I wouldn’t say I like the light bulb’s color temperature in my RV because it seems too dark for doing tasks in my kitchen. So, I was planning to replace it with a soft white color. It turns out the process is more accessible than I thought.
All you need to do is shut it off, open it up, and replace it with a new set of light bulbs.
Here’s a more detailed process on how to change RV ceiling light bulbs.
Table of Contents
Method 1: Changing RV Interior Lights to LED
When your RV ceiling light is incandescent, you can change the setting to an LED light bulb for more coolness and less power consumption.
What To Prepare
- New LED light bulbs- You should choose a decent LED light that produces around 360 lumens of light output, which can be as bright as a 25-watt halogen bulb.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Remove The Cover
Before you try to touch the cover, you may want to turn the light off. The switch is placed at the center of the light fixture.
- Now it’s time to remove the cover lens. Simply push the cover-up and slide it down carefully.
- Wiggle the cover a little and try to remove it from the light fixture.
- Ensure that all the tabs are intact or that the lens won’t sit right when you put it back in.
Step 2: Replace The Bulb
Once the covers are all pulled out, remove the old light bulbs and replace them with the new ones.
- Grab the old light bulb, not the plastic fixture that holds it, because it’s a little fragile.
- Just wiggle it a little and pull it out slowly- not pull it straight out.
- Insert the new LED light bulb into the socket until it sits firmly.
- Turn the light on to test whether the new light bulb is working.
Method 2: Installing New Puck Lights
Replacing puck lights may look tricky because they’re hardwired into the ceiling. The good news is that they don’t look as hard as they look.
What To Prepare
- Screwdriver- If your puck light has screws, you’ll need a screwdriver.
- Wrench pliers
- Puck Lights- You can purchase a diode board for replacement or buy a new set of puck lights. These lights are bright, round LEDs that can help clear certain areas.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Remove The Cover
Puck lights might look intimidating with their cover and LED diodes, but it’s actually easy to take them out for replacement. Here are the steps.
- First, switch off the power to prevent the LED bulbs from exploding while changing them.
- Next, twist off the cover counterclockwise to remove it.
- If your puck light is secured with screws, use a screwdriver to remove it from the ceiling, then slightly tug it out from its place. In our case, we have three screws to hold the light.
At this point, you’ll see some hanging wires coming out from the ceiling.
Step 2: Disconnect The Old Light
There are two wires in an LED ceiling puck light-a negative and a positive. Also, there’s another set of two wires from the ceiling. All you need to do is to disconnect them from each other.
- Find the parts which connect the LED light wires to the ceiling. Others call it the crushed nuts or unions. Squeeze those parts with some wrench pliers.
- Bend the crushed nuts back out and yank them off. Set them aside in a safe place because we’ll use them again in step 3.
- Now, disconnect the old light so you can change the RV interior light bulbs with a new one.
Step 3: Rewire A New Light
Get your replacement interior light, and it’s time to rewire it to the ceiling. Rewire it exactly how it’s done with the previous light.
- Spin the stripped wires of the same color together- white to white and black to black.
- Remember your crushed nuts? Put them back on to make the connection nice and tight. Insert the twisted wires into the crushed nuts deeply.
- Squeeze the crushed nuts with a pair of wrench pliers. Give them a little tug to ensure their tightness.
- Once done, put the light back into the hole, then screw it back in.
Watch this video to learn how this RV interior light bulb replacement is done properly.
Method 3: Connecting A New LED RV Ceiling Light
Those dome-like LEDs are known for their long life and efficiency, which is why they’re popular among RV owners. Replacing RV interior lights with LEDs only takes a few steps and tools.
What To Prepare
- Diagonal cutting pliers
- Quick disconnect fittings
- 12-Volt RV Light– These lights are shaped like a dome with a metal decorative ring around it and some tension clips to hold firmly.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Remove The Light
The first step of this RV interior light bulb replacement process is to remove the old light from the ceiling.
- Determine where the springs are and place your fingers away from them because they can hit you painfully.
- Grab the LED dome light and pull it out from the ceiling. You might need to spin it a little bit.
- At this point, you’ll see the wires hidden inside the hole. What we want you to do before you replace RV light bulbs is to turn off the light to prevent any current from flowing into the wires.
Step 2: Apply Quick Disconnects
Normally, these lights are soldered together with butt connectors. To make future connections more accessible, try to replace them with quick disconnect fittings.
- Cut the butt connectors off each wire hanging from the ceiling with a pair of diagonal cutting pliers.
- Snip the ends of the wires, about 3/16 of an inch, and insert them into the little tube of the quick disconnect.
- Apply quick disconnect fittings into each wire.
- Do the same to the wires of the new RV light.
Step 3: Attach The New Light
Now it’s time to connect each wire. This is easy, provided that you have installed the quick disconnect.
- Slide the wires on each connector. This is going to hold the wires together firmly.
- Connect each wire according to color- white to white and black to black.
- If you don’t like to use a quick disconnect, you can use any union or strip each wire and spin them together.
- Once done, put the wires back into the hole and push the light back into place.
Conclusion
Now that you have learned how to change RV ceiling light bulbs, you’re one step ahead of being a reliable RVer. All you need is a few tools, like a screwdriver or pliers. Simply remove the cover and the old light, then replace them with a new one.
Let us know what you think about this tutorial. And share it with your friends if you like it.
Okay, so I’m Philip Lopez. I join Riverside Trailer as an editor, where I will be doing research for both content and reviews. I contribute to studies aimed at understanding the most typical problems encountered by RVers on the road. I also keep up with the newest RVing gadget innovations so that I can promptly evaluate and recommend the best options.