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  1. #1
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Installed solar-powered remote sensor LED lighting

    First a disclaimer.... like 99% of people that have their own blog, I'm an Amazon affiliate. Which means if people go to my blog and click on an Amazon link I get a very small commission on that sale. Your price doesn't increase at all though. One of the rules I'm bound to (that I see a lot of folks breaking) is that I'm not allowed to post links to their products in a private forum like ours here. That being said, I still want to share this mod here with my friends. So I copied and pasted my review here and left a link to my blog at the bottom of this post.
    If anyone decides they want to check it out, great, if not, no big deal and I'm not breaking anyone's rules.
    Now, on with the modding!

    Sometimes, when we’re out camping in remote places, and there’s no one else around for miles, we get spooked by a noise outside. More than likely it’s just a small animal, not Bigfoot, or even worse, a person up to no good.

    So we purchased these solar-powered motion sensor LED lights for the outside of our camper. We got them for “security” but also for curiosity. The next time some varmint (or Bigfoot) comes wandering up to our camper in the middle of the night, they’re going to get a big surprise and we'll be able to see what's lurking around! (without having to run over to the door and hit the awning light switch or running from the bedroom.)

    Anything moving within 25 feet of our camper, at pretty much any angle, will set off the motion sensors in these lights. The light stays on as long as there is motion and goes back out 30 seconds after no motion is detected.
    These are bright enough to illuminate the ground around our camper and out about 60 or 70 feet.
    Each one has a small solar panel on top so there’s no batteries to replace and you don’t have to drill holes in your RV to run wires!
    I installed one next to the door, one over each LP storage door and one just under the rear kitchen window. These lights came with screws for mounting them to the walls, but since I didn’t want to put holes in our trailer, I used Gorilla brand 30# double-sided tape. This stuff is made for exterior walls and supposedly 2" of tape holds a pound. So in theory 1" of the tape should hold each of these light pods because they weigh about 8 oz. Well I installed 8" of the tape on each light pod, so I should be fine!
    Tonight was the first time we got to "use" the lights. We were out running errands and came back to our trailer just after sunset. It was so nice how the 2 lights on the passenger side of the trailer just popped on automatically to light our path as we approached. And I actually had enough light to see the key hole! I'm guessing these types of lights probably come standard on the more expensive trailers but now our cheap little Reflection has them.

    There's also a hidden on/off switch so you can deactivate them for traveling at night, etc.

    HERE is a link to my blog post if you want to check out the lights... And here's some photos:

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    Resistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.


  2. #2
    Setting Up Camp CFDWheeler's Avatar
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    Great idea. If they were mounted higher up near the top of the trailer, would they be a nuisance to any neighbors? Can they be turned off as well?
    2019 Momentum 381M
    2018 Denali Dually LB with B&W Companion puck hitch
    Polaris RZR XP1k and Ranger 900XP

  3. #3
    Fireside Member
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    I installed a similar light (from Amazon) about mid-season. It's a great addition and very easy to do. I use it specifically for when I go out to smoke (no smoking lectures, please). It comes on when I open the door, it goes out after about 20 seconds, then comes back on when I get up to go back inside. It isn't on long enough to bother the neighbors like having the awning lights on the entire time I'm outside might.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  4. #4
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CFDWheeler View Post
    Great idea. If they were mounted higher up near the top of the trailer, would they be a nuisance to any neighbors? Can they be turned off as well?
    Oh crap, yea I forgot to mention that!
    Yes they do come with a little pin tool about the size of a paper clip that you insert to turn them off or on.
    So if we were going to be traveling at night we'd definately turn them off.
    We don't generally have "neighbors" which is kind of the reason for having them, but they're not blinding, so I doubt it would bother anyone.
    Resistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.


  5. #5
    Site Sponsor orbiker's Avatar
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    Thanks Ed. That might be a good idea for the driver's side of my Momentum. There is NO light on that side.
    Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
    Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
    02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
    10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
    10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
    03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
    FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021

  6. #6
    Big Traveler arhayes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by orbiker View Post
    Thanks Ed. That might be a good idea for the driver's side of my Momentum. There is NO light on that side.
    Ditto. Our Mo has plenty of lighting on the curb side, but none on the street side other than the under slide LEDs. We have a friend with a MH who put some of these on last year. As a sideline they’re great for auxiliary lighting for Happy Hours![emoji6]


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Alan and Kathleen
    2015 Momentum 380TH (RVD2)
    2014 Ford F350 Dually (Stormtrooper)
    2012 Honda Goldwing Navi/ABS (Land Speeder)

  7. #7
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by arhayes
    ...As a sideline they’re great for auxiliary lighting for Happy Hours!
    HaHa... I never thought of that.
    Resistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.


  8. #8
    Site Sponsor orbiker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by arhayes View Post
    Ditto. Our Mo has plenty of lighting on the curb side, but none on the street side other than the under slide LEDs. We have a friend with a MH who put some of these on last year. As a sideline they’re great for auxiliary lighting for Happy Hours![emoji6]


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Alan
    When you mount your light, post pics please.

    Looking at the street side, maybe up by the rain gutter smack in the middle between the 2 slides might be the best place. KEN
    Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
    Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
    02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
    10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
    10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
    03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
    FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021

  9. #9
    Setting Up Camp
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    Looks like the perfect solution for everything you mentioned and then some. I missed the remote operated "scare" light on our old Montana. Now we can light up all 4 sides of our Solitude. Thanks much.

    Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

  10. #10
    Big Traveler arhayes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by orbiker View Post
    Alan
    When you mount your light, post pics please.

    Looking at the street side, maybe up by the rain gutter smack in the middle between the 2 slides might be the best place. KEN
    Will do. I found them on Amazon for 11.99 a pair and ordered 4. Should be here Monday.


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    Alan and Kathleen
    2015 Momentum 380TH (RVD2)
    2014 Ford F350 Dually (Stormtrooper)
    2012 Honda Goldwing Navi/ABS (Land Speeder)

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