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RV Roof Accent LED Light Kit

$740.99
Price as Configured
SKU: KRV-EO-ROOF-RGB
UPC: 812928025726
Current Stock:
SKU: KRV-EO-ROOF-RGB
UPC: 812928025726
size: 12.00 W × 12.00 H × 12.00 L
Price as Configured
$740.99
Prices for product only. Installation not included.
A Word about Delivery Time Frames

RV Roof Accent LED Light Kit

Add roof accent LED lights to one or both sides of your RV. Designed for use with 35' to 48' Class A Motor Homes with awning cassettes mounted on the roof.

This Boogey Lights® RV ROOF ACCENT LED LED light kit mounts to the roof with the LED lights shining up toward the awning cassette. Doing so illuminates the space between the roof and the awning cassette providing an elegant straight line glow of light on the roof's perimeter (see photos in the product photo gallery above). These lights can be added to just the passenger's side or to both the passenger and driver sides. For driver's side application, there isn't typically an awning cassette on the driver's side of most motor homes but there is usually a fairing structure to match the look of the pasenger's side.

Offered in three MULTI-COLOR versions (RGB, RGBW and RGBA) and eight different SINGLE COLOR versions. The default configuration is set at RGB because it is the most popular but you can adjust the LED color selection using the drop down product options on this page for the other color options.

Be sure to click on the INSTALL navigation tab on this product page and expand both the LAYOUT & WIRING and CONSIDERATIONS text groups. We discuss important installation considerations which impact the options you choose when ordering this light kit.

We encourage you to take time to review the information we have assembled here before making your purchase decision. Be sure to scroll down, expand each text group section and read the information presented within each group. It's very thorough. Be sure to click on the INSTALL tab too. This is where you'll find downloadable INSTALL DOCUMENATION and WIRING DIAGRAMS for this kit. These materials contain important installation considerations.

VIDEO

This walk-around video is of a 2021 Newmar Ventana 3412. It has our multi-color RGBA Roof Accent Light Kit installed (both sides) as well as our Under-Glow and Engine Bay light kits installed. The roof lighting system is operated by our Dual Zone LED controller which allows the owner to operate each side independently or together.

 

PRODUCT FITMENT

This product can be configured to fit just about any 35' to 48' Class A Motorhome that has awning cassettes mounted on the roof. While it's not essential that the RV have the awning cassettes installed, we think it looks better. You could for example mount these lights to the roof of just about any RV or trailer shining upward. Without the structure of an awning cassette (or similiar fairing) to reflect off of though, the look won't be as impressive in our view. This is a personal preference though. Also, nothing says you can't use these strips on top of a fifth wheel trailer, travel trailer or even a cargo or utility trailer.

This light kit itself will include at least two LED strips per side. Each LED strip will have a 15' power lead secured to one end. On longer motorhomes (above 38'), there will be three LED strips (per side). Depending on where the awning cassettes are mounted to the roof, you may need to trim one of the LED strips to fit your specific RV. We include instructions with each kit on how to do this as well as the heat shrink necessary to properly seal any strips that need to be cut.

For those who want a more professional, polished look, we offer the option of ordering aluminimum channel with plastic diffusers. The aluminum channel is secured to the roof first (using included 3M VHB tape + 3M Adhesion Primer) and then the LED strip is mounted inside the aluminum channel with the plastic diffuser going on top. We then seal the ends with Lexel (or equiv).

PRODUCT OPTIONS

Some are required. Some are optional. Refer to the following for details on each of the product options offered.

RV FORMAT: There are 3 possible RV format options presented. The 'format' relates to the type of RV you have. Motor Home Class A, Super C or Fifth Wheel. We limit the product to these three RV formats because they are typically in the 35' to 48' long range. If you have an RV or trailer that is a different format, reach out to us and we can assist you with ordering a roof light kit for that format. Note that it's important to get this right because it, along with the overall length of the RV and model tells us important information about the lengths of light strips to ship. Do not guess at this. Make your selection from the drop down list.

