Adding LED strip lights

[The Fooz]

Hi all,

I have a 2018 Bullet Crossfire 2200BH. I want to add some LED strips on the outside of the camper. I would prefer to run the electric to the inside of the camper to a switch panel I will add. But;

1) I'm not sure where/how to get the wires to the interior without introducing a water leak risk.

2) I'm not sure if there is a better overall method that I'm not aware of for powering exterior LED strips.

Any advice or links to helpful videos is greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[jxnbbl]

Are you replacing LED lighting and/or adding and what location? Doesn't that model have led lighting under the awning?

[JeffJohnston]

Originally Posted by The Fooz

Hi all,

I have a 2018 Bullet Crossfire 2200BH. I want to add some LED strips on the outside of the camper. I would prefer to run the electric to the inside of the camper to a switch panel I will add. But;

1) I'm not sure where/how to get the wires to the interior without introducing a water leak risk.

2) I'm not sure if there is a better overall method that I'm not aware of for powering exterior LED strips.

Any advice or links to helpful videos is greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Are you looking at 12v or 110v lights? You can use something like this plugged into your outdoor outlet if 110v. If it's 12v, I'm sure there is something just like it and you'd have to run your lights to your battery with e remote switch.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Woods-13-Am...ack/5000112479

[The Fooz]

Originally Posted by jxnbbl

Are you replacing LED lighting and/or adding and what location? Doesn't that model have led lighting under the awning?

We bought ours used and it didn't have awning lights.

I would like to add white awning lights and multi-color lights on the underside.

All the videos I'm seeing are showing direct wired to existing light fixtures on the outside. I'm not opposed to that necessarily, but every multi-color strip I've seen requires an A/C transformer.

[Kirk's Keystone Outback.]

Originally Posted by The Fooz

Hi all,

I have a 2018 Bullet Crossfire 2200BH. I want to add some LED strips on the outside of the camper. I would prefer to run the electric to the inside of the camper to a switch panel I will add. But;

1) I'm not sure where/how to get the wires to the interior without introducing a water leak risk.

2) I'm not sure if there is a better overall method that I'm not aware of for powering exterior LED strips.

Any advice or links to helpful videos is greatly appreciated!

Thanks

I removed the "clearance "lights that were mounted under each door step and replaced with sealed LED light tubes, which are controlled by an interior light switch.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by The Fooz

We bought ours used and it didn't have awning lights.

I would like to add white awning lights and multi-color lights on the underside.

All the videos I'm seeing are showing direct wired to existing light fixtures on the outside. I'm not opposed to that necessarily, but every multi-color strip I've seen requires an A/C transformer.

What brand awning do you have? Some of them have provisions to mount a white (2 conduntors) led strip. In the past I've mounted multi-colored (4conductors) leds on the awning tube. I liked the way they "washed" the light underneath the extended awning and didn't shine directly in your eye I ran 4 conductor wire thru the awning arm to the control box/12vdc converter. I plugged into the outside 120 vacuum outlet

After replacing my awning due to storm damage I didn't replace the led strip. I'm planning on mounting one on the side of the trailer just under the rolled up awning. I think I can enter thru the wall to the inside of the bathroom cabinet. From there, I'll fish a wire to the opposite wall in the ceiling to pick up power from the wall swit h.

[jxnbbl]

In looking at your trailer you have an outdoor kitchen with the awning arm connected directly next to it. You can source your power (ac or dc) from the kitchen and put a switch inside the kitchen. Drill a hole into the kitchen from outside right next to the bottom of the support arm (assuming 12V led light to awning) and run in the corner (where the support arm attaches to the trailer). If you use top quality waterproof electrical tape it will last for years and depending on your skill/how straight you cover the length of that wire it will look like 'trim'.


