External lights (LED) for camping etc

[Toby Munro Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Toby Munro]

Hi all

Been searching a fair bit for a post or two on buying a light bar (LED) or equivalent for camping purposes but not having any luck - found some posts on buying big light bars for off-road night driving etc but thats overkill for what we want.

We have a stupid coleman rechargeable lantern which is basically useless, and see a lot of people with what look like 12v lanterns / battens / light bars which provide a lot of usable soft white light to illuminate an area at night for eating, chatting etc

The coleman needs to be charged every other day, and is too bright when close to you, and too dim when not on the table in front of you.

Ideally looking at something that can run off the battery or ac plug in the back of our 150 GX. What does everyone else use to create usuable area light?

Cheers

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Hi Toby,
Welcome to Pradopoint... don't forget to introduce yourself in the 'introductions thread'.

If you're as slack as I am, want a ready to go kit, then try these guys... http://korrlighting.com.au/led-camping-lights.html
Everything you need and very well made.

There will be plenty of DIY suggestions as well which is great and might be more your style but I got sick of trying to re-invent the wheel

[Guest Close Guest]

Look up LED strip lights on ebay. These can be mounted onto awnings, side of camper trailers or inside the tent.

[Toby Munro Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Toby Munro]

Cheers guys

That is sort of my problem - they have so many options on all these websites. Spent about an hour looking all over the different models available from http://stores.ebay.com.au/sunyeetrading (similar to the site you posted Snaga), I just don't know what a good set up for general area lighting would be.

I just want some nice diffuse light that isn't blinding... Nothing fancy really, just effective. I am not particular good at DIY, plus had to get rid of most of my tools when we moved to Broome last month so kits are good Snaga

Do you think something like this would be good for our purposes? http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2PCS-6INC...-/261191084943.

Have just ordered a Rhino aero three bar roof rack system, steel mesh cage and awning so I assume I would be able to attach one of these somewhere up there, surely.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Toby I bought one of the Korr kits.



The platinum kit. Very happy. We also have gas lights around the outside of the canopy. The gazebo is 4.5 x 6.0.

[Guest Close Guest]

Those 18w work lights will use much more power than the strip lights.

[DSS150 Find all posts View Profile Close DSS150]

This lightstrip works well for us and we also have work lights above on the roof rack which you can find in this thread.

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...l=1#post418887

[Smithy - 120 D4D Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smithy - 120 D4D]

Apart from my led strip under the awning, and the two 18 watt work lights on my roof cage, I also have a portable 18 watt work light that plugs into a cigarette socket and is on a very strong magnetic base, so can be moved around the vehicle very easily. Got it from Monster Lights http://www.monsterlights.com.au/

I can take some photos of you want...

[Palmer Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Palmer]

Last camping trip we did, the strip light under the awning got the most use. Our 18 watt work lights on our rack got some use for lighting up larger areas, but the light strip was deffinately the most useful.

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

What are your 'purposes'? You haven't mentioned if its a family of 6 with a camper trailer or a couple tenting/swagging it?? (Unless I've missed something )

I bought the 4 bar Kore kit from the BNE camping show last year after stuffing around with cheap eBay rolls of LED strips trying to make my own.
The latest generation of the kits really have thought of everything.

I have also got a few LED lights from downunder camping for a grand total of $19.95 that plug into a cigarette socket (has a magnet and hook)
I've got a couple of LED spots in the garage that were $10 each off eBay that cast a heap of light. I just need to work out how I want to rig them when I get a chance.

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

No pics while camping but here's a pic of two of the 4 bars set up over the patio table. Just alligator clips onto a small battery.

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Oh, and one over the BBQ which is actually the same size as the two over the table.

[Ryzz Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryzz]

I mounted one of these above my spare tyre on the back, and wired it to the second battery, via a switch on the dashboard and a second switch in the boot. It draws bugger all power (2 AMP from memory). More than enough light to run a BBQ with, or sit around and talk by.



Ebay Link

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

Apart from my led strip under the awning, and the two 18 watt work lights on my roof cage, I also have a portable 18 watt work light that plugs into a cigarette socket and is on a very strong magnetic base, so can be moved around the vehicle very easily. Got it from Monster Lights http://www.monsterlights.com.au/

Similar thing to Smithy.. http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...l=1#post411908

[Toby Munro Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Toby Munro]

Cheers guys - some great points!

Its just me and the girlfriend in a swag, so small set up compared to most. We just want light for preparing meals and sitting and chatting after dark.

After reading your posts and some more searching I think either something like these two combined together.
1.http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/FLOOD-BEA...dc555ed&_uhb=1
2.http://korrlighting.com.au/led-pole-clamp.html

or making / buying one of the magnetic ones like craigm / Smithy have rigged up.

I would love to wire it straight to the second battery but I am scared I would mess it all up... not very electrically minded. Is it difficult Ryzz?