CONFIGURATION: This light kit can be purchased for use just on the PASSENGER'S side of the RV or BOTH the Passenger's and the Driver's. The default is just the passenger's side.

LED COLOR OPTIONS: This option tells us what color format you want for your light kit. There are three multi-color and eight single color options. We have a detailed discussion about these LED color options further down on this product page. Be sure to read it. It's important. If you select any of the three multi-color options, you'll be presented with the option to make an LED CONTROLLER selection (essential to operate RGBx LEDs). If you select any of the eight single color options, you'll be presented with a switching option.

LED CONTROLLER OPTIONS: This option is required for any RGB, RGBA or RGBW LED color selection. We offer a SINGLE ZONE LED CONTROLLER and a DUAL ZONE LED CONTROLLER. There is a detailed discussion about these two options further down on this product page. It's important to read it.

SWITCH OPTIONS: This product selection is only presented if you are ordering SINGLE COLOR LEDS. There are four possible single color switch options you can select as follows:

  1. RF Wireless ON/OFF only. Select this option if you want a simple wireless ON/OFF remote control (key fob style) to turn the lights on and off (no dimming or brightness control). We include a 40 amp relay too.
  2. RF Wireless ON/OFF/DIMMING control (20 amps). Select this option if you want a wireless remote control to operate the led strip. The wireless remote has a hand held control that allows you to turn the lights on, off and dim. In addition, you can strobe and breath the lights too. Bluetooth control is included as well. This controller is rated at a maximum amperage of 20 amps.
  3. On/Off Toggle Switch. This is a simple on/off hard wired toggle switch with relay. Nothing complicated.
  4. I'll supply my own switches. Select this option if you have your own single color switching mechanism. Just make sure it's rated to handle the amperage which for most under-glow LED light systems is in the 15 to 20 amp range. Some are higher depending on the number of LEDs and amount of wire in the circuit.

RV LENGTH: Select the length of your RV from the available drop down list.  This measurement is in feet. Use the real, actual overall length.  Some model numbers will have an approximate length embedded in the model number.  We need the actual overall length.  If your RV length is not in even feet, round down (e.g. 39.5' use 39').

RV MANUFACTURER: Select your RV MANUFACTURER's name from the drop down list. If your RV manufacturer is not listed, select OTHER at the bottom of the list.

RV MODEL NAME: Type in the MODEL NAME of your RV. This is different from the manufacturer name or the model number.

RV MODEL NUMBER: Type in your RVs MODEL NUMBER. This is the most important piece of information. Do not guess at it or skip it.  We cannot build your kit without it.  RV manufacturers assign a model number to each model they produce. The model number is different from the model name. The model numbers can be all numbers or a mix of numbers and letters. Some examples: 3412, LXE44B, 37K, KSDP3910, 29XPS, 4014LEV, 36TK3, LX455, MD2, 4369.

RV YEAR: Select the year of your RV.

ADD ALUMINUM CHANNEL W/DIFFUSER: This product selection is optional but if you can afford it, we suggest adding it. Why? Because they provide a professional looking installation. Not only does the channel and diffuser protect the LED strip the opaque plastic diffuser gives off a nice glow lighting effect too. Scroll down for more information (and photos) about this option.

ADD POWER CONVERTER: Whether or not you need a 120vac to 12vdc power converter for your Roof Accent Light kit installation will depend on where you're getting power from. Boogey Lights® products are native 12vdc devices. So if possible, we prefer to connect directly to 12vdc power. That's not always possible -- especially with Roof Accent light installs. For probably 75% of the RV Roof Accent light installations we do here at Boogey HQ, we have to pull the power from the front of the RV -- usually above the driver's/passenger's seat area. In those situations there isn't always 12vdc power available sufficient to support a 20 to 40amp DC power draw. In most cases, there is a 120vac power outlet above the drivers/passenger's area though. In these situations, we'll add one (or two) 20 amp 120vac to 12vdc power converters to power the Roof Accent light system. More information about this issue below and on the INSTALL tab of this product page.

