Ep. 245: Installing Dimmers for RV Lights | travel camping RVlife
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- čas přidán 13. 07. 2024
- If you're like many RV owners you've found the overhead 12V lights to be far too bright. In this week's Grand Adventure we install two forms of 12V dimmers to soften the harshness of our RV's lighting.
Filmed: March 5-7, 2022
CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
1:40 Installing the RecPro dimmer switch
5:02 Installing a dimmer-equipped puck light
7:08 The results
7:20 Dimming on OneControl
7:53 Get these dimmers for yourself
8:20 Wrap-up
FOR MORE INFORMATION
* RecPro RV Dimmer Switch amzn.to/3vO9TqX
* acegoo 12V LED Ceiling Dome Light, RV Boat Dimmable Puck Light amzn.to/34mcDAG
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Very helpful! Lighting makes a huge difference! I usually measure 3 times and still cut it wrong. Thanks again for the great videos!
Thank you Michael! It's made a huge difference for us. It's so nice to have the lighting balanced.
Just put two in…perfect!!
Did have to drill new holes, but easily done.
Ordered four more and done!
Thanks again
Very cool Todd! Glad to hear that this was helpful.
Next cut you make like that, first mask the outside of your opening with painters tape. Then check your “hole” before cutting by matching the outline of your switch with what it’s supposed to cover. Also helps get perfectly straight lines with some protection against “slip up” marks on your plate.
Great suggestion! I tried to mark it with a pen, which didn't turn out too well.
I didn't realize such a dimmer was available. Going to have to look into it further
because I agree, those led's are painfully bright even with the opaque covers.
Thanks for another great idea!
Thanks Mike, and thanks for watching!
Have slowly replaced the ceiling lights to LED. The bulbs are much cooler and require less amps. Yes, Easy on the eyes is a must when you are older! I like the idea of a dimmer switch and will keep your video as a reference. You ALWAYS know how to hit a home-run with the videos and content. Sorry, but don’t have the info for your RV, to reprogram your lights. Such a bummer as that was not completed at installing from manufacture. Happy Trails
Hey Marc,
Just returned from a few nights camping in Bisbee, AZ. It was our first real life test of the new dimmers. They worked beautifully! My wife and I are both thrilled at the adjustable light level. We were able to return the various battery and solar lights we were using to our outside lighting inventory. Thanks again!!
Armor
That's fantastic! Happy to hear that they're working out as well for you as they are for us.
So adding this to our list of updates for our RV. It seams the list just keeps getting bigger. :)
It never ends, Diane. 😄
Great information video. Dimmer switch is the way to go. Love the new intro. Thanks Don
Thanks for noticing Don! I think we'll stick with this intro for a while, but not >3 years like the last one. 😁
I just got done changing out both of our USB/12v outlets. I used the same table knife tool that you used! 😉
I know it’s only 12 volts, but it’s a good habit to turn off the power when working on electricity.
We have a couple lights in our trailer where I think we might do this.
Nice look at the end. It looked real cozy!
Thanks again,
Ram
👍🏼👍🏽
You bet Ram! We've been super happy having dimmers on those lights.
How timely! Just rec’d my dimmable light and am waiting to uncover the RV and then install it. Now I know what to expect, thanks Marc! And, love the new opening!
Happy to help Randy, and thanks for your feedback on the new intro!
Thank you so much for this. Just ordered two of the dome lights.
Excellent Todd! Swapping them out is soooo easy.
Okay... I watch all your videos but this video Knocked it out of the park. You must have been reading everyone's mind. I had been searching Amazon but was afraid to push the button.
Ordered 3 single and two double switches. THANKS.
OH... Must say I hate the RV lighting, I had already got many dimmable lamps so I could balance the evening's lights.
Thanks Mike! The swap is so easy, you won't regret it one bit.
