Why You Should Consider Switching Your RV Headlights to LEDs

LED lighting has come a long way from its earliest incarnations. In fact, it is rapidly phasing out older lighting technologies like the trusty incandescent light bulb, as well as T8 and T5 fluorescent and halogen lights. There are now LED lights to be found in all manner of lighting applications, domestic and commercial alike. Read on as we examine the question of whether you should replace your RV headlights with LEDs. And check out LEDwatcher.com for more information on everything from RV lighting to finding the best ring light with stand.

About LED lighting

First though, a word about LED lighting technology. An LED – or light emitting diode – is a device which converts electrical energy into visible light that can be utilized in our homes and businesses. Simply put, a semi-conductor material or ‘diode’ has an electric current passed through it; in the process, electrons are knocked loose from the surface of the material and emit quanta of energy known as ‘photons’ – which appear to us as visible light. By contrast, older lighting technologies like the incandescent light bulb rely on heating a filament to the point where it glows. This is a much less efficient process than that which LEDs use, and indeed LED lighting utilizes far less energy than these older lighting forms.

Related Read: The Benefits of LED Lighting for Your Coach

They also last considerably longer, up to even 50,000 hours of burn time which converts to over two thousand days if you have your LED light bulb on 24 hours a day. They are also free of many of the other problems that plague conventional lighting – such as high heat output, flickering of the light and glare that most older bulbs have. And because of their low energy requirements, LEDs are a much more environmentally friendly lighting option also. And who wouldn’t want to use something that is eco-friendly rather than harmful to the environment?

Should you convert your RV lights to LEDs?

Given the obvious advantages of LED lights, the question of whether you should switch your RV lights over to LEDs would appear to be a no-brainier. And indeed, whilst halogen lights have long been the standard in the automobile and RV industry, numerous car makers are now switching to LED headlights. However, before we make any rushed, premature judgments and decisions on whether you should switch your RV lights over to LEDs, let us take a look at both the pros and cons of LED headlights.

Pros of LED headlights in RVs

LED headlights are much more efficient: LEDs in general are more efficient than halogen and other lighting technologies, and LED headlights are no exception to this rule. In an automobile setting that means less strain on your car battery and alternator, and therefore a longer lifespan for both. In addition, if you accidentally leave your headlights on when your RV is not running, then the fact that they are energy efficient LEDs means the battery won’t be drained completely, so you will still be able to start up afterwards and won’t have to find a way to charge your battery.

LED RV headlights are longer lasting: compared to halogen headlights, which have a lifespan of between 1,000 and 6,000 hours, LED headlights can last up to 30,000 hours before replacement is required. This is a huge advantage for RV owners, who typically take long journeys, are not able to service your RV that often or travel to remote areas with lack of access to replacement parts and a mechanics.

Related Read: How to Stay Energy Efficient on the Road

Cons of LED headlights in RVs

Despite their clear advantages, LED headlights in RVs are not without a few drawbacks either. There are a few things to consider when you are deciding whether to switch over to LED headlights or not.
LED lights are uni-directional only: unlike halogen lights, which emit light in every direction, LEDs emit light only in a straight light. As a result, when driving with LED lights at night, you won’t see quite as much of the road compared to when you use halogens. Luckily, this can be somewhat counteracted with installing brighter LEDs. In addition, when you change the tires or suspension of your RV, and thus alter the height of the vehicle, you will also have to re-orient the bulbs so that they don’t aim too low or high. This can be a complicated process to do on your own.

LED bulbs don’t get hot: this may seem like it should be an advantage of LED headlights, but in fact it isn’t. It is the heat output of halogen headlights that enables them to be able to melt ice, snow and sleet of the lenses of the lights during the colder months. But, since LEDs run pretty cool, they won’t do that as efficiently. The result is that when you drive with LED headlights in icy and snowy conditions, you get iced-over headlights. This can be a hazard to your safety and the safety to both those who are in the RV with you and those who share the road with you. Luckily, you can easily prevent your headlights from freezing over by either washing them with a winter-proof windshield washer fluid, or by spraying then with one of those windshield de-icer sprays.

LED RV headlights offer clear advantages over halogen and other lighting technologies in terms of cost effectiveness and convenience. However, if you do the majority of your RV driving at night, or in icy, snowy conditions, then you may want to take a minute to consider all the pros and cons of LED headlights before making the switch because in that case, halogens may still be the better option.

Author’s bio: Arthur Smith is the lead editor of LEDwatcher.com, an independent blog on all things solar and LED lighting. After spending a decade working in the solar and LED industries, now he dedicates his time to teaching others about these fantastic technologies.