LED CONTROLLER: SINGLE ZONE, DUAL ZONE?

For the three multi-color LED options, this kit offers both SINGLE ZONE and DUAL ZONE controller options. As the names suggest, a Single Zone controller has just one single lighting zone. All LEDs wired to the controller are on one zone. Whatever color or feature set you apply will be what you get on all leds. Pretty simple. With our Dual Zone controller, you can set up and operate two distinct lighting zones which can be operated and controlled individually or together. Many customers will install their full-perimeter under-glow system such that ZONE 1 controls the drivers side under-glow lights and ZONE 2 controls the front, rear and passenger's side under-glow lights. Why? If you find yourself camping in crowded campgrounds there may be situations where you want to turn off the driver's side under-glow lights (which faces the campers next to you) but leave the front, rear and passenger's side under-glow lights on. Of course there are other reasons too. Some customers will use ZONE 1 for the entire under-glow system and ZONE 2 for their awning (or slide out) lighting. Previously this type of configuration would require two different controllers. The point is that with the Duty Dual Zone LED Controller you have more flexibility as to how you want to control your Boogey Lights. On a Dual Zone controller each lighting zone is capable of supporting up to 1500 LEDs for a total of 3000 LEDs. It will work with your Android® or iOS® Smart phone. It will also work with the included M7 Style RF wireless remote. Details on features are below.

GEN2 LED CONTROLLERS

Bluetooth + RF Combo Wireless Control

The LED Controllers offered in this kit are our GEN2 Single Zone and Dual Zone Heavy Duty Bluetooth COMBO LED Controllers. COMBO means they can be operated using either the included M7 RF wireless hand held remote OR your Bluetooth enable smart phone (and our free APP). Both will work. The RGB version is capable of displaying 16 million different color combinations. The GEN2 RGBx version can display even more color combinations depending on the type of LED strips connected to them. In addition, lighting effects on the Bluetooth controller are significantly more controllable in terms of speed and intensity. Each color and lighting effect is controlled by "sliders" or a color square on your smart phone screen so you can adjust the speed and intensity to get the lighting the way you want it.

Key Features & Capabilities

  • Our GEN2 LED Controllers are based on the Bluetooth 5 chip set family which provide fast response times and the best possible RF/Bluetooth transmission distance.
  • The SUPER and HEAVY DUTY GEN2 Controller can support Single Color, RGB, RGBx and RGBxx LED strips with both RF and Bluetooth control.
  • The HEAVY DUTY controller versions include two antennas: a screw-on 2" stubby antenna and an extended magnetic mount antenna with 15' of wire for optimal reception on any vehicle.
  • Use the included RF wireless remote to quickly turn on/off/dim your Boogey Lights. You can also select up to 7 different preset colors using the RF remote as well as access 7 different lighting features.
  • Use your smart phone to operate your Boogey Lights®: On, Off, Dimming, Color Selection, Brightness, Speed, Color Programming, Timers
  • Adjust the color sliders or color square to select the color you want.
  • Access additional lighting features (e.g. strobing, flashing, breathing, morphing) modes using the 7 Function Keys.
  • Save your favorite lighting configuration using Pre-Sets
  • Countdown Timer and a 24 hour On/Off Timer function
  • Quick-Switch feature for use with RGBx LED strips.
  • Password protection to stop others from connecting to your LED controller.
  • Programmable Color Rotation mode offers the ability to program the controller to display two or three colors of your choice and then rotate those colors in sequence.
  • Assign a 'nick name' to your controller so you can easily find it when scanning.
  • Set the APP to auto-connect to your LED controller every time you launch the APP on your phone
  • DOWNLOAD the GEN2 LED Controller Operating Manual & Wiring Diagrams
  • DOWNLOAD the GEN2 Bluetooth Operating Manual
  • DOWNLOAD the GEN2 M7 RF Wireless Remote Operating Information
  • VIEW the GEN2 LED Controller Series Product Page
  • VIEW the GEN2 BLUETOOTH APP Information Page

Color Options and Considerations

This light kit is offered in eight single color options and in three multi-color configurations: RGB, RGBW (RGB + warm white) and RGBA (RGB + amber).

