Replacement Ceiling Lights for Ambulance

[Bikersmurf]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-RV-TRAI...ROUND-SCARE-PORCH-12V-LED-LIGHT-/281271056109



Any thoughts? 270 lumens. $22/each vs $100/each for "Ambulance lights".

How bright would 8 of these make the inside of the ambulance? Any thoughts on how 'dim-able' they could be?

 

[Bikersmurf]

I just looked up the conversion from Lumens to Watts... they'd be on a par with a 15W Halogen bulb. That'd make them a far cry from the 50W Halogen lights that are stock. I don't think I'd need to dim them... best case they'd be on a par with the dim setting on the overhead lights.

 

[tgreening]

I just looked up the conversion from Lumens to Watts... they'd be on a par with a 15W Halogen bulb. That'd make them a far cry from the 50W Halogen lights that are stock. I don't think I'd need to dim them... best case they'd be on a par with the dim setting on the overhead lights.

Are you saying they draw 15 watts, or put out as much light as a 15 watt halogen?

 

[Bikersmurf]

Put out the same as a 15w halogen +/-... Vs the 50w halogen 'operating' lights that the ambulance is equipped with originally.

 

[Rich S.]

that is too little light and too much money.
A number of ambulance drivers have bought simple LED strips that work from 12 volts that contain several LEDs to about 5 or so.
They eliminate the halegon light bulb and wire the LEDs in, using the same fixture.
Tape or glue the LEDs to the reflective surface, way from the lenses.
They reported good results.
(similar too https://www.oznium.com/premium-led-module#tech)

 

[huskyhauler]

Ikea has quite a few cheap lighting options for cheap.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/lighting/16280/

 

[patoz]

Here is the same light on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/TRAILER-CAMPE...00N22DJ4M/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

It looks like all they did was take out the incandescent bulb and replace it with a cheap Chinese LED bulb, like you would use for a tail or backup light on an older vehicle.

IMO, this is a piece of junk and no where near worth $24.00.


These are a good bit more money, but they will do the trick.

TecNiq E08: High LED Count Recessed Medical Vehicle Interior Light

http://www.emergencyresponderproducts.com/e0hiledcorem.html

Specs - http://www.tecniqinc.com/pages/E08-Recessed-High-Output-Emergency-Ambulance-Dome-LED-Area-Light.php

The back of an ambulance is normally lit up like an operating room, but since you are using it as a camper and talking about dimming them anyway, you may be able to get by with 4 lights instead of 8. Just space them out evenly with 2 on each side. At least that's where I would start. If they're not bright enough, or you still have too many shadows, you can always add the other four later.

 

[gtbensley]

I replaced my bulbs with led ones. Just have four lights going in the rear and it's plenty of light. I see no reason to add more.

 

[tgreening]

My lights are round like shown, but they sit up in recessed channels in the ceiling, and those channels are covered with diffuser panels that run the length of the box. Two runs of 4 lights each I believe. Two on low circuit and two on a high circuit in each. I'm just going to pull all the bulbs and tap into each circuit with a length of LED strip lights.

 

[Ozrockrat]

I replaced my bulbs with 2 sets of LED's. The old "Low" setting runs a set of red LED's for night time etc. The old "High" setting runs white LEDs. The ones I got were the cheap ones off eBay out of China or Hong Kong. From memory (risky at my age) they owe me about $3 per light fitting. Bought them in batches of 10 or 20 so I have lots of spares.

So far no issues with reliability or failures at installation.

 

[patoz]

My lights are round like shown, but they sit up in recessed channels in the ceiling, and those channels are covered with diffuser panels that run the length of the box. Two runs of 4 lights each I believe. Two on low circuit and two on a high circuit in each. I'm just going to pull all the bulbs and tap into each circuit with a length of LED strip lights.

Tom, mine are the same way but I have a row of 5 on the driver's side and a row of 4 on the passenger's side. I also have 3 round 8" combination 12VDC/120VAC fluorescent lights that use a hard to find 9 Watt 4 pin bulb. I took them down and tried to test them, but I don't even know if the bulbs are good or not, and it's not worth spending the money on new ones only to find out the fixtures are bad. Besides, they are 23 year old technology!




I'm thinking about just running 1 or 2 full length LED strips down each side in the recessed area, and have them on a dimmer also. If I do that, I'm pretty sure I won't need the 3 round 8" ones, so I'll use those holes for either some nice speakers or possibly even as intake vents for a variable speed high volume air evac system which would draw from the space above the ceiling and exhaust through side vents. I'm still trying to avoid cutting any holes in the roof if at all possible.

I replaced my bulbs with 2 sets of LED's. The old "Low" setting runs a set of red LED's for night time etc. The old "High" setting runs white LEDs...

Bevan, I've been wondering what I could use that extra circuit for and now I know. That's a great idea! Of course now days you can get LED strips with a controller that will dim them, change color, chase and fade, and dance to the music. You could turn the back into a 70's Disco if you wanted to, at least for short people if you only have 68" of head space like I do.




BTW Tom, at one time you mentioned a rattling problem with the aluminum pieces that hold the diffused panels up, and were wanting to replace them with something else. Mine uses a system of plastic 'T' molding and base channel that is very tight but it's old, yellowed, and cracking so it needs to be replaced also. Since my rig is now a trailer and no one will be riding in it when it's moving, I don't care if it rattles or not. So, if you replace yours with something you like better, I'll gladly buy your metal ones.