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Old 08-14-2014, 06:46 AM   #21
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Originally Posted by tkhollywood View Post
Not to hijack your thread, but mine came with the factory cool white LED strip. My problem is they are way to bright for my liking. Has anyone removed them and installed the RGB ones in there place? I have a brand new set with the remote.
You can get an LED dimmer switch from Amazon
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Old 08-14-2014, 08:33 AM   #22
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Looks exactly like what I want to do with my Jayco. Can you post a link to the light strip you used? And is the power plug in your picture the same as the one you linked to from Amazon?
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Old 08-14-2014, 10:10 AM   #23
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LED dimmers work in miliamps I believe and require a special dimmer switch, it won't hurt your stair light but when you go to dim the LEDs it will just completely shut off your step light or just not allow enough power to even reach it... But it won't physically harm it just underpower it. So at most a blown bulb...
Thanks! That's good to know. The truth is that the step light is basically worthless as it is currently wired. If the awning light is on at all, it provides plenty of light to see the steps. The only way the step light would be of any use is if it were independently controlled and could be used without the awning light being on. I can't even tell if the step light is on when the awning light is on.
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Old 08-14-2014, 10:44 AM   #24
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I agree with Bob, the step light is useless...

Jayco should have put the step light on an independant switch... (and should have added a 2nd one on the rear step for the 289BHBE!)

I don't find my LED strip too bright, I find it provides the right amount of lighting for my needs, but that's to each ones tastes!
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Old 08-14-2014, 12:59 PM   #25
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Thanks! That's good to know. The truth is that the step light is basically worthless as it is currently wired. If the awning light is on at all, it provides plenty of light to see the steps. The only way the step light would be of any use is if it were independently controlled and could be used without the awning light being on. I can't even tell if the step light is on when the awning light is on.
I agree the step light is useless, it should have either been removed or at least made into an LED... I am going to add more LED strips to my camper as I like the light how it bounces off the white underside of the awning and really provides a good amount of light in front of the camper without shinning it out too far where I dont want it. I will be disconntecting the step light and attaching my new light strip to those wires, that way it all comes on with the 1 LED switch and it removes the Non led step light (which draws alot of power). I was considering doing color changing but to be honest I have some really powerful LED spotlights I use for uplighing castles and super high walls when I DJ weddings that I use to uplight tall trees at camp, and those change colors enough lol. I think ill keep it basic around the camper.
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Old 08-14-2014, 01:06 PM   #26
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I don't find my LED strip too bright, I find it provides the right amount of lighting for my needs, but that's to each ones tastes!
You're right about preference. And sometimes I WANT the light of the sun coming from the side of my trailer, like when I'm doing some kind of work after the sun goes down or if I've dropped something small and need to find it. But it would be nice to be able to dim it and have just the right amount of light, because as it is, for just hanging out after dark next to the trailer, it's way too bright for my eyes.
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Old 08-15-2014, 05:40 AM   #27
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@CamperBob...

You should do like Corey Hart and "Wear {your} sunglasses at night"

;o)
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Old 08-15-2014, 07:26 AM   #28
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@CamperBob...

You should do like Corey Hart and "Wear {your} sunglasses at night"

;o)
LOL!! I'll try it next time out!
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Old 08-19-2014, 09:22 AM   #29
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Okay, so last night I installed my LED dimmer I got from Amazon, and it didn't work!

First I wired it IN LINE behind the switch in the control center on the line going out to the light. The lights would function, but they would not dim. It was like the switch just completed the circuit and the rheostat didn't do anything at all. No dimming, no on/off, the switch acted like a solid, constant on connection.

So then I wired it IN PLACE of the factory switch, and still no good. Same result; the light would come on, but the switch didn't do anything at all, it simply closed the circuit.

So now I'm lost. I figured the dimmer would just regulate the current to the light, but it doesn't seem to work that way. I was going to try to trace the wires up to the light itself and see if there is a change in the wiring between the factory switch and the light, but I'm not sure I want to go to that trouble.

I have not tested the switch itself, but I suppose it could be a bad switch? It DID come from China and only cost me about $3, so it's entirely possible...

Thoughts from the group?
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Old 08-19-2014, 10:28 AM   #30
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I have had the same experience with these switches. The first one I bought worked fine but I had trouble with the remote so I bought two more since they were cheap. Both of the new switches failed. One in a day and the other out of the box. Both failed to being constantly on with no adjustment. I still like the concept but as for durability I'm less confident.
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Old 08-19-2014, 10:36 AM   #31
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I have had the same experience with these switches. The first one I bought worked fine but I had trouble with the remote so I bought two more since they were cheap. Both of the new switches failed. One in a day and the other out of the box. Both failed to being constantly on with no adjustment. I still like the concept but as for durability I'm less confident.
With that said, I'll probably give up on the whole thing. But I would really like to be able to dim those lights. Is there no simple dimmer switch? Perhaps one without a silicone wafer? Does dimming a 12v, less than 1 amp circuit really require that much technology?

I wonder, has anyone tried the more expensive switches? Do they have a higher success rate? I thought perhaps I was just wiring it wrong, but I plan to verify the switch with a bench test this evening...
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Old 08-19-2014, 10:44 AM   #32
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I also have this simpler dimmer switch from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This switch is a different design but works very well and has a good track record. I wouldn't give up. I have had so many comments on my lights and personally they are really unique and awesome.
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Old 08-19-2014, 10:54 AM   #33
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I also have this simpler dimmer switch from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This switch is a different design but works very well and has a good track record. I wouldn't give up. I have had so many comments on my lights and personally they are really unique and awesome.
That's the one I have that didn't work.... for that money, I guess I could order another one...
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Old 08-19-2014, 11:08 AM   #34
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Well that's surprising. Here's one I thought you were referring to. If you buy this one, purchase more than one. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Old 08-19-2014, 12:07 PM   #35
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Well that's surprising. Here's one I thought you were referring to. If you buy this one, purchase more than one. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Nope, I got the first one you posted. I'm going to bench test it tonight (or sometime this week probably) to see if it should be working in my trailer. I'm thinking it's because of the PWM technology (?). It's not running a + and - in and out (per the diagram on the side of the box) because of the way the factory light is wired. I've only got one wire. If I hook both sides of the wire up to + or both to -, (putting the dimmer in line in the series) the light is on solid, no dimming.
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Old 08-19-2014, 12:10 PM   #36
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I hooked that one up to many strings of lights to test on the bench and they all worked fine with the dimmer. Good luck. Let's us know what you found.
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