BML Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 I have a series of round directional lights two each side of the living area. These have bulbs that are 30mm in length with a twin spoke connection 8mm in length with a gap between the spokes of 5mm. I also have a number of twin fluorescent tubes. I would like to change the lighting over to LED and wonder if one just buys LED bulbs and LED fluorescent tubes. I like to read while away and LED would be most helpful so I wonder if anybody could offer guidance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Bajcar Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Not sure where you are based but Aten lighting at Melton Mowbray take some beating www.atenlighting.co.uk/ You might find things a bit cheaper on e-bay but I took advice from Aten and most of my lights came from them when I changed them over Mick Bajcar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 And another vote for Aten! And if you see them at one of the shows you'll get personal advice and a discount! Keith. PS I replaced my fluorescent tubes with a strip of sticky backed LED's and ditching all the electronics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 BML From your description the 30mm-long bulbs are almost certainly G4 halogen ‘capsule’ type (see attached photo). In motorhomes/caravans these are usually 10W or 20W, so you’ll need to inspect the markings on your bulbs to establish their wattage. You’ll see from the section of the Aten Lighting website that relates to G4 LED bulbs https://www.atenlighting.co.uk/caravan-motorhome-lighting/g4-leds that replacements for G4 halogen capsule bulbs can be ‘side-pin’, ‘back-pin’ or ‘tower’ design and, if you look at the webpage for each type of design https://www.atenlighting.co.uk/caravan-motorhome-lighting/g4-leds/side-pin-g4 https://www.atenlighting.co.uk/caravan-motorhome-lighting/g4-leds/back-pin-g4 https://www.atenlighting.co.uk/caravan-motorhome-lighting/g4-leds/tower-g4 you’ll realise that that there is further specification-variation. Which LED bulb will be ‘right’ for you will depend on the design/size of the round directional lights in your Pollensa and whether the halogen bulb is perpendicular to the reflector or horizontal. It can be challenging to fit replacement LED bulbs to the light-units used in older leisure-vehicles and modifications may need to be made (eg. removing an outer glass protectice cover or the reflector behind the halogen bulb). You should choose an LED bulb with a light-output at least equivalent to the wattage of the halogen bulb that is being replaced and I strongly advise you to opt for the ‘warm white’ colour rather than ‘cool white’. Motorcaravanners normally change halogen bulbs to LED bulbs because the latter use significantly less 12V power. However, as the fluorescent-tube lights fitted to leisure-vehicles usually have a reasonably low current-drain, provided that the ones in your Pollensa are working OK, I suggest you leave them alone. Otherwise (if you MUST fiddle!) the following link should provide some light reading: https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=12v+fluorescent+tube+led+replacement and I note that Aten Lighting can offer advice https://www.atenlighting.co.uk/caravan-motorhome-lighting/fluorescent-replacement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Bajcar Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 I had a fluorescent (2D - like two back to back Ds) in my Chausson and I replaced that with two of the fluorescents replacement panels that Derek refers to above. I thought I would need three or four of them but Aten advised against that - they could have taken more money off me! They are brilliant (pun intended), far brighter than the 2D and its accompanying electronics and, whilst I cannot now remember the figures, the current drain is now far lower. It was simply a case of removing the whole 2D device, connecting the panels instead and holding them in place with cable ties. Mick Bajcar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BML Posted May 30, 2017 Author Share Posted May 30, 2017 Many thanks for all of your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solomongrundy Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 I bought 40 LED bulbs for around £20 off Ebay about three years ago, changed all the bulbs in the motorhome interior and not one has needed replacing since then. Perhaps I've been lucky or perhaps there's too much 'expert' advice to baffle the newcomer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 Solomongrundy - 2017-05-30 10:18 AMI bought 40 LED bulbs for around £20 off Ebay about three years ago, changed all the bulbs in the motorhome interior and not one has needed replacing since then.Perhaps I've been lucky or perhaps there's too much 'expert' advice to baffle the newcomer. I did something similar but a friend bought his selection of changeover led units from Aten at the Peterborough Show and they were very helpful - and there stuff is guaranteed. The total cost of his conversion was under £40. All their stuff will come from the Far East so you could save a few pennies by buying direct, if you can track down exactly what you need, but Aten stock a full range of colour and brightness variations for all the different G4/MR11/MR16 units and they guarantee their stuff, so I don't think it's worth shopping around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 Solomongrundy - 2017-05-30 10:18 AM I bought 40 LED bulbs for around £20 off Ebay about three years ago, changed all the bulbs in the motorhome interior and not one has needed replacing since then. Perhaps I've been lucky or perhaps there's too much 'expert' advice to baffle the newcomer. The expectation is that a LED replacement bulb will be very long-lasting, but that’s certainly not always so. I swapped the ten G4 and six MR16 halogen bulbs originally fitted to my 2005 Hobby motorhome for LED equivalents and of the G4 LED bulbs were still working OK when I sold the vehicle in 2014. I replaced four of the six MR16 LED bulbs I bought initially as the latter’s light output proved to be insufficient. One of the two remaining original LED MR16 bulbs failed spectacularly and one of the four replacement LED MR16 bulbs failed partially. I bought the LED bulbs from “Ultraleds” and my posting of 12 November 2013 1:53 PM in this 2013 forum thread refers http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Interior-Lights-Halogen-to-LEDs/33127/ While LED bulbs can be obtained cheaply (ebay advert example here) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-x-G4-led-Bulbs-Capsule-Cool-Warm-White-Replace-Halogen-DC-12V-Light-Bulb-Lamp-/391726546225 the replacement exercise itself has potential pifalls that I’ve touched on above and that have been mentioned in previous forum discussions. It seems likely that BML will need some G4-bulb LED equivalents, but spending £3.41 for the 10 LED bulbs in the ebay advert would be wasted if those bulbs had unsuitable light-output, or an unpleasant colour, or just would not fit in his Pollensa’s light-units. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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