Binge watching G.A… so funny started / transferred to new hospital lab last October,. Moved to another location and Now working 12 hour shifts 7p-7a. With 7 on and 7 off. But as luck would have it, I haven’t had 7 off yet..LOL … so sometimes I don’t get a chance to view your videos…but I can binge…LOLl. See ya later !! Happy Trails
We're happy too that you can binge Michelle, thanks so much and take care!
Those dimmers are really good Marc and make a big difference in your RV. Thanks for the Video and the links👍
Our pleasure Kevin.
I never thought about this before. Great idea.
It makes such a huge difference.
Loved the new intro. Didn't know about the dimmable lights and switches. My rig is 11 yrs old and the bulbs have been changed to L.E.D.s but not sure if I need to dim them or not. Now you'll have me thining about it next time I use my trailer. Ha!
Food for thought John, and thanks for your feedback on the new intro!
Information was awesome marc. Nice video.
Thanks as always Timothy!
nice job. looks much better!
Thank you! We're loving it.
Hey Marc,
Going forward, my first name is Armor. Last name is Todd.
My apologies! I usually try to deduce it from the username, which isn't always the person's name. I guessed wrong this time.
Your One Control has a set of wires connected to power your ceiling lights. You could identify which wires those are, and splice in a master dimmer switch for the whole lighting circuit, which you could mount near the One Control panel. Because the LED lights draw very low amperage, a single dimmer for the whole circuit should work fine.
That's a great idea, Athol! Thanks for that.
If anyone runs into flickering when dimming multiple zones of LED lights, I resolved this by adding 16v 2200UF capacitors to the input side of my dimmer controls. Resolved flickering entirely.
Great tip, thanks Stevey!
Oh this is a cool idea. LED lights are so nice though.
Thanks! They're still LED, just that they're now dimmable.
Aww,. You changed your intro pics…its lovely, but miss the ole’ one as well. Been watching for along time and just got used to seeing the other pics.
After 4 years we needed an update.
Thanks Marc. This is definitely one of those things that every full timer will need to know.
When does your annual RV travel begin this year? You must be getting close by now. March seems to be the pivot month.
Gord
Getting close indeed Gord. We're supposed to be here thorough the end of April but I'm trying to convince Mrs GA to head out sooner
@@GrandAdventure Cabin fever will set in before the end of April...🙈
Gord
I tried this on my Grand Design. Failed. Turned out the light switch by the door went to the OneConnect panel and didn't really complete the 12 volt circuit. It was only a remote relay switch. Need to find a place to interrupt the circuit after the control panel.
Yup, we actually address (but don't solve) this issue in tonight's video.
Lights work and dim but cant shut them off all the way. Maybe a defective switch idk.
Perhaps, we don't have that issue at all
Another great video Marc, its funny I'm also working on installing new lights in our trailer. I'm curious if the puck light you installed that has the built in dimmer button is a cool white or warm white? I see they sell a 3000k and a 5000k which one did you buy? The lights that came with our trailer are all ceiling puck lights that were warm LED lights that pretty much put out a brown color that wasn't very bright at all. The puck LED lights I installed are like yours but from a different company and have a built in dimmer button and are cool white 6000k and are pretty bright, maybe to bright.
We bought the 3000K Michael, which is a warm white similar to that produced by an incandescent soft white bulb. We find 5000K or 6000K lights to be much too harsh on the eyes
@@GrandAdventure Thank you so much, that's what I was thinking. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be changing out the 6000K lights to the warm lights very soon. Keep up the good work
Why can't you install them on the 8 bright lights?. I think you can turn each one on separately by the push button and dim them, then use the switch. I think each dimmable has memory to the last set position? I'm gonna try it on mine.
Yes, that absolutely will work. We wanted to have a single button to control the dimming feature, and that's not possible on the OneControl, but what you're suggesting will work just fine.
@@GrandAdventure I was hoping so. Great vid!!
@@stauffer65 thank you.
I hate those touch-to-dim devices. There are similar dimmers that have a slider next to a switch. Far easier to get exactly the brightness you want.
Whatever works for you! Rotating knobs are available too.
