Fluorescent Light Replacements for RVs

Last updated on February 23rd, 2019 at 08:21 pm

December 26, 2017 by Marlan at Rv52 Leave a Comment

replace your RV fluorescent lights with led light strips

(Note: A reader sent me how he converted his fluorescent lights. I took his excellent writeup and added some edits. Readers words are in italics. Thanks Jerry!)

My 2007 Revolution came with (10) 18″ 2 bulb florescent light fixtures throughout the coach. Since I have owned it about 6 years, I’ve had to keep a good supply of replacement florescent bulbs as the florescent fail.

I have never liked florescent lighting!

When one goes out, is it a bulb or is it the ballast? For this reason, I’ve started converting all residential & commercial florescent to LED without ballasts and I’ve been real pleased. Pretty simple conversion on 115V AC. Not so simple on 12V DC! There are some $50 each 18″ T-8 12V DC bulbs available but you still have to have a ballast.

The conversion (from fluorescent bulbs in a specialty fixture to led light strips in a 12V-only past-tense fluorescent fixture) is more about rebuilding the light fixture than figuring out wiring but the results is perfect for me. The LED strips come in different lengths that can match your light fixture and can be cut down in 3″ increments (depends on the light strip) to give you different length options.

There are wires on both ends but only need to be wired on one end. In my fixtures, they are pop riveted together so I simply disassemble the fixture, cut the LED strip down to 16″, remove the ballast and the extra wire from the fixture, then reassemble with pop rivets using 2 of the cut down strips to replace the florescent tubes.

The initial price for converting fluorescent to LED is about twice what I was paying for that 18″ florescent bulb that didn’t last and less than a 1/3 the price of the LED bulb that still needs a ballast.

These lights (most LED lights are very long life) are said to last 5 years, they generate no heat, and they take very little power to run. (LED lights will typically reduce power consumption by around 50% over fluorescents for the same amount of light output).

I’m loving them! I’ve got the conversion down to about 30 minutes per fixture but my first one took about 2 hours.

You can find LED light strips on Amazon (disclosure) which are what Jerry would use to convert his RV 12VDC fluorescent light fixture to a straight 12VDC led light fixture that is very similar in length and lighting (except better) to fluorescents.

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What Campers and RVers Should Know About Beating Bed Bugs

Last updated on February 8th, 2019 at 07:13 am

November 18, 2013 by Guest Author 2 Comments

(Guest Article: Tim Irons – When he lost his job in 2009, Tim started blogging about anything he could.)

It was like something out of a horror movie: thousands of tiny little blood-sucking bugs terrorizing innocent campers and residents of a California RV park.

Only this bedbug epidemic that hit Oasis Village RV Park near Bakersfield in 2009 was the real deal, complete with people covered in itchy bites and park management handing out cans of bug spray.

Bedbug infestations at campgrounds have even become a topic at a KOA’s international camping conference, a cautionary tale to park owners about the potential risk bugs can cause.

It is a frequent topic for online camping forums and travel sites that allow RVers to share stories about spotting them everywhere from Oregon to South Carolina. Bed bugs pretty much have urban legend status, perfect for that next campfire tale about “that one campground, not far from here…”

Campgrounds and RV parks offer a new battle front in the modern battle against bedbugs, which until recently have only been seen at homes and hotels.

RV park conditions may even be better for bugs to thrive – lots of people are passing through, and there is lots of space, food, and places to hide and thrive.

But there are ways to beat the bugs, or at least keep them from following you home. RV park owners or on-site managers can take steps to keep infestations from spreading, and make visitors want to return, instead of forever remembering the site as ‘that bedbug place.’

Know how to spot them.
According to Orkin, bed bugs are flat, oval and roughly the size of an apple seed. They’re reddish, lack wings but do have pincers.
If one has recently eaten, they can appear swollen and red.
You can also spot signs like small smears on bedding or furniture, shedded skins. You may sense a sweet yet unpleasant smell.
Know where they can be.
The American Camp Association (ACA) said bed bugs go where people are, but they generally don’t venture too far from easy food sources (which is blood – like skeeters). They can live in or near bedding, even in walls or carpets.
At an RV park, they can easily travel in luggage or someone’s trailer or tent, and also can hibernate for months.
The ACA also suggests that they’re easier to spot at night when they’re more active.
Know how to keep them away.
It’s not easy, but one strategy suggested by Bedbugregistry.com is to store your luggage and camping gear in a different spot than your sleeping area. This will keep them from jumping from your duffel bag to your bed. Look for ways that bed bugs can enter your RV or tent and caulk or patch openings. But an overly clean RV won’t make a difference, Bedbugregistry said.
Know how to get rid of them.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests regular washing of everything at your home in hot water, especially bedding and anything that may have touched the floor. Arguably though if the EPA says something it may not be that impactful.
If you’ve been camping, stop by the washer right when you get home, or even consider a commercial laundry facility that can accommodate larger items like sleeping bags.
Professional exterminators can help put together a treatment plan and have better tools to keep bed bugs from spreading.
Odd enough, I have heard that bed bugs cannot stand higher temperatures, so simply leaving your RV to bake for a couple of days without air conditioning may be enough to end their little lives. If you do try this please contact RV52 and inform me how it worked (or not).
Be Diligent
Sheri and I regularly check any place or bed where we stay for the tell-tale signs of a bed bug infestation before we unpack a single item.