For the single color options the LED controller wireless RF remote will give you the ability to turn the LEDs on/off as well as dim, flash, strobe and breath (and change the speed at which those features work). With the bluetooth APP, you can perform these same functions as well as save presets.

For the multi-color RGB options, you have the same capabilities as the single color however the feature set is significantly expanded since you also have the ability to change/adjust/tweak the colors you want to display. RGB stands for Red Green Blue. It's the mixing of these three primary colors together that will produce up to 16 million different color options. To mix and produce these colors however you need an LED controller which is why when you select any of the RGB or RGBx color options you'll also be prompted to make a LED Controller selection. The Boogey Lights® LED controllers offered are both RF wireless + Bluetooth enabled controllers. With the included RF wireless remote you can change between 7 pre-set colors (Red, Green, Blue, White 6000K, Light Blue, Lime Green/Yellow, Hot Pink/Purple) and functions of on/off, blending, strobing, breathing, flashing, fading and dimming. You can also use your Bluetooth enabled smart phone to create a custom look. The Bluetooth APP allows you to program the RGB diodes of any of our RGB, RGBW and RGBA strips with over 16 million different color combinations plus three pre-sets. Also, the Bluetooth APP offers 2 and 3 color rotation programming along with two timer features. Click the BLUETOOTH APP navigation tab on this product page for significantly more information on both the Bluetooth capabilities and APP functionality (including a video showing how the Bluetooth APP works)

RGBW: On the RGBW led strip, in addition to RGB, you get one extra diode which is Warm White. That warm white diode has a Kelvin temperature of 2400 which means it has a yellowish look giving it a warmer, softer, candle like look (see photo below). That fourth diode on the RGBW led strip can be wired directly to our GEN2 LED Controller which supports RGBx LEDs. As an option, you could also wire that fourth diode to a completely separate on/off switch. Your choice. You could also use the Quick-Switch feature with this fourth diode too.

RGBA: On the RGBA led strip, in addition to RGB, you get one extra diode which is AMBER. That fourth diode on the RGBA led strip can be wired directly to our GEN2 LED Controller which supports RGBx LEDs. As an option, you could also wire that fourth diode to a completely separate on/off switch. Your choice. You could also use the Quick-Switch feature with this fourth diode too.

ALUMINUM CHANNEL OPTION

This product selection is optional but if you can afford it, we suggest adding it. Why? Because they provide a professional looking installation. Not only does the channel and diffuser protect the LED strip the opaque plastic diffuser gives off a nice glow lighting effect too. The Mini T12 Aluminum Channel is a low profile design that can be mounted just about anywhere. It has an anodized finish (electrostatic sprayed) which provides maximum protection against the elements. The aluminum channel acts as a heat sink too. They're ideal for harsh indoor or outdoor use to protect the LEDs. The channel can be mounted any number of ways including adhesive tape, rivets or screws. For roof lighting, we only use 3M VHB tape + 3M Adhesion Primer (both are provided if you select this option). Then, the LED strips fit nicely into the channel using the 3M tape already affixed to the back of Boogey Lights LED rolls. The diffuser completes the installation by snapping into the channel. On outdoor installations we advise adding some lexel / silicone to the ends of the channel to seal it.

Boogey Lights Mounting
Boogey Lights Mounting

ADD POWER CONVERTER?

