Cruisers Forum

Main Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: Rick John on November 14, 2017, 02:39:43 pm

Title: Coach Lights retrofit
Post by: Rick John on November 14, 2017, 02:39:43 pm
Aloha... I have a 2010 2551, with the fluorescent tube coach lights.
Is it feasible to retrofit them with the LED lights now being installed in new models?

Rick John
Waialua, HI
Title: Re: Coach Lights retrofit
Post by: Two Hams in a Can on November 14, 2017, 03:19:45 pm
Hi Rick John. . .welcome to the forum (noticed this was your first post).  Take a look at the Tips and Tricks Section of the forum.  I did a quick search and came up with this one so far.  http://forum.phoenixusarv.com/index.php/topic,2186.0.html  You can click on "search" and use different wording to find other threads.  Good luck.   :)(:
Title: Re: Coach Lights retrofit
Post by: Rick John on November 14, 2017, 03:38:27 pm
Thanks Much!!!  Should have known Ron D would have the answer!

Aloha... Rick
Title: Re: Coach Lights retrofit
Post by: jatrax on November 14, 2017, 06:24:44 pm
Short answer is YES!  Ron has done it in one fashion.  I believe just swapping the bulbs and then modding the fixture switch.  Another option is to swap out the entire fixture for LED ones.  Either way a good upgrade.

Camping world has a variety of fixtures as does other vendors.  You might also contact the factory and ask if they would sell you a set of the current LED fixtures as replacements.  Might not be any more expensive than a full set of LED bulbs.
Title: Re: Coach Lights retrofit
Post by: Rick John on November 14, 2017, 06:42:29 pm
Thanks!  (Or Mahalo Nui Loa, as it is said here.)

I've also realized that replacement T5 12" bulbs are available at Amazon for about $10-$15 each.
Should have done my homework before posting I guess !!

Rick
Title: Re: Coach Lights retrofit
Post by: jatrax on November 14, 2017, 07:50:35 pm
No worries, that's what we are here for :)

Just curious, and I suppose the answer is obvious, but how did you get a Phoenix Cruiser to Hawaii?
Title: Re: Coach Lights retrofit
Post by: Rick John on November 14, 2017, 10:09:52 pm
Aloha jatrax... actually the PC is in Oregon.  I have a nice secure, fully enclosed storage unit there, and chose that place in Tualatin mostly for the facility (nice, was new in 2016, very secure, amenities like dump station, power washer, hi pressure air compressor, etc.) and the location, as i can fly easily between HI and Portland, and then it's just a 30 minute shuttle ride between the airport and my storage site. 

Rick
Title: Re: Coach Lights retrofit
Post by: jatrax on November 15, 2017, 11:33:10 am
OK, I understand.  Actually Tualatin is just down the hill a bit from us, and over the river.  Guess I was looking for exciting stories of RV travel in Hawaii.  :)
Title: Re: Coach Lights retrofit
Post by: Ron Dittmer on November 15, 2017, 04:10:26 pm
Since the subject has come up, I'd like to report that my LED interior lighting conversion continues to perform extremely well.  The LED lights are so much nicer than our original florescent bulbs, offering a much warmer color tone and are never finicky like the florescent bulbs were.  And the reduced energy usage is always a welcome for battery reserves given we rarely have shore power in our travels.

The extra tiny 3-LED night lights I added inside each fixture were well worth the effort, for "ambiance" throughout the cabin.  Turning on eight fixtures to the night light setting, all combined is only 2.2 watts which is half the power of one light at a normal setting.  The entire cabin has a nice warm atmosphere with never a worry about draining the batteries.

Just to warn you, if you are going to consider the conversion I did, you will need to be good with a soldering iron.

Ron