So who's the electrical expert?

[BOBYT1630]

I am changing all my interior lights to LEDs. I have already replaced 10 incandescent bulbs with 12V LED Dome Bulb 15-5050 SMD White, Which I bought on eBay. I would like to check the amperage draw of the 10 bulbs I have installed vs 10 bulbs not yet replaced. I still have 14 bulbs to go of the same type. along with a couple of other types. The cost per bulb is $4.39. We mostly dry camp. and my genny is a noisy one so the less I run a generator the happier I am. My question is where can I install an amp meter to check the current draw when the lights are on to see if I am saving anything by installing all these LEDs. And also be able to calculate battery drain more accurately?

Thanks for all the help.
Bobyt

[JRTJH]

install an ammeter in line with your positive battery terminal. turn on all the LED lights only (you will have some parasitic drain) and record the reading. Then turn off the LED lights and turn on all the incandescent lights. Record the ammeter reading, subtract the LED only reading and you can see how much more the incandescent lights draw. While this is not an "exact science" measurement because there may be some variance in parasitic load, it will give you a fairly accurate view. Most people see about a 85 too 90% reduction in amp draw with the conversion (for lights only) but your other draws will be the same. ie: refer, water pump, fans, furnace, radio, outside lights (unless converted also). Those will all still draw the same as before the light conversion.

We found that we could go about 2-3 days with two 12Volt batteries, now, with LED's we can get 5-6 days before we need to recharge with the generator. Of course that's without the furnace or TV (inverter use). If you start running a TV, etc on an inverter, that's going to draw nearly as much as the furnace would.

[CincyGus]

Havn't measured mine but everything I have read puts the savings at about 70%-85%. Have not been dry camping since I switched mine but expecting to nearly double the amount of days I can go. Made it 3-4 with the old ones and a group 24 battery and very conservative use of lights, no water pump except for shower and toilet use (washed outside) and everything running on propane that could. Have since switched to a group 29 and the LED's so hoping for a couple of extra days due to the upgrades.

[ktmracer]

install a trimetric battery monitor system. tells you draw as well as battery SOC.

What I can say is that each LED bulb assy is probably drawing between 100ma and 150ma (0.10 and 0.15A) vs. about 1 amp per incandesent bulb. My trailer with all the incandesents on drew over 40A (yes 40, not 4.0), about 10A with living area lights on. with All LED's it is less than 4A with every light on, including a few additional ones I added, and with what is normally needed on, less than 1A When dry camping.

[Festus2]

Thanks ktmracer for those figures, the comparison between LED's and incandescents and the amps required for each. When you see a side-by-side comparison such as the one you posted, it makes a solid case for anyone who dry camps to switch over to LED's. A no-brainer, I think.