RV Bulb Thread

[codetrap]

So, I have a decent supplier for RV LEDS.. the T10 wedges and the 1156's. Color temp warm... I'm thinking about bringing in a hundred or so of each, but I wanted to guage interest here to see if it would be worthwhile. The 1156's would be $8 each, and the T10s would be $6.

They both draw about 250mA. I outfitted my tent trailer with them 3 years ago, and haven't had a failure yet. They're both a reasonable brightness, so that's not an issue, and they're not the cold white, so they're not to sit under.


» Click image for larger version

» Click image for larger version

Let me know if your'e interested. I currently have some as samples that I can show.. in fact, I'll wire up a 12v battery to them and take a couple of pics in my garage to show the relative brightness later if anyone is interested. It'll give me a chance to measure the exact power usage.

[Unknown303]

Must be making a killer profit at 10 dollars a bulb.

[codetrap]

I haven't made any profit at all actually. Haven't sold any. I know the bulbs are cheaper, but I also have to consider my time. If I just pass them along at cost, have to set aside time/gas to meet someone, then really I'm just losing out. But I do agree.. thinking about it, $10 seems steep for assuming all the risk, possible returns etc... $8 it is.

[Unknown303]

I'm just saying I brought in off road led bars and didn't charge a dime over the actual cost plus shipping for over 20 worth of lights. People just had to come pick them up. I get wanting to get money for your time and effort but if you want to go that route why not start a business then...

[spike98]

These are what i am looking for as well but i am certainly going to get them myself. At those prices it will cost me $500 when i spec'd it out at $100 going with https://www.superbrightleds.com/

[codetrap]

Originally posted by Unknown303
I'm just saying I brought in off road led bars and didn't charge a dime over the actual cost plus shipping for over 20 worth of lights. People just had to come pick them up. I get wanting to get money for your time and effort but if you want to go that route why not start a business then...

Well.. actually, when I was camping near Garner Lake we went to the farmers market, and there was a booth there selling these exact same bulbs for $18 for the T10's, and $24 for the 1156's. That to me is insane.. but, when I got thinking about it, they have a lot of costs to cover, and they did have some really nice little ammeters there on switches to show the difference live in power usage..

So, I was thinking about doing something similar, hence my post to gauge interest. When I got thinking about it, I was thinking of the typical beyond transaction, where I end up driving to meet someone, (gas/time) and the risk of duds (warranty).. so I figured pad it with a little bit so I don't end up losing money on it. Hence my "is there interest" post. I'm totally up in the air on this, and I only have a few left over now that I brought in for spikerS and myself. This isn't a group buy idea, it's more of a, is this a possible side business idea, and what do you all think about it. Hence, I'm not gonna get upset about any feedback.

Originally posted by spike98
These are what i am looking for as well but i am certainly going to get them myself. At those prices it will cost me $500 when i spec'd it out at $100 going withhttps://www.superbrightleds.com/

Really? I looked at this site when I was originally shopping, and the cheapest 1156's are $8, and the T10's are $10... plus shipping, which works out to around $15 if you order 10. I'm not trying to argue with you, but I think your numbers are bit off.

[spike98]

Originally posted by codetrap
Really? I looked at this site when I was originally shopping, and the cheapest 1156's are $8, and the T10's are $10... plus shipping, which works out to around $15 if you order 10. I'm not trying to argue with you, but I think your numbers are bit off.

My numbers were based off of the superbrightleds ebay store. Which i just looked at and is non-exsistant...fuck haha.

I still am going to try ebay, like http://www.ebay.ca/itm/10-X-Warm-Whi...vxp=mtr&_uhb=1


$25 for 10. Even if you double up because they may be off lesser quality you still end up a lot cheaper.

[codetrap]

^ Yup.. no doubt at all that would be cheaper.

I guess I have my answer then. It's not really worth ordering a bunch as a side business then. At least not to beyonders.

[spike98]

Originally posted by codetrap
^ Yup.. no doubt at all that would be cheaper.

I guess I have my answer then. It's not really worth ordering a bunch as a side business then. At least not to beyonders.

I think the problem you find is that beyonders tend to know computers well and with that know online shopping.

I think if you could get them wholesale and direct and did up a website i think you could make a profit. Hell cost the ones from the link are $2.50 per. Id pay $3.50 per if i could pick them up today a couple at a time. Wholesale you should get half that. You could easily walk away with a 30-40% profit margin.

Then approach RV dealerships and sell through them.

