LED interior lighting.

[Tony x]

Hello all,
I'm looking to replace most of the internal lights with LEDs, all except the fluorescent tube.
These are:-
-The central lights at the front, up top near the rear view mirror.
-The little light right at the back on the passenger side.
-The light in the roof of the AFT.

I'm hoping someone can advise me on what to get, I'd like a warm, white light rather than the harsh or blue tinted light some LEDs give off.

[wonkanoby]

not 100 percent they are exact same but have something like these in front

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-White-LED- ... 053wt_1188

and this in rear

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18LED-Chip-3W ... 980wt_1109

[g8dhe]

The COB ones are the best as they dissipate the heat better. Just finished replacing our fluorescent lights with COB panels and also a pair in the awning.
On the left is an original fluorescent tube light and the right replaced with COB LED panel

and awning;

The light panels themselves;

[Tony x]

Cheers Geoff.
Have you any info on power usage?

[Simon Jones]

Very nice. Have you got a link for the supplier please Geoff?

[g8dhe]

Yup each panel takes around 0.4 Amps so less than half of what the fluorescent light takes.
The supplier is on EBAY link here to all his LED COB lights, there are two links for the 12cm by 3.6cm panels one a pound cheaper
http://tinyurl.com/o5cpal5 for all they stock and http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10W-High-Powe ... 8bc201a9bb for the particular ones. The internal ones for the van uses the Pure white and the awning uses the warm white, but you can't really see the difference on the images as the white balance changes!

[mikexgough]

Nice job Geoff.... I used 24 led panels in the cab lights and tailgate lights and 36 led panel in the Aft plus an LED tube in the rear cabin.... works well and I used the really bright white ones... just need to copy your awning ones...

[Puma931]

Any tips on soldering the wires onto the COB panel (mine just arrived from China) as the terminals are close to the COB?

The COB ones are the best as they dissipate the heat better. Just finished replacing our fluorescent lights with COB panels and also a pair in the awning.
On the left is an original fluorescent tube light and the right replaced with COB LED panel

and awning;

The light panels themselves;

[g8dhe]

The material covering the LED's is quite robust, but you will need a fairly small tip on the iron, the pads are gold plated so they solder pretty easily, the white layer is fairly tough as well, given that the backplate is designed to dissipate the heat if you have a temperature controlled iron then turn it up an extra 50°C or so.

[Puma931]

Thanks for the tips. I managed to solder it and I'll fit it this weekend.
Did you connect it to the 12v supply or via a12v regulator? I have read that LEDs need a constant 12v supply otherwise they don't last very long?

The material covering the LED's is quite robust, but you will need a fairly small tip on the iron, the pads are gold plated so they solder pretty easily, the white layer is fairly tough as well, given that the backplate is designed to dissipate the heat if you have a temperature controlled iron then turn it up an extra 50°C or so.

[g8dhe]

I've connected it directly to the 12-14 volts of the LB. Don't be taken in however about the claim of 24 volt working that is only with additional resistor to drop the volts! The lights are never normally used when the engine is running so the only source of raised volts will be the solar panel (probably in darkness when the lights are on!) and the EHU which again doesn't normally raise the voltage to 14volts either.

[Puma931]

Fitted my light modified the existing circuit with a hacksaw and utilised the original switch.
To maximise the light I even cleaned the cover with brasso and the amount of light given off is amazing!

[g8dhe]

I forgot to post up the modifications link try here for a process not involving a hacksaw!
http://www.g8dhe.net/bongo_images/repla ... cent_tube/

[cmm303]

Really helpful.
Would it be worth adding this to the lighting fact sheet, especially as the u-tube flourescent is expensive to replace?

[philpdr]

Really helpful.
Would it be worth adding this to the lighting fact sheet, especially as the u-tube flourescent is expensive to replace?

Totally agree about the fitting pics and should be added to the fact sheet,am going to do the mod on my van having read all this.