5 REASONS TO CHANGE TO LED LIGHTS FOR YOUR RV TODAY
There is a solid reason why LED lights are the future, as you may have heard. The most effective kind of bulb currently available is an LED. LED lighting upgrades give your RV's existing fixtures more life, need less upkeep, and, best of all, cost you more money.
Continue reading to find out why LEDs are so effective, how they can help you save money, and why they are perfect for campers and RVs.
Then, you may review our advice on updating RV lighting in our post Ugly RV Makeover: How to Change Outdated RV Lighting or choose your preferred design from our collections of RV Lighting Interior Design.
LED Lighting Is More Effective
Because they are less expensive, incandescent (and sometimes halogen or fluorescent) bulbs are often included in RVs. However, LED bulbs are the most energy-efficient lighting available, utilizing just a tiny portion of the energy of other bulb types. For instance, compared to incandescent lights, they are around 80% to 90% more efficient. This is due to the fact that incandescent bulbs primarily utilize energy that is converted to (and wasted as) heat rather than light. However, since LED lights don't generate as much heat, more of their energy is converted into light.
Every ounce of energy matters while RVing. If you want to save money when camping, try to use as little power as possible. Using less energy to keep the lights on when boondocking helps your battery last longer. In both situations, LED lights will help you save energy because of their excellent efficiency.
LED Lighting Will Reduce Your Costs
It's no secret that upfront costs for LED lighting are higher. However, because to their lengthy lifespans and inexpensive power, they often make up for this in the long term. Using energy-efficient lighting at a campsite with connections may save your power bill. LED lights will use less electricity and burn less gasoline if you're boondocking and using a generator.
How many bulbs you replace, how much you spend for power, and how often you use your lights are some of the variables that will determine how fast you recover your expenses after making the move to LED.
In recent years, the cost of LED lights has decreased, and this trend is anticipated to continue in the future. The cheapest option isn't necessarily the best one, however; you get what you pay for, and spending a little more money on a higher-quality light may be worthwhile in the long run.
You may switch all of your present lighting fixtures over to LED bulbs at once or gradually over time. If you decide to make changes gradually, think about which bulbs you use the most often each day and focus on them first.
LED Lights Are More Durable
The fact that LED lights endure substantially longer than any other light on the market is one of the key factors contributing to their popularity. LEDs are a terrific alternative for both interior and exterior lighting since you don't have to worry about fragile filaments being jostled within the bulb as you drive. (LED tail lights are fantastic, too!)
The typical rated lifespan of LED lights is 25,000 to 50,000 hours, compared to 7,000-15,000 hours for fluorescent lights, 2,000-4,000 hours for halogen lights, and 750-2,000 hours for incandescent lights. This is in addition to the fact that they are just more robust. (Remember, too, that dampness and heat from the outside will reduce an LED light's lifetime.)
In real-world terms, this implies that a 50,000-hour LED light will last around 27 years when used for 5 hours each day. Even a low-end 25,000-hour bulb has a lifespan of almost 13.5 years.
In comparison, an incandescent bulb with a longer lifetime will only last slightly less than one and a half years. About twice as long will a halogen bulb last. About 8 years will pass before a fluorescent light bulb has to be changed.
LED Lighting Is Safer
LEDs are more safer in this aspect since they are far less likely to burn you or catch fire. LEDs operate substantially cooler than traditional bulbs, yet being usually brighter than other sources of illumination. Additionally, they won't heat up your trailer on those sticky summer nights since they don't emit a lot of waste heat. LEDs don't emit UV light, so they won't cause your clothes or other possessions to fade.
Though they only become around 50% as hot as incandescent and halogen bulbs and 30% as hot as CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs, keep in mind that LEDs do create some heat and may get warm to the touch. If mounted in an enclosed light fixture, certain LEDs will be adversely impacted by their own heat. To determine if a bulb may be used in an enclosed fixture, always check the box.
Almost Any Fixture Can Use LED Lights
Finding a fixture made for RVs—which will often be 12v low voltage lighting instead of 120v, which is what most houses operate on—is the simplest method to add LEDs to your vehicle (though some RVs may have this as well).
You are not constrained to these 12v systems, however. The good news is that you can, whether you want to buy a 120v fixture from your neighborhood hardware shop or get inventive and create your own light fixture for the ultimate personalized touch. The voltage of your new bulb must match that of your current system; this is crucial. For instance, you must pick a 12v bulb that will fit the new fixture if your RV's present lights are 12v. Consider the fixture as just a technique to customize the bulb's appearance.
