Adding LED Lighting to under Awning so I have lighting when Awning is closed

Noche73

New Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2024
Messages
1
Location
Yucaipa CA
Hey Grand Rvers
I have a 2020 349-M Momentum
I would Like to add LED strip lighting under the Awning , so that I have lighting outside the Trailer when Awning is closed.I already have lights in the Tube of the Awning but of course they only work when awning is extended out. A couple of questions: Can i purchase the lighting strip from Grand Design? or will others work ? I have a 18' and 10' Awning . This LED Strip would mount on the bottom of the Metal channel that is against the Wall and holds the Awning Fabric. I assume I can wire it into the Existing Awning Lights. I would Like for it to work in conjuction with the existing Awning lights meaning the Color changing options would also work. Any Thoughts or Expericance out there?
 
Hey Grand Rvers
I have a 2020 349-M Momentum
I would Like to add LED strip lighting under the Awning , so that I have lighting outside the Trailer when Awning is closed.I already have lights in the Tube of the Awning but of course they only work when awning is extended out. A couple of questions: Can i purchase the lighting strip from Grand Design? or will others work ? I have a 18' and 10' Awning . This LED Strip would mount on the bottom of the Metal channel that is against the Wall and holds the Awning Fabric. I assume I can wire it into the Existing Awning Lights. I would Like for it to work in conjuction with the existing Awning lights meaning the Color changing options would also work. Any Thoughts or Expericance out there?
I don’t think I would wire it into the existing awning lights as then they’d be on when the awning is closed - just a thought.
 
Hey Grand Rvers
I have a 2020 349-M Momentum
I would Like to add LED strip lighting under the Awning , so that I have lighting outside the Trailer when Awning is closed.I already have lights in the Tube of the Awning but of course they only work when awning is extended out. A couple of questions: Can i purchase the lighting strip from Grand Design? or will others work ? I have a 18' and 10' Awning . This LED Strip would mount on the bottom of the Metal channel that is against the Wall and holds the Awning Fabric. I assume I can wire it into the Existing Awning Lights. I would Like for it to work in conjuction with the existing Awning lights meaning the Color changing options would also work. Any Thoughts or Expericance out there?
I did exactly what you want to do. I got strip lights off of Amazon and tapped into the wires coming out of the wall of the RV that went into the pre-wired awing lights. I stuck the lights on the fiberglass siding just below where the awning attached to the RV. Then I added a dimmer on my control panel inside to adjust the brightness.

Be sure to clean the surface you are going to stick the light strip to.

The hardest part was tapping into the existing wires as there was not a lot of slack.

I figured if I had issues with the lights on the roller tube being on when it was rolled up I would just disable those, but so far all has gone well; I've even left the lights on overnight with the awnings rolled up.
 
On my 2800BH the LED strip is at the attach so it could be used when open or closed. Here is a photo I zoomed in so you can see them.
Screenshot_20250201-180917.png
 
I did exactly what you want to do. I got strip lights off of Amazon and tapped into the wires coming out of the wall of the RV that went into the pre-wired awing lights. I stuck the lights on the fiberglass siding just below where the awning attached to the RV. Then I added a dimmer on my control panel inside to adjust the brightness.

Be sure to clean the surface you are going to stick the light strip to.

The hardest part was tapping into the existing wires as there was not a lot of slack.

I figured if I had issues with the lights on the roller tube being on when it was rolled up I would just disable those, but so far all has gone well; I've even left the lights on overnight with the awnings rolled up.
Larry
What dimmer switch did you use?
And could you share some more details about that part of your install.
We had the awning replaced and I chose not to purchase the awning with the wires in it.
Thanks, KEN
 
Ken,
There should still be wires on the outside of the RV where the original awnings got their power from the inside switch. Those would be the wires I tapped into.

For some reason I thought I had some issues figuring out which wire went to the front and rear awnings. But thinking about it would seem I just tapped into the power in only one place for my dimmer since both awing lights are controlled from one switch.

I use this dimmer from Amazon. I take it apart and only use the circuit board, not the case. I've used the same dimmer for some of my interior lights. You connect the ground wire to a ground, the power in wire to a 12v source (I got this from the switch) and the control wire on the dimmer to the power wire going to the lights.

Here is a photo of my control panel. My finger points to the dimmer and the awning light switch is on.

1738552583729.jpeg
 
Ken,
There should still be wires on the outside of the RV where the original awnings got their power from the inside switch. Those would be the wires I tapped into.

For some reason I thought I had some issues figuring out which wire went to the front and rear awnings. But thinking about it would seem I just tapped into the power in only one place for my dimmer since both awing lights are controlled from one switch.

I use this dimmer from Amazon. I take it apart and only use the circuit board, not the case. I've used the same dimmer for some of my interior lights. You connect the ground wire to a ground, the power in wire to a 12v source (I got this from the switch) and the control wire on the dimmer to the power wire going to the lights.

Here is a photo of my control panel. My finger points to the dimmer and the awning light switch is on.

View attachment 669016
Thanks Larry
When the awning got replaced, I had the guys cut the old wires extra long and tape tape them down.
Your control panel is very close to ours. There is a knock-out for slide 4 that is not in use and would work for the dimmer.

I did the touch dimmers for our living room ceiling light a long time ago. Somehow I got very lucky that there was a ground very close to the switch wires.
I think I will wait for warmer weather to do this so that the LED's stick to the rv better.
Thanks again, KEN
 

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