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How to change lightbulb?


Gaelyn

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84 Dolphin, and no clue how to change the lightbulb on interior lights - the reflect-o-light 540.

one burned out and someone loosened the bulb trying to get it out, so I dont want to break the first one I swap out.

bulb.jpg

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Needle nose pliers. Grab the base not the glass.

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I have the same fixtures in Grannie. I made the mistake of replacing the original bulbs with leds. After one light was awhile I noticed a melting area on the cover. Turns out the led melted the light cover which is impossible to replace as they don’t make them anymore. I had to buy new light fixtures which aren’t as well made and don’t have the cool retro look! I put back the original type bulb in all my other reflect-o-lite fixtures. Live and learn. 

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I couldn’t find a replacement cover anywhere that had that nice dimpled cover like the original. I also like the soft warm look of the original bulbs. To each his own!

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8 hours ago, markwilliam1 said:

I have the same fixtures in Grannie. I made the mistake of replacing the original bulbs with leds. After one light was awhile I noticed a melting area on the cover. Turns out the led melted the light cover which is impossible to replace as they don’t make them anymore. I had to buy new light fixtures which aren’t as well made and don’t have the cool retro look! I put back the original type bulb in all my other reflect-o-lite fixtures. Live and learn. 

LED bulb's should not give off enough heat to melt your lens?  I can touch mine after they have been on for hours.. Also LED'S are available from "warm white to super brite" & use about 1/10 the wattage of a  standard 1156 bulb..  A lot of homework to choose the correct bulb for your application as the LED field is  loaded with confusing   information.   watts, lumens, candlepower etc..    donnie

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I hate bright white light so I was really worried about buying the LED's but my friend Gail recommended these. Love them. Warm and easy on the eyes but more than enough light. I read a lot so important

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0148ICY2Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These are the covers I bought. A little different than the old ones so I just bought enough to replace them all. Had to notch them a little more but super easy. I fact I didn't even do them all. Most fit tight enough without it.

https://www.ebay.com/i/331395139845?chn=ps&dispctrl=1

Linda S

 

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I agree Donnie but they sure did melt my lenses! Not sure what the wattage was on the LEDs. I’ve replaced the 3 fixtures that melted with self contained LEDs fixtures but the rest of My reflect-o-lites fixtures will keep the original bulbs and their soft warm light!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have replaced all of the interior light fixtures with led fixtures.  I replaced the bulb in my exterior entry fixture with an led bulb and even after it has been on for hours it stays cool.  I am not saying that your lenses didn't melt, but the leds in mine stay cool.  they do make high output leds that get very warm.  I have led flood lights on the front of my atv and they are built with large heat sinks and get very warm.  I would not want that much light in my Toyhouse though.

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On 11/18/2017 at 11:23 AM, markwilliam1 said:

I agree Donnie but they sure did melt my lenses! Not sure what the wattage was on the LEDs. I’ve replaced the 3 fixtures that melted with self contained LEDs fixtures but the rest of My reflect-o-lites fixtures will keep the original bulbs and their soft warm light!

Do you have pics or mfg and PN of the hot LEDs.

 

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I bought the LEDs @ Autozone when they first started to be produced. Were Very Expensive! They were the round type with LEDs circling the fixture. Don’t have the packaging anymore. They weren’t that overly bright but were hot to the touch I latter found out! I like the bulbs much better. 

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I would guess the lens was all ready cooked by the incandescent bulb an LED should not get much warmer than a cat. The average 1156 bulb draws a shade over 24 watts @ 400 lumens an LED replacement about 600 lumens draws about 1 watt. The output of an 1156 makes it a better heater than a light source. Some high output LED's do get hot they are overdriven on propose to make a lot of light in a small package they are the ones that have heat sinks. Bottom line the LED's are far more efficient per watt than an incandescent. The color temp of an LED is personal, for those that don't mind a bit less light per pound and the color of a table lamp then the temp should be in the 3000 to 3500 degree K If you want a lot of light then the daylight LED is for you they are 4000 and up degrees K (sunlight is 7000 to 11,000 K). The early daylight ones had a good deal of blue some people like myself are sensitive to the blue light they have seems to get past that now and are much whiter. I had 13 1156 bulbs in my camper all of them on drew 23 amps! I now have 15 LED's they draw 3.08 amps and frankly it's a good deal brighter now. 

 

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IIRC, RV interior lights were originally fitted with 1141 bulbs. Physically identical to the 1156, I think they run cooler thus not melting/overheating the plastic light fixtures. But since (apparently) the 'RV' 1141 bulbs are often more expensive (and harder to find) that the 'car' 1156, people often buy the 1156 and then 'pay the piper'. :)

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Yea I was a pissed they melted the lenses (only 2) and the lenses were in perfect condition. I suspect the LEDs I bought were for a car application and not for interior lighting. 

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