I have always liked a lot of light. Our Baja trailer is only 13 foot long but is illuminated by ten lights 5 -12 volt florescent and 3- 110
floresent plus a combination set of a 12 V & 110 for a total of 10 lights....For a number of years I have become ever increasingly fascinated
with the LED (light emitting diode) lights as a source of illumination for our small Baja trailer.
A brief history;
It began with a small single LED clip on light I discovered at the local "99 cent" store
We then migrated set of small 3 LED clip on lights I purchased at Costco.
We used them as a light to guide the way to the bath room in the middle of the night, a light to tell the time, and often with my early before
daylight awakenings to pour hot water in to a cup for my early morning hot chocolate.
Next we obtained a package of three LED "puck" lights, each containing a dual power, high and low powered by 5 LEDs. These were just set on the table
and utilized as a mood lights when full illumination was not required in the trailer.
A year ago I discovered a "Tent light" at Target. It was about 6-7 inches in diameter and contained as I recall 13 LEDs. On our last trip we
suspended it by it's built in attachment and used is as a primary light for dinner and on occasion after dinner conversations.
This past few months I have obtained a "wireless 9 LED track lights" from Walmart. I was under the impression that this might be an auxiliary light
source for above the stove and sink. But after testing discovered it was not up to the wife's expectations.
I also obtained a small six LED mini camp lantern from Walmart. It had several unique features: 3 LEDs,6 LEDs or a single red LED. We have only
house tested this unit, but so far the light illuminated adequately but the beam is narrow. Only a field test will provide the answer.
Last week end we purchased a set of two "Lumen 6 under the cabinet light" at Costco. It has many features that would be handy for Baja camp life.
Six LEDs, an up-right mount which allows easy detachment, as well as a permanent shoe type mount. The two light combined would provide 12 LEDs of
illumination.
Two weeks ago we were at a Bar B Que. The tables all had a umbrella which was illuminated by a " LED UMbrella light " which I recall being 24 LEDs.
I asked the host about the source and he indicated his wife, the catalog queen of our social group discovered them in a --where else? a catalog. So
far the have not appeared on the local market.
For me, LEDs are OK for lighting small specific areas when their "elements" are below the eye level.
But for the same reason I dont really like fluorescent tubes, I dont like general lighting by LEDs; the color temp of most all I've seen are harsh on
my eyes or too pink/red to be enough lumens. PLus, they wreak havoc on night vision outside of the immediate lit area.
I prefer the warmth of your basic incandescent light with a tungsten element. The 12v ones are fine with me.
The best use for LEDs, IMO, is as exterior marker lights for vehicles.
This harkens back to my UW cinematography days of yesteryear when color balance was every thing..
Light is measured as a Kelvin factor
5600 Kelvin is considered sun light
Progressing down the scale;
4200K Florescent lights
3000K Halogen lights
2700K Incandescent lights
LEDs vary depending on application from a high of 6000K- brighter than sun light, to a low of about 4500 K which is near that of the florescent lights
at 4200K--and which I somehow suspect is used in most of the LEDs intended to illuminate for possible reading.
I still have my old UW color temperature meter -some where. If I uncover it and it still works It would be interesting to measure the K factor on
LEDs compaired to other sources of light
The higher the K factor the whiter the light; the lower the warmer the light.
To obtain a very warm light use Incandescent lights to obtain a real warn glow use a candle for illumination.
Motoged makes a good point. Those LED headlamps are great. But again, directional and not in the eyes.
And, yes, Dean, we use lots of candles. We also strive for indirect lighting when we can. Love the torchiere lamps with the halogen bulbs that are in
so much disfavor nowadays (of course, not for camping!). Just cant stand looking at the source of most lights. One of the worst is when the guy next
to you at a camp breaks out the double mantle Coleman lamp on high or the fluroscent tube version and sets it on the picnic table. Instant night
blindness all around.
Don't get too attached to your incadescent lights cause they're on the way out. Energy and all that. About all you see now are the compact
florescent bulbs, in fact at Costco yesterday, they did not sell any incadescent bulbs at all, just CF. LED's are getting there, soon they will have
the softer color that we all want. I like the flickering ones that they make in Tiki Tourch lamps that are solar powered.