Whether or not you need a 120vac to 12vdc power converter for your Roof Accent Light kit installation will depend on where you're getting power from. Boogey Lights® products are native 12vdc devices. So where possible, we prefer to connect directly to 12vdc power. That however, is not always possible -- especially with Roof Accent light installs. For probably 75% of the RV Roof Accent light installations we do here at Boogey HQ, we have to pull the power from the front of the RV -- usually above the driver's/passenger's seat area. Why? Because there is already a junction box installed on the roof of the RV in that area. This is where the front AC, satellite antenna, gps antenna and/or solar panel power cables enter the RV; just above the driver/passenger's seat dash area. We always prefer to use an existing hole in the roof to run the wiring vs drilling a new hole and suggest you do too. In those situations there isn't always 12vdc power available in that location sufficient to support a 20 to 40amp DC power draw. There is however usually at least one 120vac power outlet above the drivers/passenger's area typically used to power a tv, sat receiver, sound equipment, etc. And those 120vac power outlets are typically 15amp or 20amp 120vac circuits; more than enough to support an additional 2 to 4 amp AC draw [20amp DC draw ~ 2amp AC draw]. In these situations, we'll add one (or two) 20 amp 120vac to 12vdc power converters to power the Roof Accent light system. The limitation of course in doing so means you can only use the roof accent LED lights if those 120vac AC outlets are live. For most motor homes, this means you have to be plugged into shore-power, have a generator running OR have sufficient battery storage to invert 12vdc to 120vac. This is one of the installation considerations we mention on the INSTALL tab of this product page. If you decide you need to convert the power from 120vac to 12vdc, one 20AMP 120vac to 12vdc converter will work for most systems that are RGB or Single Color. If you're powering RGBA or RGBW LEDs, we suggest TWO 20AMP 120vac to 12vdc converters.

If you're able to pull power from the rear of the coach (e.g. drop down through the roof over the engine compartment in the rear), you may not need a 120vac to 12vdc power converter. Why? Because in these installation scenarios, you can typically get access to 12vdc power either from the starter batteries (not ideal) or the house battery bank (preferred).

The INSTALL tab of this product page has a couple of LAYOUT & WIRING diagrams illustrating the front and rear wiring layouts discussed here.

LED SPECS

This light kit is based on our popular LOW PROFILE LED strips. Details about these LED strips can be found by clicking on button below as well as the SPECS navigation tab appearing on this product page.

More About Boogey Lights® LED Strips

OTHER ITEMS YOU MAY NEED

No two installation scenarios are the same. Not everyone shares the same installation quality goals. Some folks are OK with twisting wires together, others want to solder them. Some folks are OK with running wires where they may be seen or unprotected to save money/time, others want a tidy, clean install without any wires showing. Some folks are OK with mounting their LED strips to whatever surface they can find, others want to take the time necessary to build out appropriate mounting surfaces to provide the best lighting effect on their vehicle. The point is it's not possible to provide all the materials necessary for all installation scenarios and quality goals. Our light kits provide the essential components needed for a high-quality, functioning lighting system. Installation of our light kit to your specific vehicle may however require additional items to make it look and fit the way you want. This is particularly the case with electrical wiring and mounting of LED strips. Before proceeding with your installation we suggest you consider THESE OTHER ITEMS.

WHY BOOGEY LIGHTS®?

Unlike most every other light kit out there, these light kits are ACCENT LIGHT KITS. When mounted properly, you'll never see the LED lights themselves. You'll only see the glow from the LEDs. If you're interested in learning more about WHY Boogey Lights are different than any other LED lighting system on the market, click here: WHY BOOGEY LIGHTS . We do a deep dive into the ten differences between Boogey Lights® and all the others.

What's Included
This kit includes the LED light strips in the color/configuration you select needed to provide the ROOF LIGHTING coverage you select to match the RV FORMAT, LENGTH and RV MODEL details you provide in the product configuration. Be sure to read the PRODUCT FITMENT and PRODUCT OPTIONS sections on this product page so you know what to expect. Also, click on the INSTALL tab on this product page for a better understanding of the layout and wiring plan.
LED Controller (multi-color) or Switching mechanism (single color) of your choice. See product description for specifics on these options.
Optional: Mini T12 Aluminum Channel with Opaque Plastic Diffuser (see product description for details).Includes 3M VHB Tape + 3M Adhesion Primer to secure channels to the roof.
3 Year Original Owner Limited  Warranty
Installation supplies include butt connectors, 3M Adhesion Primer, feeder cable based on length, Split Loom and battery connection cable with fuse holder.
Installation Manual
Wiring Diagram

