Scare Light

[Desert185]

In my efforts to minimize amperage consumption by replacing the few remaining incandescent bulbs Keystone saw fit to overlook, I am wondering about the scare/flood light. I don't really use it that much (maybe I don't scare that easily), but if I were to replace what I assume is an 1156 with an LED type bulb, I would want to install the brightest possible version.

Has anyone researched this and done a similar replacement?

[JRTJH]

My scare light uses 1156 bulbs. I'm guessing yours does also. Here is the type LED I used: https://www.amazon.com/Cutequeen-Lum...KBYFR0VSA8R8PC

[kampfitt]

Here's the ones I put in our lights. Very Bright!
http://www.m4products.com/1142-17-56...76-ba15d-base/

[therink]

i just replaced my scare light and porch light bulbs (1156) with these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01A4Z3F3O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 They work well and good and bright.

[Desert185]

Thanks, guys! That answers the question.

[denverpilot]

Glad D185 asked. I was thinking the same thing.

I haven't looked but does anyone know off the top of their head what bulb the little amber light that lights up the steps is?

My porch light burnt out apparently and the scare could use an LED makeover also, so this was timely since everything else except for the light in the range hood is already converted over to LED.

Well technically the marker lights for towing aren't converted over (yet) but I kinda don't care on those. Surprising that Keystone still uses incandescents on those, my many years older cargo trailer had LEDs in their own special fixtures right from the factory.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by denverpilot

Glad D185 asked. I was thinking the same thing.

I haven't looked but does anyone know off the top of their head what bulb the little amber light that lights up the steps is?

Our step light is nothing more than a "misplaced clearance/running light".... It's the same bulb as all the running lights. I used these and they've been working well for the running lights and the porch light for a couple years now: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They are "polarity driven" and I thought it was "different" that every one of the 14 I had to turn over as I inserted all of them "backwards"....

[Desert185]

The porch light is an 1156 and the step light is a 194. Those LED 194 replacements that John recommended are on my buy list.

The stove vent light is a 921, BTW. Look to see how its oriented in the fixture so so get the correct shaped bulb. When in doubt, get the stacked LED bulb rather than the banjo shape. Wrong terminology/nomenclature, but I'm sure its descriptive enough.

As a reminder for anyone else reading this, don't get the fixed, 12v LED's or they may not last.

Almost done with the LED conversion on my rig.

[denverpilot]

Thanks guys. Through some Apple vs Amazon class action lawsuit, the day the 194 post hit, Amazon notified me that they'd put like $7 whopping bucks in my account there as part of the settlement, so $2 more dollars later, all the 194s for all the trailer's marker lights were on order. And the others were ordered the day before. Heh.

Guess I have a project this weekend.

I also grabbed LED backup lights for the TV to see if they're better than the incandescents.

[fireidiot]

I put a 1156 LED Sylvania Zevo in the front flood. Man is this thing bright!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by fireidiot

I put a 1156 LED Sylvania Zevo in the front flood. Man is this thing bright!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I like Sylvania for the TV, but if the LED bulb isn't rated for 12-28V then they won't last for the trailer, I am reminded. Apparently, the 12V system in the trailer puts out enough of a higher voltage than the TV that LED bulb longevity is affected.

Someone better schooled on the mysteries of electricity can probably give a more technically understandable explanation.

[denverpilot]

Originally Posted by Desert185

I like Sylvania for the TV, but if the LED bulb isn't rated for 12-28V then they won't last for the trailer, I am reminded. Apparently, the 12V system in the trailer puts out enough of a higher voltage than the TV that LED bulb longevity is affected.



Someone better schooled on the mysteries of electricity can probably give a more technically understandable explanation.

The on board system is a battery that we call "12 volts" but really is a battery that will be anywhere from say, 10V (badly discharged) to 12.9 (a topped off AGM style). In order to properly charge these cells our chargers (the "converter" which charges and provides additional available DC current for the rest of the loads in the coach while charging the battery) often has multiple "stages" of which cat least one will be up near 14V for traditional lead-acid battery charging.