The underneath is simpler...as you just drill/seal through the floor of the kitchen. The downside of this is that the switch is in the outside kitchen. I can't see (from pics) where the light switches are on the inside. But if a location next to the 'right side arm' inside has 12v switches you could at least source the 12v and drill the hole through the right side arm in a similar manner and have the switch inside....then do the outside/bottom lighting from the outside kitchen

[JRTJH]

If you have an electric awning, you already have "a wire passthrough from the awning switch to the awning arm". Usually this is the forward awning arm. At the lower mount, there is a 1" hole through the trailer sidewall where the power wires for the awning motor are routed. The wires are installed and then a "huge gob of sealant" is put in the hole to seal it. You can use an awl or even a drill bit to create a hole in the sealant, pass your LED light wires through that same hole, route them to a location near your current awning switch and then either route them up the vertical mount arm if you want the LED lights on the trailer sidewall or route them along the articulating arm if you want them on the awning roller tube. Just follow where the existing wires are routed. Just reseal the hole you create to keep any leaks at bay.

[David49]

Originally Posted by The Fooz

Hi all,

I have a 2018 Bullet Crossfire 2200BH. I want to add some LED strips on the outside of the camper. I would prefer to run the electric to the inside of the camper to a switch panel I will add. But;

1) I'm not sure where/how to get the wires to the interior without introducing a water leak risk.

2) I'm not sure if there is a better overall method that I'm not aware of for powering exterior LED strips.

Any advice or links to helpful videos is greatly appreciated!

Thanks

I installed 12-volt LED light strips on the underside of my unit. I pulled power off the power lead from one of the stabilizer jacks. I installed a switch and in-line fuse cube to the plastic mud shield. It's been working great for three years now.

[MrRobalo]

You should have power in the basement you can tap into then make sure the lights come with a remote. You can also get clear tubing and slide the LED Strip
Inside. stopping 2” from end. Fill end in with clear silicone. It will make it like rope lighting with color and remote.
Just food for thought.

[The Fooz]

Thanks to everyone who has replied here. Very helpful info and now I have some options to look into.

Here's an update of where I'm at.

I added the underside lights no problem. Wired directly to a battery with a switch and inline fuse. Very straight forward. Although I'm not sure if I added the fuse in the correct section of the circuit. If anyone has a diagram that'd be helpful :-)

After that was complete, I moved on to the awning lights. Here's where it gets frustrating. You're familiar with the factory porch light by the door. Simple LED on a 12v switch. Positive and negative. My plan was to wire directly into that switch and be done. Long story short, I am not getting any power from the existing wiring. I hook up my multimeter to the white and black coming out of the wall and get 0.00v. I tested the factory light before I started and it was working fine.

My guess here is that the light fixture itself was providing the ground for the circuit. I tried adding a ground screw and wiring into that, but same result.

So our last two trips I've just hooked up the awning lights to a small 12v battery and recharged it each day.

Would like to solve this problem without having to hire a technician.

Any insights would be appreciated!

Edit: Picture for reference. White cord coming in from the top is the led strip wiring.

https://www.keystoneforums.com/forum...pictureid=8242

[MrKABC]

Put your (-) test lead on that screw, and your (+) test lead on the black wire. Turn 12v switch on. What readout do you get?

[The Fooz]

Originally Posted by MrKABC

Put your (-) test lead on that screw, and your (+) test lead on the black wire. Turn 12v switch on. What readout do you get?

0.00v. Also, I’ve taken the switch out of the circuit at this point. Just testing directly from the wires coming out of the wall.

Also confirmed no fuses out.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by The Fooz

0.00v. Also, I’ve taken the switch out of the circuit at this point. Just testing directly from the wires coming out of the wall.

Also confirmed no fuses out.

Is there an inside light switch for the porch light ?????

My trailer has a switch on the control panel in the hallway PLUS a switch on the bottom of the light fixture... If I turn the fixture light switch on or off with the interior switch off, nothing happens "outside"... The inside switch must be on to get any power "at the fixture".... Maybe yours is the same ???

[The Fooz]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Is there an inside light switch for the porch light ?????

My trailer has a switch on the control panel in the hallway PLUS a switch on the bottom of the light fixture... If I turn the fixture light switch on or off with the interior switch off, nothing happens "outside"... The inside switch must be on to get any power "at the fixture".... Maybe yours is the same ???

I do have two interior switches for ‘all on/off’. Unfortunately I’ve checked and confirmed those are in the on position.