Interior LED light bars – Motorhome and utility vehicle

The choice of a LED light bar for motorhome depends on several criteria. The length (15 to 60 cm) must match the intended location. The luminous output ranges from 200 to 1 000 lumens depending on the use: supplementary or main lighting. Prefer a temperature of 3 000 K to 4 000 K (warm white) for the sleeping area and 5 000 K to 6 000 K (neutral white) for the kitchen. Check the supply voltage (12V or multi-voltage). The IP protection rating is useful if the light bar is near a water point. At AGM Vision, our LED light bars consume between 3 W and 12 W to preserve battery autonomy.

The consumption of a motorhome LED light bar is very low, compared to old halogen bulbs or fluorescent tubes. A 30 cm light bar consumes about 3 to 5 watts, and a 60 cm light bar between 6 and 12 watts. With a 100 Ah auxiliary battery at 12V, four 5 W light bars switched on simultaneously provide more than 50 hours of autonomy. This is a major advantage for wild camping or bivouacking without an electrical hookup. AGM Vision selects light bars with an excellent lumens/watt ratio in order to maximize brightness while preserving your battery.

Mounting a LED strip light is done on the ceiling or under wall cabinets, with self-drilling screws or 3M double-sided adhesive. The electrical connection is simple: connect the red (+) wire to the positive and the black (−) to the negative of your 12V circuit. Insert a switch for each lighting zone. Use cable with a minimum 0.75 mm² cross-section and protect the circuit with a 3 to 5 A fuse. For waterproof strip lights (IP65 or higher), the connections must be protected with heat-shrink tubing. The installation takes about 30 minutes per strip light.

A 12V LED light bar connects directly to the motorhome’s auxiliary battery and operates completely independently, even without a mains connection. A 230V light bar requires a mains connection or a 12V-230V converter, which leads to conversion losses (10 to 20%). For a motorhome, 12V light bars are preferable: they are more efficient, safer (low voltage) and work in boondocking mode. Some AGM Vision light bars are multi-voltage (10-30V) and adapt automatically, which makes them compatible in both 12V and 24V.

It depends on the IP protection rating of the light bar. IP20 models are designed for dry areas (bedroom, living room). IP44 light bars resist water splashes and are suitable for the kitchen. IP65 to IP67 models are completely waterproof, ideal for the bathroom, the exterior awning, or the trunk. For outdoor lighting under the awning or under the vehicle, choose at least an IP65. AGM Vision specifies the IP rating on each product sheet to help you choose the right light bar for each area of your motorhome.