 

Installation Information & Tips

IMPORTANT. You must have an understanding of 12vdc power. An essential skill with installation of any Boogey Lights LED products is knowing how to correctly wire the product to a 12vdc circuit. This includes understanding the importance of having a properly sized fuse at the power source, polarity, how to properly seal an electrical connection, using properly sized wire gauge for the load, measuring voltage and measuring the additional amperage draw you're adding. If you are uncertain or unfamiliar with any of these concepts, we urge you to ask someone who has the knowledge to assist you. Electricity is unforgiving.

INSTALL DOCUMENTATION

All of our installation documentation for this product (and all others) is available to download directly from our website: DOWNLOAD THE ROOF ACCENT LIGHTING light kit installation documentation. We encourage you to download this information and review before placing your order. That way you'll have a solid understanding of what is required (and no surprises). Here are some of the most important installation documents for this product. You will find ALL available documentation in our INSTALLATION RESOURCES SECTION.

You may also want to check out our section of HOW-TO VIDEOS which many customers find helpful with deciding how they want to install their Under-Glow lights.

LAYOUT & WIRING PLAN

The maximum length of a single high performance 12vdc Boogey Lights® LED strip is 16' (300 or 400 LEDs depending on the LED type). They cannot be daisy chained. To cover longer distances, we use multiple LED strips. Typically, RVs that are 35'- 38' or longer will require three LED strips to provide full roof coverage (two 16' + one shorter length). Shorter RVs only require two LED strips. Below are two diagrams showing the typical layout for both scenarios. For the passenger's side mounted LED strips, the power leads attached to these LED strips are secured to the back of the awning cassette housing with zip ties (hole drilled in the overhang lip on the back for the zip tie ). For driver's side installations, the power leads are secured to the fiberglass fairing/facade using rivets and cable clamps.

NOTE: If you are using the aluminum channel option and your RV requires three LED strips per side, you'll need to notch out a hole in the aluminum channel for LED STRIP B (see layout diagram) to allow the power lead to exit the channel. This way you can position LED strips A and B as close together as possible.

FRONT OF RV WIRE ACCESS. For most roof accent light installs, we connect the LED strips to the LED controller by running the power leads through the roof of the RV at the front of the RV. Why? Because most RVs this size already have a junction box with hole in the roof mounted at the front of the RV where other cables are routed (e.g. satellite, solar panels, A/C cables, radio antenna, GPS, etc). In these situations, the controller is mounted in the over-head storage area above the driver/passenger dash area. In our experience, this over head area will have at least one 120vac power outlet installed; typically used to power a satellite receiver and/or other electronics housed in that area. We use one or two 120vac to 12vdc (20A) to provide the power to the LED controller.

REAR OF RV WIRE ACCESS. It's entirely possible to run the LED strip power lead wires through a hole in the RV's roof at the rear of the RV. This typically only works though for diesel pusher motorhomes where the rear wall of the RV is the master bedroom closet (or, dumps directly into the engine bay area). If you're lucky, there may already be a wire chase in that area which you can use. In other cases, you may have to drill a hole in the roof. We've done both. The one advantage to routing the power lead wires through the roof at the rear and then down to the chassis is that you don't need to use a 120vac to 12vdc power converter. You can connect directly to 12vdc power either from the starter batteries (yeah, we know it's not the best solution but doable) OR connect to the house batteries (the ideal solution if the house batteries are located toward the rear of the coach). Keep in mind that 12vdc power drops quickly even over short distances so we try to minimize running 12vdc power over long distances when possible. Locating the LED controller within a few feet of the battery bank is the ideal solution.

