Florescent to LED Light conversion for your camper
The florescent lights in one of my fixtures went out in our camper, replacement bulbs cost about $20. Since I had LED strip left over from my earlier project to install perimeter LED lighting ( http://discussions.texasbowhunter.co...d.php?t=352998 ) I thought I would replace the florescent light with the LED strips.
First and foremost, you will need to verify the light fixture is 12V and before performing any work make sure the power is off on the fixture.
After verifying the power, the process is pretty simple, wire the strips to the existing power source circumventing the ballast. In the first picture is after removing the center piece which exposes the wiring. In the middle of the fixture are a white and black wire from the ceiling, these are the power source wires. Here the white wire is negative and the black is positive, it is important you put a tester to the wires, if you wire the LED strip backwards it will fry the LED strip! Following the positive wire in picture 2 it goes to the switch on the fixture where the output from the switch is a red wire, this is the wire to use for the positive power source to the LED strip so it can be controlled by the switch.
Cut the white wire coming into the fixture and splice to the negative side of the LED strips, splice on the wire side leading into the ceiling. Next, cut the red wire from the switch and splice the switch side of the wire to the positive leads on the LED strip. At this point you should be able to turn the switch on and power up the LEDs.
Next, clean the surface of the fixture with some rubbing alcohol before attaching the LED strip to the fixture. Picture 3 shows the LED strips attached with the wiring and ballast cover in place. I replaced 18” florescent lights with 14” LED strips (that is what I had left on a roll).
Picture 4 shows the completed project (iPhone isn't the best for these pictures). I have read this conversion should reduce the power consumption to about 1/7th the florescent consumption.
First and foremost, you will need to verify the light fixture is 12V and before performing any work make sure the power is off on the fixture.
After verifying the power, the process is pretty simple, wire the strips to the existing power source circumventing the ballast. In the first picture is after removing the center piece which exposes the wiring. In the middle of the fixture are a white and black wire from the ceiling, these are the power source wires. Here the white wire is negative and the black is positive, it is important you put a tester to the wires, if you wire the LED strip backwards it will fry the LED strip! Following the positive wire in picture 2 it goes to the switch on the fixture where the output from the switch is a red wire, this is the wire to use for the positive power source to the LED strip so it can be controlled by the switch.
Cut the white wire coming into the fixture and splice to the negative side of the LED strips, splice on the wire side leading into the ceiling. Next, cut the red wire from the switch and splice the switch side of the wire to the positive leads on the LED strip. At this point you should be able to turn the switch on and power up the LEDs.
Next, clean the surface of the fixture with some rubbing alcohol before attaching the LED strip to the fixture. Picture 3 shows the LED strips attached with the wiring and ballast cover in place. I replaced 18” florescent lights with 14” LED strips (that is what I had left on a roll).
Picture 4 shows the completed project (iPhone isn't the best for these pictures). I have read this conversion should reduce the power consumption to about 1/7th the florescent consumption.
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