12V LED Lights
DC Light Bulbs
Battery saving 12V LED Lights for on-the-go lighting. If your home or home-away-from-home runs on 12 volt energy you are going to LOVE LED lighting!
12V LED Lighting Options
No more lighting compromises for your DC applications.
If you use batteries as your power storage and distribution system you know how much energy a single light bulb can consume.
All 12 volt operations are a balancing act between a comfortable living experience and the amount of energy the batteries can hold. Using products with a very low voltage requirement means that battery power lasts longer and you can operate more devices.
We switched from halogen to LED MR16 Halogen Replacement Bulbs
*Note
It'll take about 450 lumens to replace a 40 watt bulb.
750 - 1,000 lumens will replace a 60W bulb.
Right away we noticed a dramatic difference in the energy draw. Just by switching the 5 most used bulbs in the cabin area we could tell that this was our answer.
We only switched 5 in the beginning (2008) because each light cost us $32.00 USD, now they're closer to $12 which is much easier to swallow. At Christmas I even have strings of LED Christmas lights inside and out, without any complaints from the Skipper. Our existing solar panels are keeping up just fine.
Operating Temperature of 12V LED Lights
Another upside of LED lighting is the cool running temperature. LED technology produces light without the heat and that's where most of the energy savings are realized. It takes more energy - a lot more - to make heat than light.
As an additional bonus, in hot climates this can reduce the amount of air conditioning needed.
Over our bed we replaced a halogen bulb with a 12v led light. The connection is a little loose and sometimes the halogen bulb would fall out while I was adjusting the light and immediately burn any skin with which it came into contact. The LED bulb falls out sometimes too but the mad scramble to get out of the way as it rolls across the pillow is no longer necessary.
Color Temperature of 12V LED Lights
If you find the cold, bluish light a little stark for comfortable living you'll be happy to know that with a little tweaking manufacturers have responded with LED bulbs that emit a warm glow much like the color of incandescent bulbs. The bulb at the top of the page casts a warm glow similar to incandescent or halogen lights.
I find that both work well for our needs. We have 2 reading lights above our bed, one of which has a cool white bulb and the other has the warm light. The difference is certainly noticeable when they're side by side like that but they work equally well for reading.
Benefits of LED DC light bulbs
Halogen lights that are accidentally left on can drain a battery to damaging levels in a day without you even being aware of it. LED's use such small amounts of power that it would take days to drain a healthy battery.
12 volt led lighting is perfect for vehicle, rv and boats; any off grid quarters really, and they make a great union with solar energy so if you're equipped with solar panels you're really going to love LED bulbs.
Our favorite 12V led lights which we use in the living quarters of the boat. These bulbs replace a halogen bulb and work best in a downward or directional light fixture. The bulb stays cool and emits a pure white light that is ideal for reading and close up work.
320 lumens will replace a 35 watt incandescent and is best suited for a reading light, task light or wall mount. This is the cool version of the light so it has a bright white light with an almost bluish tint. For the warm version click on the picture at the top of this page.
Typical Amazon customer comments.
"I just placed my order for 10 more"
"I went through several led mr16 bulbs.......these are it. "
194 168 T10 Wedege SMD High Power LED Dome Lights 12V
These super inexpensive 12V LED lights replace your interior vehicle lights. Note that the socket must open toward the space you want to illuminate, as the tab slides into the slot the light will be directed away from it.
Because they're 12 volt LED lights, energy draw is minimal. Get enough to replace the overhead dome, license plate light, glove compartment bulb and trunk lights. Much more forgiving if the light is left on or door is ajar.
These lights are the perfect option to "get your feet wet" in the LED arena and reduce the strain on your vehicle batteries. Since they're so inexpensive it's a snap to replace all of the bulbs in your vehicle.
Typical Amazon customer comments.
"Used them as replacement license plate bulbs on my 2008 Ford Taurus. Worked like a charm and look much better than OEM"
"Wow! They are nice and bright. I used them to light up my license plate and they are doing a fine job."
12 Volt Clear White LED Ribbon
5 meters - 16.4 feet of flexible ribbon type lighting in a waterproof sleeve. These lights are tiny but intense (about twice as bright as LED rope lighting) and were developed for design professionals to draw attention to architectural details.
Because these are 12 volt they are perfect for RV, cottage and boat applications. Indoors and outdoors, in the closet, under the counter, under stair rails... the sky's the limit.
The super thin strip can be hidden behind rims and edges so that all you see is the light it casts. Makes a great safety lighting around stairs and uneven surfaces. Add light right where you want it!
Typical Amazon customer comments.
"I've used many kinds of LED ribbon lights. I make my own lights for Photography. These are the best."
"I used these lights as awning lights on my Travel Trailer along with a dimmer. They look great and you have control of the brightness."
It's hard to choose the Number 1 benefit of 12V LED lights. The fact that they will last in excess of 10 years is certainly one benefit and the cost saving to run the light is an enormous up side. Add to that the portability of 12 volt led lights and this becomes THE lighting solution for the cottage, boat, RV and your outdoor spaces at home.
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