Lights

[Ranger07]

Hello All,  we are finally heading out on our maiden voyage next weekend in our new Tambo.  We have a dilemma do we go for 12v fluro lights or LED?

[D4D]

What are you using them for? General area lighting or reading? If general LED are ok, if reading then fluro. Even though it uses more power I always use my versalite.

[Ranger07]

We would be using it for general lighting inside and outside the camper..

[MC 031]

I have an LED strip from Jaycar permanently fixed inside my CT and 2 portable versalites outside.

[Ranger07]

The versalite fluro seems a popular choice, but costs a fair bit more than the arb equivilent, with from what i can see the the same specs.
You only get what you pay for, is the versalite that much better??

[MC 031]

Can't say it is any better than the ARB as I have not used or even seen the ARB light.  I can say that of all the lights I have seen, the Versalite is by far superior and well worth the money IMO.

[dno]

I have found that mobile removable light's handy because you can move them around and use them for other job's like when work'n under or on the car. Can pick up a cheapo 12volt hand held  60 LED from supercrap for around $50. Allway's look'n for camp item's that have more than one use.

[Ranger07]

Hmm ok, has anyone else seen the arb in action to compare it to a versalite?

[dno]

I think i read somewere the ARB was a copy of the versa..  i could be wrong though.

[Fivid]

I have an ARB one, great light and I reckon equal to the Versalite and around $50 less when we got ours.  Since we bought it though I have also bought one of a similar shape but with 60 LEDs from Supercheap, the light it gives out doesn't spread and cover an area like the ARB Fluoro.  These lights are mainly for when camping without the CT.  In the CT I have used LED strip lights that I bought from Jaycar.  They are a strip which has 10 blocks with 3 LEDs in each.  We use 3 of these strips outside and they give us heaps of light for everything, including reading.  Inside we have one more of these strips and it lights up the whole interior of the 16 foot tent quite well and again quite suitable for reading. 
So long as you have enough LEDs to produce enough light, in many ways they are actually better for reading as they don't produce the strobing that fluoros do.  Lots of people get headaches from eye strain due to the strobe effect of fluoros, my wife being one of them.  Took a while to find what the cause of the problem was but she used to work in a department store full of fluoros.  You can't actually see the strobe effect but it is there.  It is also the reason you are not allowed to use single fluoros in workshops as if it strobes at the same rate that a machine is operating at it can make it appear stationary...
 
Dave

[D4D]

I've had my original versalite for overs 10 years and bought another one a couple of years ago, both are still going. Is it worth paying the extra, I think so.

[Moto Mech]

We have 4 ARB lights(fluro's) but have recently changed over to strip LED's. We purchased a 5mt roll off ebay for $65, cut it into 3 lengths, permanately mounted one on the centre bow inside our camper, one velcro's to the centre peak of our awning and one velcro's onto the awning above the kitchen. Awsome light output, leaves the fluro for dead. And as for reading, my misses reacons the LED's are better for reading. We still carry the ARB lights but they are for emergancies.

[wartim]

I love my 12V fluros as they draw little power and one will light up the whole tent while the other lights up the whole awning area.

I have a Primus HL12 and a Versa-lite.

The are identical in all areas except the handle.  For my money the Primus HL12 is a better light as almost 40% cheaper, better reflecter and comes with a bag and optional battery clips to allow you to run the light directly off battery terminals, these accessories are STD with the primus and are extra for the Versa Lite.

With both lights side by side the Primus is a little better due to the shinyer reflector.

[Ranger07]

Thanks for the info, think we'll go and check out the Primus lights before we go any further. 

[dno]

Picked up an ARB fluoro at sanddown to day , got the bag and the gator clip adaptor to hook straight to the battery  for $60 .

[brownie2936]

Hi Ranger07
I am Paul  from Pandela led lights.The LED lights i make are dearer to buy can be use in multiply ways
You can see pic in the in the SHOWROOM FLOOR on the main page look for  12 Volt / 240 Volt LED Lights

For Sale - 12 Volt / 240 Volt LED Lights
Designed by myself -
We now make a 60 led light that is shorter in length but a bit wider
 
1100mm long x 25mm wide - 30 LEDLights per strip with On / Off switch. (Or Made to Order in any length)
Can be connected into a series of banks of lights. Each bank can be individually switched on or off.
or a  60 LED Lights per strip with a two way switch so you can have 30 leds or 60 leds on
Great for Camper Trailers, Tents And all types of camping.
 

30 led light=$ 100 + Postage
60 led light=$ 130 + postage
www.panadela.com  Or Mobile  0400 314 969
panadelaled@gmail.com

[Ranger07]

Just looked at your lights Paul they look good.  They look like what we've been looking for, will get hubby to take a look tonight.