Awning led lightstrips?

[silverbullet]

Seems to be a hot topic across the pond...anyone using something like this? Looks to be cheap as chips, worth a go or is there better i.e. rigid units that can be fixed with screws or something else again?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dream-Waterproo ... rip+lights" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Titus A Duxass]

I've thought about them but never gotaroundtuit.

[lloydy]

I've got the one brickwerks sells, its really good. Has been used at the last two AO shows, gives off a lot of light. Has clips on it to secure. Not cheap though, but won't break the piggy bank..

[PetenAli]

We have the BW one that lloydy mentions as well. It clips to the horizontal bar in a Westy pop top which is where we store it when travelling. The lead is plenty long enough to go outside when using awning or canopy. It gives off loads of light and works on 12v or 240v. I think we've had it for three or four years and its been dropped loads of times but still keeps working well.

Here's a link http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/index.php/l ... l?___SID=U" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Jim San]

Seems to be a hot topic across the pond...anyone using something like this? Looks to be cheap as chips, worth a go or is there better i.e. rigid units that can be fixed with screws or something else again?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dream-Waterproo ... rip+lights" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yeah, we use those, I had (still have somewhere) 2 lots - one for in the tent and one for the caravanstore awning I had for 20 minutes!
I also have a 5m length of the all singing all dancing flashy colourful ones which are velcro'd around the perimeter of the pop roof in our T5

They give an impressive amount of light for the power they use - even when fully dimmed
I'd recommend:
- lots of decent hooks to hold them up (they sag a lot)
- a decent length of power cable and euro plug / ciggy light plug
- a decent spool or alternative method of storing it (round tuppaware tub etc)
- bin the crappy remote and just wire them through a switch

The ones which flash and go through loads of colour changes are cool for a while but the novelty soon wears off unless you have kids. The fun of losing of the remote control never gets tired

[ninja.turtle007]

We have a strip of the inside that goes over the metal part of the roof near the catch for the pop top. The light bounces of the roof and lights up the pop top really well. We have warm white rather than cool white.its a mucher nicer light in my opinion.

The internal version can just be cut to length and you can solder the wires to it.

[silverbullet]

Thanks all. I was looking for something low-profile to permanently fix to the bottom of the roof tent for when it's folded out (that's the awning!) and fix a small battery box & switch under there too. Doesn't need to be fancy but waterproof is essential. I didn't really want to nail anything on the outside of the Dehler because it makes the electrical connection messy, unless it has it's own battery pack and solar, but then the whole thing rapidly gets out of hand.

[busbuddy]

just be aware that the leds you get (self adhesive strip type) can vary dramatically in brightness and power usage

despite some sellers using the same brightness figures they can vary from helicopter searchlight to candle light, we have them on our wind out awning and had to try a few to get the right level of light

[silverbullet]

Thanks. Anything to recommend or avoid on ebay/amazon/other?

[ghost123uk]

Check with your meter the current draw on some of those strips of LEDs. I was a bit surprised at the amount mine draw.


.

[busbuddy]

Thanks. Anything to recommend or avoid on ebay/amazon/other?

its really all down to what brightness suits you, the ones we didn't like we gave to other van owners and they are happy with them

[silverbullet]

I never made a decision on this one, now thinking that sealed daytime running light units might be a better choice. I am concerned that the light may be too intense though?

[nordberg]

Not really a solution for outside the van , but this looks pretty good for moody lighting inside a van. Saw these at IKEA.

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00202324/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[slippy8v]

Nordberg
I got a set of these from ikea just trying to find the right spot for them, cut the plug off and they run from a 12v supply, might rig them up on a pole for the awning.

[syncropatrick]

I bought a cheapo ebay 5m roll of these leds. super bright, so much that i fitted a led specific cheapo dimmer. only ever use on full whack when tearing the place apart looking for the last sock. warm white recommeded.
After 3 years some of the leds (<5%) have failed completely, or intermittently flicker when dimmed. it only cost be a tenner all in, but its a bit of a pain to have to take the 5m down and put in a new one.
mines inside, but see no reason why the led roll as its waterproof couldn't be mounted outside with the dimmer inside.
Dutchdude has something similar on his Fiamma awning. As per his work, a quality, discrete install.