Most automative techs will call this a "13.8V" system. In our airplanes you'll hear "12V" and "14V" for the older ones, like ours, and then there's the fancy kids with their new 28V systems... But all of them will go up to at least 14V VDC in normal operation and perhaps higher, depending on the quality of the charging device and its accuracy.

And... If you have a connection from your TV to your trailer for charging (different pin than lighting for running lights and brake lights and backup lights, all separate on the typical big RV connector) you'll also have 14V or so coming from your TV alternator (minus voltage drop over what might be a long piece of wire and small gauge) while the TV motor is running.

Decent overview of the battery stuff here:

https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/arti...ry-basics.html

[denverpilot]

By the way I got all the external LEDs done on the trailer and I like them so much, I ordered some 2057's for the taillight/brakelight assemblies.

Porch light after change. (Original was dead so no before/after on this one.)







(Continued... I hate the four image limit on this site for these types of posts... Sigh...)

[denverpilot]

I was distressed to find this damage to the plastic over the motion sensors though. Still thinking about how to repair that. I assume they're using IR sensors so I need plastic (or heck, tape) that is fairly passive at IR light frequencies. Anyone repaired this before without just replacing the fixture? Frankly we never use the motion sensor feature, it's pretty crappy, but maybe now I know why. This wasn't easy to see from ground level and the trailer is a 2013 bought early 2014, so it didn't take long for this crap plastic cover material to deteriorate in the high-UV Colorado sunshine.

[denverpilot]

Anyway moving on. Scare light... Also forgot a "before" shot on this one. Out of all of them done this is the one I'm least "enthused" about. It seems dimmer overall but... The original was so ridiculously bright that I hardly ever turned it on, since it mostly would act as a "bother the neighbors" device.







Edit: Not as enthused is still positive about it. It's broad daylight out here and I'm sure this thing will throw plenty of light at night.

[denverpilot]

Stair light. Thanks for only mounting it with one screw, Keystone. Seriously?

[denverpilot]

Other markers look great too.

[denverpilot]

And they're noticbly brighter even in bright sunlight.

[denverpilot]

Lots of good options offered in the thread. I ended up getting these for the porch/scare:

Yorkim 1156 57-SMD 2835 Wedge LED Cool White Bulbs, 12V Brake Park Light, High Bright Color (Pack of 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A4Z3F3O..._ZmxCxb749N7H6

And two packs of these for the markers...

Cutequeen 10pcs LED Car Lights Bulb White T10 T15 1206 12-smd 906 579 901 904 908 909 912 914 915 916 917 918 920 921 922 923 926 927 928 939 (Pack of 10) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GZGM8BW..._5nxCxbJ3N7QT3

The little ones came nicely packaged in a little plastic box that now holds all of the old incandescent bulbs in the "spares" kit in the trailer and the few extra LEDs I had in the other little box.

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by denverpilot

The on board system is a battery that we call "12 volts" but really is a battery that will be anywhere from say, 10V (badly discharged) to 12.9 (a topped off AGM style). In order to properly charge these cells our chargers (the "converter" which charges and provides additional available DC current for the rest of the loads in the coach while charging the battery) often has multiple "stages" of which cat least one will be up near 14V for traditional lead-acid battery charging.

Most automative techs will call this a "13.8V" system. In our airplanes you'll hear "12V" and "14V" for the older ones, like ours, and then there's the fancy kids with their new 28V systems... But all of them will go up to at least 14V VDC in normal operation and perhaps higher, depending on the quality of the charging device and its accuracy.

And... If you have a connection from your TV to your trailer for charging (different pin than lighting for running lights and brake lights and backup lights, all separate on the typical big RV connector) you'll also have 14V or so coming from your TV alternator (minus voltage drop over what might be a long piece of wire and small gauge) while the TV motor is running.

Decent overview of the battery stuff here:

https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/arti...ry-basics.html

All that is understood, but does not explain how 12v bulbs are OK in the TV, but 12-28v is required in the trailer.