A Women's RV Forum run by Women RVer's!

ok, just looking for some opinions.

been looking at several different types of lighting. pros and cons?

1) the 'fun shape 10 light set'
these will need to be taken down and put up each the you do
the same to the awning. cute but worth the effort?

2) the LED strip. these are attached directly to the RV and are left
attached all the time.

3) the 3pc 6ft attachments that slide onto the awning and then hold
lengths of rope light.

4) the 'just unroll the rope light and lay it on the ground' system!

I'm sure there are several different types that I just haven't come across yet.

anyone have any thoughts?

thanks for you input - EM

I'm one that prefers no lights, but of all those options, I prefer the ones you lay down. They are less bright so unlikely to disturb neighbors but give a method to see where you're walking.

I notice yesterday when the rep took me on the Thor factory tour that the manufacturers were now putting the strings of light under the awnings in the factory. I didn't ask if you had a choice of whether to turn them on or not. On some of the rigs they lights were directly under the awning as it was rolled up. On other models the lights were directly under the inside of the awnings as they were rolled out and set up. But no I don't remember which models were which....

Some awnings may not roll up correctly with the rope lights and you certainly don't want that awning opening as you're driving down the road. Since its almost always windy here in Texas it was a pain to take down your lights then roll up your awning especially if the wind came up unexpectedly.

I ended up putting the rope lights around my outside rug using those metal tent hooks to keep it in place. Loved not having to mess with them until I was ready to leave and it lit up an area at night so I could go outside. I used a timer so they would go off and on automatically.

Bethers wrote:I'm one that prefers no lights, but of all those options, I prefer the ones you lay down. They are less bright so unlikely to disturb neighbors but give a method to see where you're walking.

part of the reason I was liking the LED's was the strand I was looking at you were able to adjust the color. I was thinking the white if I really needed some light for some reason but the majority of the time I would set on a darker color which would give me enough light to keep from tripping over a dog leash or a dog for that matter!

although just for the ease of it I'm liking the idea of just laying out the rope light. I like the idea of using the rug spikes to hold in place.

thanks for the ideas!

cheers - EM

There's always solar powered lights you stick in the ground. I use those around my tent, and like to stick them next to the tent stakes so I know where they are so I don't trip on them, especially at night. Altho, they don't work too well in shady areas or on cloudy days

The ones that hook to the awning aren't too bad to put up and take down. You can buy some clips then just clip them to the awning. They're pretty cheap. Easy up, easy down. There could be the possibility of poking a hole in your awning though.

I like the idea of laying rope lights on the ground. And you really wouldn't even have to stake them down. Just lay them out where you want them then plug them in.

I like the idea of using a timer. That's a good idea.

If you get a light that installs in the awning track be very careful installing it. Awnings are like window shades, they have a spring in them so that they will roll up. The spring in an rv awning is powerful. You DON'T want the spring to suddenly get away from you. I had one of these on my awning when I bought my trailer. It was a fluorescent light and didn't work. So I removed it, but not by disconnecting either end of the awning. I used some tools to break it into pieces then dug the pieces out of the track.

I like the rope lights strung along the ground best. Cheap, easy to lay out, not too bright.

I have a few solar lights...want more it really helps to light the area so when i come home in the dark
can see better...and it adds to the... not sure of the word to the area
never have done lights on the awning...but then haven't put the awning out for a long time
sheila

I would prefer solar powered lights myself. I"ve noticed that a whole lot of people in MI don't use awning lights anymore. Been seeing a decrease in that over the years that I worked at the park. Most seem to just leave their exterior "porch" light on and even then turn it off at night. Actually by not using too many outside lights we tend to become more "green" per say in that we help the environment by not using so much electric. Helps keep camping rates down to in that the parks don't have to pay such high electric bills from people pulling in a lot of electric to operate everything. I've seen so many darn cute awning lights though and also some really nifty portable outdoor lamps. My two cents worth anyway

we've just about decided!

think we're going to order a strand of vintage lights to use on the awning on days when weather permits. will purchase a roll of the rope lights to just lay out on the ground on windy days.

trying to find a roll of multi-color that we can control the color. as I stated earlier, I'd like to have the option of going all white in case I need the light for some reason. would use a much darker color for just 'sitting around.' just enough to keep me from tripping and not enough to bother the neighbors.

thanks again for the ideas. if I can figure out the picture posting i'll post a photo of what we end up with.

EM

BarbaraRose wrote:There's always solar powered lights you stick in the ground. I use those around my tent, and like to stick them next to the tent stakes so I know where they are so I don't trip on them, especially at night. Altho, they don't work too well in shady areas or on cloudy days

Just so happened that these lighted tent spikes were reviewed in the Chicago Tribune today.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-04-08/travel/sc-trav-0408-gear-20140408_1_stakes-led-lights-batteries

But in case the Trib link doesn't work in the future - here's another (Amazon was more expensive)
http://www.go2outfitters.com/coghlans-led-nail-pegs/

We have a string of awning lights (grapes) that we put up when we will be parked for about a week. But we don't use them if in a windy area. We also carry one string of solar lights for the ground. I don't like the solar too much, should have bought electric ones.

Those tent stakes are a good option, altho if you have quite a few of them you could end up paying for a lot of batteries fairly quickly, especially if they are left on all night long.

The solar ones work really well (as long as you can have them in the sun for awhile) and they are really cheap now, like a buck a piece, and no batteries. They are lightweight and can be moved easily, altho they are difficult to put into hard ground. I got mine partly to not trip over the stakes at night (or during the day ) and also to find my way back to the tent in the dark.

So I guess they each have pros and cons.

I do have a small battery operated string of lights (little coleman lanterns) that I drape above the door of the tent too. I turn those off when I go to bed and turn them on if I need to make a night time bathroom run. I don't think I have replaced the batteries since I bought them about 6 years ago.