Not long ago it had the sun, stars, and flames as its only sources of light. Since then, Thomas Edison and many other lighting pioneers have changed that and almost everywhere you go you have an artificial source of light, including RVs. If you want to be able to see and make sure you don’t overload your electrical system, you will need the proper lighting.
If you thought a light was just a light, you will soon find out that you are wrong because we will take you back to VR school with the lighting from VR 101.
RV Lighting 101
RV lighting options
Gone are the days when there were one or two types of lighting or bulbs available. Now there are a lot of options. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular RV lighting options and take a look at the pros and cons of each.
Incandescent lighting
Think of your childhood light sources and you probably envision incandescent bulbs and lighting. Incandescent light has been darkened in recent years because of its high energy appetite compared to its low light output, as most of the energy in an incandescent light is converted to heat and not light.
Advantages of incandescent lighting
- Cheap at the point of sale
- Many people enjoy the “atmosphere” that incandescent lighting creates
Cons of incandescent lighting
- Inefficient
- Higher energy consumption and utility bills
- Short life span
- Being removed from the market due to low energy efficiency.
Compact Fluorescent and Fluorescent Lighting (CFL)
As the days of incandescent lighting draw to a close, compact fluorescent and fluorescent lighting have taken their place. Fluorescent lighting uses excited mercury vapor and a phosphor coating to produce light. The corkscrew looking for lights? Those are the best example of compact fluorescent lighting.
Pros of fluorescent lighting
- Energy efficiency saves money
- Long useful life
Cons of fluorescent lighting
- Fluorescent lighting can be too “harsh” or too bright for some people.
- Take time to warm up
- More expensive at the point of sale.
Lighting with light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting has been around for several years, but new regulations, interest in energy-efficient applications, and technological developments have made LED lighting a popular choice in all applications, including VR. , where it may be necessary to monitor power consumption. The LED uses electroluminescence in a semiconductor to produce light.
Advantages of LED lighting
- Efficient energy
- New technology and development have provided consumers with more color and brightness options.
- Long shelf life with some products lasting tens of thousands of hours.
- Creates more direct points of light for focused lighting.
Cons of LED lighting
- More expensive at the point of purchase.
- Cheap LED lighting can wear out or flicker
How to improve your RV lighting
RVs can have a long lifespan, but some of these older RVs may have older lighting fixtures that use specialized, custom incandescent bulbs. A big problem with this is that some RVers may have trouble finding suitable replacement bulbs that leave RVers in the dark.
Many CFL bulbs can be used in applications where you would use incandescent lighting, but this is not always the case. If some of your lighting fixtures are at their best in a solid RV, it may be time to consider the upgrade.
Try visiting your local RV store or go down to the dealership. They can work with you to determine problem areas and make the appropriate lighting changes, such as installing energy-efficient LED lamps, track lighting, overhead lighting, and more. Take this opportunity to not only upgrade the type of lights you use, but also your location to have an RV lit to your standards.
Light is a literal way of seeing the world and it goes without saying that your RV has to be equipped when it comes to lighting. Now that you know the pros and cons of different types of lighting, you may consider upgrading your old-school incandescent fixtures to energy-efficient CFLs or LEDs.