Soon you will be RV LED king of calgary

[Unknown303]

Yeah what spike98 said. Ebay prices are the new retail price for anyone who can remotely understand computers. So I wouldn't expect someone to buy from eBay and bump the price for profit. If you could find a better wholesale price there's a lot of people who would probably be okay paying a couple dollars over the eBay price to get them locally. But sourcing off eBay for 3 dollars and charging 10 is brutal.

[spikerS]

I think the idea of bringing in a bunch at a time, and just putting a little sign at the front of your campsite offering them up is the best bet. Zero overhead, and everyone around you is a potential customer.

I think the convenience and impulse factor is what is going to sell these, as most people are not even aware of these for RV units.

[codetrap]

Thanks for the input guys. Appreciated.

[C_Dave45]

I outfitted our trailer with these bulbs, about two years ago. And same thing, I ordered them off Ebay. They came from China, so I was a little skeptical of their quality. But in two years I've only had a couple bulbs fail, and it was just the odd diode in each bulb.
I ordered from here and they worked out to around $4/bulb with taxes, brokerage, etc. Woody's RV want's $15/bulb.

NOW...having said that, using LED bulbs is become less and less an issue, because either we camp at a powered campground, or if we're drycamping, then we're renting/using a generator, so saving amperage usage on bulbs is moot. And I have to admit that even the warm ones, (think these are 3000K) I find I don't really like the "mood". I've even taken some out and replaced with the regular old 1156's when we're at powered sites.

And I'm finding any "dry" campgrounds are getting more and more annoying as everyone and their dog is using generators now, most of which are those crappy Champions, and the whole campground sounds like a lawn mower convention. Powered campgrounds are "whisper" quiet at any time of the day.

[mr2mike]

Originally posted by C_Dave45
and more annoying as everyone and their dog is using generators now, most of which are those crappy Champions, and the whole campground sounds like a lawn mower convention. Powered campgrounds are "whisper" quiet at any time of the day.

My complaint too. At least some are only running them for a few hours but still, charge your batteries before you get to the campsite and go from there. If the kids need TV or charge their ipads, TOO BAD, not enough power, go play in the forest.

[ExtraSlow]

People do go overboard with the generators. Although maybe I'm not one to talk, since my battery drained and I had to borrow codetraps genny last time . . .

Trailer doesn't have a TV and the kids don't play ipads though.

Powered is nice.

[codetrap]

Originally posted by C_Dave45
And I'm finding any "dry" campgrounds are getting more and more annoying as everyone and their dog is using generators now, most of which are those crappy Champions, and the whole campground sounds like a lawn mower convention. Powered campgrounds are "whisper" quiet at any time of the day.

Yeah, the last time I was out camping, most people were running their POS honda's at full tilt. The guy with the crappy champion at least had it on econo mode so it was really quiet. There was one guy that was running a bloody 6500W Yamaha for most of the day.

I guess it's not so much the "crappy" champions.... but the crappy people.

Incidentally, my "crappy" 3100W champion is exactly 1dB louder than it's competing 3000W Honda, and it's almost $2000 less.

[hedge]

Originally posted by C_Dave45
And I'm finding any "dry" campgrounds are getting more and more annoying as everyone and their dog is using generators now, most of which are those crappy Champions, and the whole campground sounds like a lawn mower convention. Powered campgrounds are "whisper" quiet at any time of the day. [/B]

x?, also seem to experience this much more than I ever did. I do carry a generator (a Honda) but we rarely ever use it. I really don't understand why people need to run them all day. I really wish they would introduce a rule to limit generators above a certain db rating for campgrounds.

Unfortunately for me the sites I like usually don't have services, although it seems the unserviced sites I go to have more room between them so maybe it's a wash.

PS: as above the Champion generators are almost as quiet as the Hondas if they are the inverter style. I've owned both and they are very close in noise. The noisy ones are those cheap contractor style.

PS2: we do have a tv but it's 12v and we limit it to 1/2 hour before bed.

[Kavy]

Off topic here but I own both generators as well and I did not find the champion only 1db louder then the Honda. Under zero load and both in econo they are close. Under load it was no comparison as I could stand by my honda and the champion drowns it out from 5 feet away. I have said before the champion is a great generator and for the money you can't go wrong but the YouTube videos saying they are 1db louder are far from accurate when the generator is actually under load.

For bulbs I echo what's already been said. I picked up 20 for $60 on eBay and have yet to have one burn out. I have only had them in the trailer for this year but I have 6 spares in case anything goes wrong. The price disparity in LED bulbs is amazing to say the least.

[codetrap]

Kavy, I'm just repeating the published specs for the noise. My new 3100 inverter is almost as quiet as my old 2000w