And what article would finish with the good bye something like this: Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite! (a reference to rope tightened straw beds – go check it out).

Some potential Amazon items for attacking bed bugs:

CLICK HERE IF YOU DO NOT SEE A NICE SET OF AMAZON SEARCH TERMS RELATED TO bed bug BELOW

Why does my RV Air Conditioner quit when I turn on the lights?

November 4, 2013 by Marlan at Rv52 18 Comments

A reader watched my (really good, if I do say so myself) video about changing out the RV Power Converter and wondered if the power converter could somehow be the culprit behind some VERY strange behavior. Before you read on, you can also check out my page chocked FULL of RV Power Converter how to videos.

Lets read the exchange between the reader and RV52 and see if it can help you out!

Reader question: Why does my RV Air Conditioner quit when I turn on the lights?

Watched your youtube video on converter install, very good i must say . I have a question not sure if my problem is the converter or some other problem and thought you maybe have some insight. First thing I am always plugged in shore power and have turned the battery to the off position(use stationary and as a second home 1/2 a week). , The problem is when I turn on any dome light (which I believe are 12v) or bath vanity the a/c kicks off. I don’t understand, from what I have read a/c runs 120v all outlets. microwave and ceiling fan and 75 watt nook light work fine.

Dazed and confused
John

RV52.com’s answer below has some extra information on RV Air Conditioning Systems and Thermostats!

John,

Thanks for the complement on the video. Its nice to receive and keeps me wanting to make more.

There is the A/C and there are the A/C controls – the thermostat. The thermostat is DC which means that its power comes from the converter. When you turn on any lights running on DC, the voltage level gets dropped low enough for the A/C thermostat to signal “off” to the A/C.

When you turn the lights off, does the A/C cycle back on after a couple of minutes?
I’m assuming you never threw a breaker on any of these scenarios.
When you turn on a light, do the others dim a great deal?

This certainly sounds like your converter. They aren’t expensive (only $100-200 bucks or so) and you can get from Amazon. If you get one, I would love it if you use any of my links to get to Amazon (I’ll get a small commission that does not affect your price at all).

/how-to-video/how-to-all-about-converters/

Your converter should have PLENTY of juice to keep all the lights going and run the thermostat if running well. I’ve also sent to my local RV repair guru’s to get a 2nd opinion.

Thanks!
Marlan

Replacing the RV fireplace blower heater element

Last updated on November 8th, 2024 at 03:45 pm

October 14, 2013 by Marlan at Rv52 7 Comments

Troubleshooting and Replacing the Blower Element on Our Dimplex B8000 Electric Fireplace Insert for RVs

Before getting started

Some other articles I’ve written regarding the RVs electric fireplace:

Over the last two years, we’ve had a couple of instances where the Dimplex B8000 electric fireplace insert in our RV stopped working properly. Specifically, the fireplace blower element seemed to “die” on us. Here’s what we mean by “die”:

The electric fireplace works as expected for about 10 minutes, but then the heat shuts off and doesn’t come back on.
The RV fireplace blower continues running but doesn’t produce any heat.
Both the blower and the heat function fail to turn on altogether, though the “flame” effect still works.

This issue can be frustrating, especially when you rely on the heater in your RV for cozy warmth during cooler travels. Fortunately, we found a solution to repair the blower and restore our fireplace’s full functionality.

Before You Begin

To help other RV enthusiasts, I’ve also shared a few helpful articles about electric fireplaces in RVs:

RV Fireplace Insert Guide – Why we love our electric fireplace and how it saves us from dealing with wood or ashes.
Replacing the Heater Element on an RV Fireplace – Step-by-step instructions to replace the heater element if it fails.

