. This now lights up the area very nicely and only uses 0.5AH. The wires run down inside the canvas wall that velcos to the door frame, It’s out of sight there.

awning light globe was replaced with an LED	600mm awning light

I replaced the existing 2 gang switch for the lights with a 3 gang to handle the new awning light. I also installed a small LED light in the front boot.

switch	LED in boot

All LED replacements are brighter than the originals and use significantly less current. Measurements below are via the PL20 load meter.

If all lights are on then the total current usage is 2.1 amps.

Total cost of LED lights was less than $300. Not cheap but benefits are worth the money. All lights were sourced from DSS and Springers in Qld. The Flouro LED replacements (x2) were $58 each, the awning light strip was around $88 and the boot light around $25. The LED bed light replacements (x2) were $18 each and the awning light LED globe $22.

Thanks to Kevin Beckwith for this article

 

january 2012