Written by Ben Teele | A Leader in LED Technology

Mobile LED Lighting

LED lighting offers versatile and efficient solutions when it comes to illuminating mobile spaces like vans, RVs, and boats. We'll cover the best types of LED lights for various mobile applications, providing insights into how to power and control them effectively. Plus, we’ll address critical considerations for powering and controlling these lights, ensuring that you can enjoy beautiful, effective lighting no matter where your adventures take you. Whether you’re a weekend camper or a full-time van dweller, this guide will help you make the most of your mobile lighting setup.

Types of Mobile Applications for LED Lights:

• Vans: Round recessed lights are great for general lighting, and strip lights or puck lights for accent or task lighting.
• RVs: Similar to LED lighting in a van, round recessed lights offer general area lighting, while strip and puck lights work great for accent or task lighting.
• Camping Strip lights can be used to line tents or awnings, creating functional and atmospheric accent lighting.
• Boats For larger boats with interior cabins, round recessed lights are perfect for general lighting, complemented by strip lights and puck lights for accent lighting. Smaller boats can utilize strip lights for accent lighting to enhance the space.
• Off-Grid Cabins Round recessed lights are ideal for general lighting in off-grid cabins, with strip lights and puck lights for focused or accent lighting needs.
• Tiny Homes Like cabins, round recessed lights provide great general lighting for tiny homes, and strip or puck lights are perfect for accent or task lighting.

Best Products for Mobile LED Lighting Applications:

• Strip Lights: For mobile vehicle applications, our top picks are the Waterproof N-Series and Water-Resistant L-Series strip lights. The N-Series has low power consumption, making it ideal for mobile battery operation, while the L-Series is perfect for linear applications, highlighting the outlines of objects and structures. If neither of these strip lights meets your needs, any of our waterproof 12V strip lights can be used in a mobile application.
• Round Recessed Lights: For general lighting, the Single Array Round Recessed Light is the best choice. It's designed for interior installations in mobile structures where bright, efficient lighting is needed.
• Puck Lights: Puck lights provide excellent accent lighting. Our top recommendations are the 2.75" Round Diffused Low Voltage Puck Light and the 2.75" Round Classic Low Voltage Puck Light, both great for adding subtle, focused light.

How to Power LED Lights in Mobile Applications

If you're using a 12V battery as your power source, there's no need for a separate power supply. However, it's crucial to ensure that your battery has enough amp hours to power your lights. To determine the amp hours required to power your lighting, first determine the total watts your lighting requires. Next, divide the total watts by your current, which is 12 when using a 12V battery. This calculation will determine the power, or amps, needed to power your lighting for one hour. You can then calculate how long your battery will power your lights based on its Ah rating.

For example, using a 12V battery to power the LED lighting in a camper, and the combined wattage needed to power the lights is 100 watts, we start by dividing 100 by 12 which equals 8.33. This means our lighting requires 8.33 Ah of power per hour to operate correctly.

A standard 12V battery in a car is rated at around 600 Ah. To determine how long this battery will power our lighting in the example above, we simply divide 600 by 8.33 which equals 72. So, the battery in this example will power the LED lighting for approximately 72 hours.

In applications where the 12V battery is being used with a vehicle motor, it's vital to use a voltage regulator. This will protect your lights from voltage spikes that occur when the motor starts, which could otherwise damage or burn out the fixtures.

For vehicles/boats with both shore power and boondocking options available, you can run on battery power while boondocking. However, when connected to shore power, using a power supply instead of a battery can help preserve the life of your battery.

How to Control Mobile LED Lights

While controls use only a small amount of power, it's still important to factor them into your overall power load calculation, especially in mobile setups where battery life is crucial. Any of our low voltage controllers can be used in mobile applications, providing a range of options depending on your needs.

For efficient power management, it’s highly recommended to install a master on/off switch between your power source and all lighting controls. This prevents the controllers from draining power while the lights are off, ensuring your battery lasts longer when the system isn’t in use.

You have several control options to consider:

• Handheld Remote Controllers: Easy to use and convenient, especially when controlling multiple zones, or areas, from a single remote.
• Bluetooth Controllers (e.g. Casambi): These offer advanced control via smartphone apps, allowing you to adjust brightness, colors, and lighting schedules directly from your device. They also support automation and scene creation, which is ideal for those who want customized lighting effects or sequences.