Getting a Replacement Blower Element from Dimplex

Even though our fireplace insert was out of warranty, I contacted Dimplex customer support and requested a replacement fireplace blower element. It’s worth making the call because, in our experience, the worst they can say is “no”!

Once I received the replacement part, I did something unexpected—I read the Dimplex manual! You can find the manual for the Dimplex BT8000 RV Fireplace online, which includes an entire section on replacing the fireplace blower heating element.

Step-by-Step: Replacing the Blower Element in Your RV Electric Fireplace

After reviewing the manual and seeing the visuals provided, I realized that replacing the blower element was simpler than I expected. Here are some basic steps that might help if you’re dealing with similar issues:

Locate the screws: There are usually only four screws holding the fireplace insert in place. You’ll find their exact locations in the photos below (forgive my less-than-stellar photography and work attire—it’s only when you start adding pictures to a blog post that you wish you had dressed better!).
Remove and replace the blower element: With the screws removed, you can access the blower and heater components. Swap out the faulty blower element with your replacement part following the manual’s guidance.
Reassemble and test: Once reassembled, turn on the fireplace to ensure that both the flame and heat functions work properly.

By following these steps, we managed to fix our RV electric fireplace and restore the heating capability we missed. We hope these tips help you do the same and keep your RV warm and cozy year-round!

RV Fireplace showing bottom corner location of mounting screws

RV Fireplace showing location of top mounting screws

After the screws are out, the fireplace really just pops out. It is VERY lightweight. Surprisingly so.

RV Fireplace showing how to remove from mounting location

In the next picture, you can see the rv fireplace blower removed. I thought there would be wiring, but it is a standard household 110 Volt plug-in just like you would use for your vacuum cleaner or stereo. So all you do is just “unplug”.

RV fireplace showing unit removed from mounting location

The hardest part is removing the 4,397 screws that hold the rv fireplace blower heater element in place. Just remove them.

I didn’t say LOSE them! Keep track of them, you’ll need them in 10 minutes.

RV fireplace showing how to remove heater element

The next picture shows the fireplace blower heater element already removed. There are two wires you have to unplug to remove the unit. Watch what you do as you’ll have to plug in the new heater element in the very same way.

RV Fireplace showing heater element removed

Now just reverse the steps and you’ve completely fixed your RV Fireplace and saved the $200 from the RV repair person bill. This one is just too easy to have them do.

No, I like to reserve the really YUKKY stuff for the repair guy so I get my complete $200 worth.

Cheers!

Get RV Fireplace Blower Element Replacements on Amazon

CLICK HERE IF YOU DO NOT SEE A NICE SET OF AMAZON SEARCH TERMS RELATED TO fireplace insert blower BELOW

RV Control Panel

Last updated on February 23rd, 2019 at 03:16 pm

April 16, 2013 by Marlan at Rv52 9 Comments

(excerpted from the book – Your 5th Wheel RV – The Interior)

Almost every RV has an RV Control Panel. You might hear it called rv command center, rv control center or any one of 20 other names, but it is in ADDITION to the fusebox or RV electrical panel.

The RV Control Panel is a central location where all the RV-centric switches and buttons go that are unique to RVing and the RV.

Your RV control panel might be as simple as an on/off switch for the hot water heater OR it might be incredibly complex and sophisticated like the control panel on a Newell, Prevost, or high end Monaco.

If you have small children in/around your RV, I might HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you put a lock or other safety mechanism on the door. Otherwise, things could get pretty exciting.

Typical items you’ll find in the RV Control Panel are:

Hot Water Heater Controls (on/off for electric – on/off for gas)
Different lighting controls (porch, hall, other- such as accent lights)
Fresh Water Pump – provides pressure for water system when operating with self contained fresh water only
RV Slide out controls
Tank Fluid Level monitoring system – black tank, gray tank, and fresh water tank
Battery Monitoring and control system – can be simple monitoring or much more
Awning Controls
Super Fan or Fantastic Fan Controls
Air Conditioning Control – for example on/off for the circuits for the 2nd air conditioner so you don’t blow 30 amp circuits

There are so much more that can go in these control panels, I only listed what was in our 5th wheel’s control panel, but I think this gives you an idea of what to expect.

Inspecting this control panel actually gives you an idea of what kinds of systems you would have in your RV. One thing right off the top of my mind you might find extra is a generator controls in this panel. But I think you get the point.

RV Command Center showing controls for slideouts, lights, hot water heater, water pressure pump, super fans, and monitoring system.

CURRENT items related to rv control panels

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