Stuff the hole with a piece of cotton and it will look just like the light color in the wallpaper
That's a fantastic idea, thanks Walter!
Hi Mark, I purchased the RecPro dimmer with 4 leads like you have in this video. I have similar LED puck lights. I cannot figure out the wiring for my lights. I have 3 leads that connect to the current switch, it's has an LED that is always powered. There are 3 wire that connect to the switch (black, white, red). I'm not sure how to wire the 4 leads from the dimmer to my current 3 lead switch. Do you have any idea what I can do?
Update***
I figured it out. With the 3 prong rocker switch. With my switch layout there is battery positive (red), neutral (white), and positive to the device/light (black). I took the RecPro In-/Out- (white) and spliced them together and tied them to my neutral wire. The RecPro In+ is tied to my battery positive. Last the RecPro Out+ wire is tied to my black (light/device) wire. With this all is working perfectly super pleased with this switch!
Thanks for the excellent video.
Happy to hear that you got things worked out, and thanks for watching!
Kind of a long shot question but couldn’t 100% figure out the low-high switch type. My current switch has 3 connections - 2 I’m aware of and 1 that has 2 wires tied together before being attached to the switch. The new dimmer has 4 connections and once I connect the 2 known ones, I’m not sure what to do with the other pos/neg from the switch to the 1 (twin) wire…
AP, I'm happy to try to help but I'm not entirely following what you're describing. Does your current switch control one or two lights?
It’s actually the rocker which controls almost all the overhead puck lights. The back of the switch has 3 wires (red, white - these are interconnected with the same wires from the awning and stair light switches) and 1 more connection at the bottom of the rocker which has 2 wires that are crimped together coming in (these 2 seem heavier gauge - much like the ones in your video). The dimmer has 2 red and 2 black connections.
@@-AP-561 oh man. That sounds like a complicated mess, to be honest. I'm afraid that I'm probably not much help without being there to trace those wires.
Got it, I figured so. I’ve been searching online to see if anyone else has changed these out with the same travel trailer (Coachman Apex) but no luck so far. Thanks for the reply though.
I think I may have similar setup. I have a 2006 Country Coach Class A RV. I have the schematics but trying to figure them out is really tough. My switch has an LED light that is always on.
Did you ever find out how to wire the RecPro dimmer?
Another great video! Thanks!
Question for you or anyone else that reads this. I'm not much of a handyman but have some light issues that I need some advice on. I have 1 light switch that controls a bank of 5 lights. And its way too bright. 2 of the lights are over our table and sometimes we would like to have those lights on and the other 3 off. And sometimes we want the one light above the stove and sink on and the other 4 off.
Is there an easy way to make that happen? It would be great if they turned on at the light and I would just replace them with the ones in your video, but they are all 5 controlled by the one switch!
Thanks!
BH
Thanks for your kind words, Brett!
Are they puck lights? If so, you could replace the ones you want to turn on/off separately with the switched ones. That way you could turn them all on/off at the wall switch, then individually turn off the ones you don't want on via the switch in the fixture.
They are puck lights controlled by switch. Didn't know if I could leave the switch on and then replace the lights with the ones that you can turn off and on at the light. It appears so with your answer, so will go to your stores and order 5 of those! Thanks much!!
@@bretthackman5415 thank you! Yep, that will work like a charm.
Giant stadium? That’s old school lol, are you originally from jersey?
The Northeast. Same diff. 😉
If you don't have the electronic touch screen control panel for your main room LED lights, I have a video on how to mod them to dim, see JohnsDIYplayground channel. I also make the 3d print adapters
Sometimes when she isn't as cute as I thought I'd like to dim the lights
🤣
Good show
My wife hates the lights over our RV bed .
To damn bright
Thanks bud! Sounds like you have an afternoon project ahead.
L. E. D. are nice but way too bright. Awning lights would light up 3 sites until I dimmed them. Dimmed the 6 ceilings lights as well. Simple rocker switch controlled them.
We hear ya Greg! Good on you for getting those under control.