Seneca LED Awning Light Strip

memphis02 · 07-05-2016, 09:58 AM

I'm hoping to replace my awning LED light strip in the next week or so.

Has anyone replaced them with the multi-color style you find on amazon/ebay/etc that come with a 12v dc converter / controller module and wireless remote? The part, which looks identical to these online, is rather expensive from Carefree.

If so, how did you wire it up? -The best I can tell is that on one end of the awning the 12v+ lead is sewn into the fabric and on the other is 12v-. The ones online that are multi-color require three leads, 2 for power, one for control signal. Also, how hard was it to remove to original strip?

donellen30 · 07-05-2016, 11:16 AM

We purchased the lights from Amazon a couple of years ago. Did not wire them into the motorhome, but plugged them in. Bought several for friends because they loved ours.

However, they quickly went out! Didn't even last a whole season. A few would go out here and there and they looked awful. Be careful what you buy!

Robbbyr · 07-05-2016, 12:03 PM

I have a 2014 Seneca and have some information, perhaps it will be of help. I just had to replace my awning arms due to storm damage, since it happened away from home I had to completely remove the awning in its entirety so we could finish our vacation (without shade of course), and replace the arms and reinstall the awning once we got back home. Just finished yesterday! Replaced the original Travel'r arms with Eclipse arms, quite a bit more substantial in their construction. I also put in the 3-setting Direct Response Electronics to automatically stow the awning when it senses wind, but I will also be more proactive in stowing it before the wind comes from now on.

My awning LED power cord runs in a sewn-in pocket running along the front edge of the awning fabric. Both power and ground there in a single cable, very small conductors probably 22 gauge. They go into the awning tube itself through an oblong hole in the tube with a plastic grommet to keep the tube from cutting the wire. There is a wire disconnect plug stuffed in there to disconnect the power cable from the LED strip itself. The LED strip has the mating disconnect end that goes into the center of the tube through an opening in the slot, covered up by the slot covers when they are in place. The slot covers are black plastic strips about 1 foot long at each end to "fill-in" each end of the slot since the original LED strip is not as long as the awning tube itself. This slot strip is held on by going under the awning tube end caps and also snaps into the tube. But very easy to pop strip out when you need to. The LED strip is held in the tube by an adhesive backing on the strip. Just pull it loose, but doing so may damage the strip according to others. But if you are replacing it anyway....

If you need 3 wires to operate colored LEDs changing the awning power wire wouldn't be too hard in the awning fabric, you could use the existing wire to pull the new wire through. But running the three new wires into the RV would be much more of a challenge. I myself did have to run all new wires since I just cut them to get my awning off the RV.

To replace these wires there is a "conduit" of sorts from inside the back of the control panel (containing my front slideout switches, tank monitor, generator panel, levelers panel, etc.) up to the top of the front awning arm. At least this is how my TS is configured. I took the panel off (watch out for the rat's nest of wiring there!) and then I could access the lower end of that channel. Got in there to run my new awning wires and new small gauge power and ground wires up to the awning itself. Outside at the top of the front arm is where I spliced into the wire going through the awning end seam. You have to leave a loop of wire at the top since it has to flex and move to allow the awning to be wrapped by the Uniguard cover when the awning closes.

I thought I have seen where Carefree's colored awning lights still just use just a power and ground wire. Maybe this is because you may not be able to change the light colors on that strip. Perhaps the color-changing function requires the third wire. That part I do not know.

memphis02 · 07-05-2016, 01:18 PM

Thank you SOOOOO much for such a detailed response. I keep the rig in storage except for coming up to trips to minimize its exposure to our freaky weather patterns, in Illinois. To that extent, it's difficult to just pull something apart, then order/make what I need as it's normally put away and not accessible.
This forum is such a wealth of information from folks, like you, who are able to describe things and relate them to others!!
I'm glad to hear that the leads are in a 'pocket' rather than part of the fabric. I 'may' try to see about finding a way to put the controller inside the awning tube. I'm guessing it's mostly hollow? as it's only a few inches long and maybe 1 1/2" thick and wide. -If not, I may look into finding a way to secure it in the awning rails so as to avoid pulling a whole new wire through the coach's exterior. By doing that, the IR receiver can be affixed on the outside allowing us to use the dimmer/color-changing features without going back inside.

Robbbyr · 07-05-2016, 05:05 PM

The awning tube is hollow, the controller may indeed fit inside. You would need to support the awning and remove the two screws that affix the end cap to the tube. Then you could access the tube interior.

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