Anti bug option for porch light?

razntwn

Anyone figure how to mask the porch light yellow to minimize bug attraction?

I saw several larger RVs and Trailers with yellow lights like I use at home; anti-bug lights.

Nomad

Somewhere there's an old post about replacing the current bulb with a yellow one and if I recall correctly, someone else managed to dye (or something) the lens.

razntwn

I'll look for the old post; the 2016 T@Bs seem to have a LED strip so bulb change may be out of the question unless I replace the whole module.  Dying the lens gives me an idea if I get some yellow car tint film.

Nomad

Theatrical supply places have colored gels for spotlights - hundreds of tints. I use them in my photography and cut out some round pieces to tint/dim my interior lights. Since LEDs give off no heat, you might be able to cover that strip with a gel strip.

razntwn

Thanks I'll look into the photography gels plus yellow light film you can get for cars (Walmart has it for $9 for 12"x48").  I like the idea of using gels for the interior light (which is very cold/cool now) to give some warmer mood lighting.  The yellow film for fog lights may hold up better outdoors given its original purpose.

Nomad

Here's the thread I mentioned...
http://tab-rv.vanillaforums.com/discussion/892/poor-mans-led-light-dimmer#latest

Ratkity

They even sell gel strips to put over things like the LED display of the Jensen. Dimmest mode is still too bright for me.

A way to have dim lights as a beacon to the camper is to short the pigtail (don't do this boondocking - unnecessary battery use). There are 2 slots you can put either a 14g insulated wire with bare ends into or a flat blade fuse (5A). Place in pigtail slots 3 & 4.

It can be irritating to people if you are too close to others in an RV park, but I find in state and national parks, I'm far enough away from others and it doesn't attract the bugs like the Lighthouse Beacon they call a porch light.

rfuss928

There are amber lenses available for many of the standard RV porch lights. 

The DM T@Bs have an oval fixture that has clear and amber lenses available.


I think this is the fixture on the newer LG T@Bs:

 
Search "RV porch light lens" on eBay or Amazon and many choices come up.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/REPLACEMENT-Amber-LENS-for-Exterior-RV-PORCH-LIGHT-BARGMAN-Camper-LENS-Only-/181787125507?hash=item2a535b6703:g:3YgAAOSwLVZVj0bp&vxp=mtr

https://www.amazon.com/Green-LongLife-9090128-Replacement-Lens/dp/B00EZWVWII/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1470574380&sr=8-4&keywords=rv+porch+light+lens

Have Fun!!
Bob

Nomad

My 2015 has the oval.
Since I dry camp most of the time, I don't use that porch light much - draws too much power on extended lightings. Forgot to turn it off one night and battery was way lower than normal by morning even though it's LED.

Ratkity

I heard it was difficult to take the lens off the early 2015s. Can anyone verify this? I thought I read that in the old thread where the entire fixture was changed. Oh, and orange Sharpie wears off too fast if you use it on the lens....Well - It seemed like a good idea I had at the time (sez the Redneck).

hobbithouse

Try  an auto parts store for an aerosol can of amber color spray paint used to color clear turn signal lenses for vehicles equipped with such prior to when amber became popular.

Verna

On my Silver Shadow galley light, I took the lens off, sprayed the inside with John Deere yellow paint, wiped it off and let it dry. When dry, I put it back on and there were very few bugs that were attracted to it after that. 

ChanW

I was able to find a replacement LED lamp to plug into the porch light fixture, to dim it way down. The company that carried the most options on replacement LED bulbs was (I think) https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/rv-led-replacement-bulbs/
Surprising what they have available. They might have it in amber.

jkjenn

But LED lights generate minimal, if any heat.

razntwn

I went the yellow fog light film route for now; cheap and easy on 2016 T@B; the porch light on mine is a complete assembly from what I could tell (1" by 4") so bulb change was out of the equation.  The film is sticky/staticky and the permanent (?) rubber/plastic cover over the LEDs is tacky so I didn't actually even need to peel and stick; just clinging like Saran Wrap (easy removal is necessary).

Still bright but yellow tint; tried in my driveway and a moth which was bugging my flashlight initially flew to it (after I turned my flashlight off) and then went away .

I'll probably need to tweak the brightness later so I don't lose my night vision when coming to the trailer in the dark.
- great threads on dimmers and gels.

Thanks for all the pointers and help.

JandJ92010

I went to a craft store and got some translucent yellow paint and painted the inside of the lens. The light still attracts bugs at night, so we don't use it. I lay out a string of LED lights on the ground around the trailer. They still light everything up and keep the raccoons and bugs away too.