2003 Boxer cab lights - can I swap for LEDs?

[michaelmorris]

We have a 2003 Elddis Autoquest 200 which has a Boxer base vehicle. The previous owner fitted a captain's chair conversion kit to the passenger seat. My wife being a 'lark' and me being an 'owl', means that sometimes I stay up reading sitting in in the captains chair whilst she goes to sleep. Unfortunately the cab lights over rear view mirror are really dim. I would like to upgrade the bulbs in this fitting to much brighter LEDs.

 

Does anyone know if this possible and/or advisable?

 

Thanks

[Derek Uzzell]

This earlier forum thread may help

 

http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Peugeot-Boxer-Ducato-2003-Interior-Cab-Light-how-to-remove-/35671/

 

The contemporary Ducato handbook describes the cab-light bubs as 10W CW10 ‘festoon’ type.

 

LED equivalents will be available, but the end-to-end length of festoon bulbs varies and, although it looks like CW10 bulbs may be 39mm long

 

http://barislight.eu/en/component/virtuemart/842/9/led/led-lamps/%CE%BB%CE%B1%CE%BC%CF%80%CE%B1-led-festoon-s85,39mm-3smd,cw-10-30v-dc-1-detail?Itemid=0

 

I would not bet on this being the case.

 

Remove one of the original bulbs, measure its length and then GOOGLE for suitable LED replacements having the correct length (eg “led car bulb festoon 39mm"). The LED versions come in differents designs and some of the bulkier ones may not fit in the cab-light.

 

[michaelmorris]

Thanks

[Derek Uzzell]

This inquiry on the Wild Camping forum relates to replacing a bulb in the cab-light of a 2004 Peugeot Boxer

 

https://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/motorhome-questions-and-knowledge-base-/38821-boxer-interior-light.html

 

I’m pretty sure (having looked at the on-line Boxer handbook for 2003-2004) that the Boxer’s cab-light is the same as a 2003-2004 Ducato's, so the advice provided by Robinhood in the O&AL thread should be relevant to your motorhome.

 

The potentially tricky bit seems to be removal of the clipped-on outer lens. After 14 years the plastic lens may well be brittle, so you’ll need to be careful.

[Alanb]

Hi Michael,

 

On reading your original post, my initial thought was "Why not?". I carried out your proposed modification on my early 2006 (X244) Ducato about 4 years ago. I used 37mm long replacement LED lamps for the original festoon bulbs. The LED assemblies each contained 6 off type 5050 LEDs, and are 16mm wide.

 

Derek has mentioned the difficulty in removing the lens for access. The Fiat manual could be more explicit. If tne unit is similar to that on my vehicle, you need to insert a screwdriver between the headlining and the lamp frame outboard of the switches and close to the corner radius of the lamp frame. NOT BETWEEN THE FRAME AND LENS! There are two metal spring clips attached to the lens at this point, which engage with the frame of the lamp unit. It should be possible to locate these clips by sliding a thin piece of stiff plastic between the lamp frame and the headling.

 

However before going ahead please check that the change will achieve your objective. If your captains chair has a turntable and you a reading while facing backwards, you will be in your own light! In this case a separate light fitment may be better, but perhaps this would be too bright for your wife.

 

Alan