Originally posted by ncampion
Don't get too attached to your incadescent lights cause they're on the way out. Energy and all that. About all you see now are the compact
florescent bulbs, in fact at Costco yesterday, they did not sell any incadescent bulbs at all, just CF. LED's are getting there, soon they will have
the softer color that we all want. I like the flickering ones that they make in Tiki Tourch lamps that are solar powered.
The thing about the CFs that they werent revealing initially is that they have a short lifespan if they are turned on and off frequently and they also
fail quickly if the base is not mounted down or sideways.
Costco aint what I'd call a retailer that is a predictor of shopping trends; heck, it's a crapshoot as to whether ANY product will be there the next
time you're there.
This was a discussion about CAMPING light sources, wasnt it? I havent seen many 12v CFs.
Originally posted by ncampion
Don't get too attached to your incadescent lights cause they're on the way out. Energy and all that. About all you see now are the compact
florescent bulbs, in fact at Costco yesterday, they did not sell any incadescent bulbs at all, just CF. LED's are getting there, soon they will have
the softer color that we all want. I like the flickering ones that they make in Tiki Tourch lamps that are solar powered.
Yeah better stock up on Chinese stock.
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Costco aint what I'd call a retailer that is a predictor of shopping trends; heck, it's a crapshoot as to whether ANY product will be there the next
time you're there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If it can't be found at Costco, Walmart, Harbor Freight or at a Garage Sale, then is isn't worth owning...
Costco aint what I'd call a retailer that is a predictor of shopping trends; heck, it's a crapshoot as to whether ANY product will be there the next
time you're there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If it can't be found at Costco, Walmart, Harbor Freight or at a Garage Sale, then is isn't worth owning...
sdm
Largely agree except that I'm convinced that Costco is sometimes used as a dumping ground by mfgrs. for outdated products.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If it can't be found at Costco, Walmart, Harbor Freight or at a Garage Sale, then is isn't worth owning...
sdm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Largely agree except that I'm convinced that Costco is sometimes used as a dumping ground by mfgrs. for outdated products.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LEDs are out dated?
I have been laboring under the impression they are the very latest in lighting...Is there something new and exciting we on this board should know
about?
You're taking my statement out of context. Clearly, LEDs are not out dated.
I earlier indicated to someone that just because something is sold at Costco is no indication that it is cutting edge or an indicator of trends.
Costco is a clearinghouse; sometimes for products that are on the way out.
Flat panel TVs and laptops are a good example. Clearly, they are not out dated but Costco often carries discontinued models.
I have embraced LEDS for specific functions. But I'm not so battery-capacity challenged that I MUST use them. Twin 6 volt batteries in series is
enough for most all of my needs. And when it isnt (running a 12v freezer, for instance), LED sources aren't going to make or break the situation.
I have used LED lights almost exclusively for camping for years.
Yes, I still use a propane lantern for car camping when I'm cooking and playing cards; but, that will change soon enough. The amount of light you can
get from an LED vs the amount of energy required just can't be argued with.
Several years back I gave a high powered LED flashlight to an older Mexican gentleman that was a tourist guide in an old mine near Guanajuato ... he
was amazed when I told him that the light would run 24 hours on a few AA's.
The LED that I gave him was much brighter and lasted longer then the rechargeable battery pack that he was using to give tours with. Nonetheless, I
told him always to carry a backup light source.. but I'm sure as an old miner, he knew to do so.
The one place I have found halogens lights to be more useful, is for serious cross country navigation at night. I have had and have some serious
LED's in the past.. but they just don't cut it when trying to survey the best way down a steep ravine at night. Time will, and maybe has, changed
since I last climbed.
Some headlamps combine LED and Halogen to enable you to conserve power while still allowing you to cut though the night when needed. For around
camp.. there are more and more LED solutions each year.
"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen.
The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back
if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt
"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes
"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others
cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn
"The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer." - Cunningham's Law
Thankyou to Baja Bound
Mexico InsuranceServices for your long-term support of the BajaNomad.com Forums site.
Emergency Baja Contacts Include:
Desert Hawks;
El Rosario-based ambulance transport; Emergency #: (616) 103-0262
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
