This is something I've wanted to do for quite some time....but never had the opportunity.
I knew there was a void in actual product that could do this and a massive misconception in what is 'cool' and what salesmen are actually selling as 'cool'.
Client from WAY out of state called me a few months ago to inform me he'd be in Idaho for a month or more and has always wanted full underbody LED lighting....yet no-one was able to find the correct solution.....which was, FULL Underbody Multi-Color Lighting.
Now most RV places would just sell you a standard 16' LED strip and a controller...but here is where the problem is.....this is a 50' Coach....with wheel wells and what not.....a 16' strip won't even begin to cover the sides and wheel wells.....and is too long to do the front and rear section...on...and by the time you're done adding 6+ strips, how are you planning on properly powering them up? Because most controllers can only adequately power 2 MAYBE 3 strips before they need boosted and that brings a whole new issue into the mix.
My solution....well...it's in my business name.....Custom.
We make a custom, fit-to-RV LED kit.
Basically I used about 150 LED pods (compromised of 4 RGB LED chips) spaced at roughly 6" O.C. and wired them up to 4 separate controls zones (Front, Back and Side to Side)
The Rear kit takes care of the rear and side sections up until the wheel wells.
The Sides are the rear 2 wheel wells and entire middle section.
The Front is the immediate front bumper, small side section and front wheel well.
The biggest gap in lighting is around the wheel wells, which only have 3 LED pods per wheel...but that was based on the fact that there isn't much room to work in there and an ALL black tire will soak up all the lighting anyways...so something is better than nothing.
I wired up the Rear and both Side controllers near the rear battery compartment and the Front controller is behind the front retractable clip.
The owner is using an app that allows full customization of EACH Zone separate or Joined Together.
He can simply change colors, or he can make them strobe, breath or transition through all the colors automagically. He can also make them change colors to the beat of whatever song he may want; as well as schedule when each zone turns ON or OFF based on a preset scheduling software.
This was an interesting install.....I performed most of the fabrication of the LED kit in my shop with tight measurements to adhere to....and then implementation of the kit was done on-site at the Meridian KOA.....flat-back style. The coach can be raise to about 12" off the ground...so that's what I had to work with....it was interesting securing the kit with over 300 screws, zip-ties and tape with such little area to work with.
The main issues we ran into on this build is that the app and controllers Do Not Sync with one another after the initial command is sent...so after a while, the sequencing of the transitions become out-of-sync.....
Another issue we ran into was Range....these are Bluetooth controllers and since they are installed at separate ends of the Coach and surrounded by metal, it lowers the connectivity range....but after a few trail and error revisions to the system, we got the range of connectivity up to about 50-ish feet...which is pretty good for Bluetooth Control.
We're still hoping that something can be done via software for the controllers to sync better...but other than that, this is one Bad-Ass Bright RV......owner said "I've seen a ton of lit up coaches.....none can even touch this one"......my work here is done!!
I knew there was a void in actual product that could do this and a massive misconception in what is 'cool' and what salesmen are actually selling as 'cool'.
Client from WAY out of state called me a few months ago to inform me he'd be in Idaho for a month or more and has always wanted full underbody LED lighting....yet no-one was able to find the correct solution.....which was, FULL Underbody Multi-Color Lighting.
Now most RV places would just sell you a standard 16' LED strip and a controller...but here is where the problem is.....this is a 50' Coach....with wheel wells and what not.....a 16' strip won't even begin to cover the sides and wheel wells.....and is too long to do the front and rear section...on...and by the time you're done adding 6+ strips, how are you planning on properly powering them up? Because most controllers can only adequately power 2 MAYBE 3 strips before they need boosted and that brings a whole new issue into the mix.
My solution....well...it's in my business name.....Custom.
We make a custom, fit-to-RV LED kit.
Basically I used about 150 LED pods (compromised of 4 RGB LED chips) spaced at roughly 6" O.C. and wired them up to 4 separate controls zones (Front, Back and Side to Side)
The Rear kit takes care of the rear and side sections up until the wheel wells.
The Sides are the rear 2 wheel wells and entire middle section.
The Front is the immediate front bumper, small side section and front wheel well.
The biggest gap in lighting is around the wheel wells, which only have 3 LED pods per wheel...but that was based on the fact that there isn't much room to work in there and an ALL black tire will soak up all the lighting anyways...so something is better than nothing.
I wired up the Rear and both Side controllers near the rear battery compartment and the Front controller is behind the front retractable clip.
The owner is using an app that allows full customization of EACH Zone separate or Joined Together.
He can simply change colors, or he can make them strobe, breath or transition through all the colors automagically. He can also make them change colors to the beat of whatever song he may want; as well as schedule when each zone turns ON or OFF based on a preset scheduling software.
This was an interesting install.....I performed most of the fabrication of the LED kit in my shop with tight measurements to adhere to....and then implementation of the kit was done on-site at the Meridian KOA.....flat-back style. The coach can be raise to about 12" off the ground...so that's what I had to work with....it was interesting securing the kit with over 300 screws, zip-ties and tape with such little area to work with.
The main issues we ran into on this build is that the app and controllers Do Not Sync with one another after the initial command is sent...so after a while, the sequencing of the transitions become out-of-sync.....
Another issue we ran into was Range....these are Bluetooth controllers and since they are installed at separate ends of the Coach and surrounded by metal, it lowers the connectivity range....but after a few trail and error revisions to the system, we got the range of connectivity up to about 50-ish feet...which is pretty good for Bluetooth Control.
We're still hoping that something can be done via software for the controllers to sync better...but other than that, this is one Bad-Ass Bright RV......owner said "I've seen a ton of lit up coaches.....none can even touch this one"......my work here is done!!
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