Boogey Lights Mounting
Boogey Lights Mounting

CONSIDERATIONS

The primary consideration is determining how you're going to route the power lead wires that attach to the LED strips to the inside of the RV where they connect to the LED controller (and a power source). Before ordering, we suggest looking at the RV's roof to determine if you're going to access the RV through a hole in the front of the RV or the rear. We have a detailed discussion about this in the LAYOUT & WIRING PLAN section above (with diagrams). Additional considerations are below.

Front of RV Roof Access

If you're routing the power lead wires through a hole in the roof in the front of the RV, the next consideration is to examine the storage areas above the driver/passenger compartment. You're examining that area to determine a) if there is at least one 120vac electrical outlet in that area and b) if there is room in that area to mount both an LED controller and at least one 120vac to 12vdc power converter. In our experience, any RV in the 38'+ range will have both of these. The LED controller needs about 10" x 4" of room. The power converter needs 8" x 4". If you're powering RGBA or RGBW lights, you'll need room for two power converters. With regard to the 120vac outlet, we suggest making sure the circuit is at least a 15amp 120vac power outlet with 3 to 5amps of available room on the circuit (2 amps if one power adapter, 4 amps if two).

Rear of RV Roof Access

You'll need to examine the location where the wires will be entering the RV at the rear. In our experience, diesel pusher motor homes that have a full height engine bay are the easiest to deal with since the wires on the roof will drop directly into the engine bay area. Some motor homes will already have a wire chase installed making the job simple. If the space immediately under the roof in the rear of the RV empties into the master bedroom closet, you can still use this method to route the wires just that you'll need to drill another hole in the bedroom closet that allows the power lead wires to enter the engine bay area. Of course anytime you're running wires into the engine bay compartment you're going to want to make sure you wrap those wires with split loom and you keep the wires away from hot parts and/or moving parts.

You'll also need to consider where you're going to mount the LED controller and get 12vdc power. If your house batteries are behind the axle(s), we suggest going to the house batteries and mounting the LED controller there. If however your house batteries are forward of the drive/tag axles, you may want to consider pulling power from the starter batteries which are always close to the engine in the rear. We realize this advice is not without some risk. Generally speaking, we advise customers never to pull power from the starter batteries (aka 'chassis batteries') on motor homes. Always pull from the house battery bank. That way, you can't inadvertently drain your starter batteries so the motor home won't be able to start the engine. In situations where the house batteries aren't close to the engine bay, adding more copper wire into the circuit to reach those house batteries is problematic. Why? Because these roof light LED strips will already have 40' to 50' of power lead in the circuit just to get the power leads down to the engine bay area. Adding another 30', 40' or even 50' of power lead to reach forward mounted house batteries will a) add more resistance (higher amperage) and b) reduce the voltage that reaches the LED strips on the roof (noticeably less bright). Unless you want to spend the extra money to extend the 12vdc+ battery connection from the house batteries to the rear engine bay area (would require buying 30' - 50' of 2AWG or even 2/0 AWG copper wire with appropriately sized terminal block), the next best option is to power the roof lights from the starter battery bank which usually consists at least of two 12vdc, high cold cranking amp batteries in parallel. If you decide to power the roof lights with the starter batteries, just be mindful of the amperage draw of the roof lights. You might want to make sure your starter batteries are fresh and charging properly. Helps too if your motor home has a bonding switch that will allow you to bond the house batteries to the starter batteries in the event you do run down your starter batteries.

LED Strip / Aluminum Channel Positioning

We suggest carefully examining the roof of your RV where the LED strips (or aluminum channels) will attach to the RV's roof. For the passenger's side of the RV, the awning cassette structure will in most cases dictate where you can mount the LED strips. We like to mount the LEDs on top of the roof, just under the awning cassette so the light from the LEDs shines on the bottom of the awning cassette. Where exactly you can mount these strips though will be determined by the awning cassette support structure. The driver's side is usually easier to deal with because there isn't an awning cassett. Where exactly you mount the LED strips (or aluminum channels) is a matter of personal choice. Highly subjective. Before making the final determination, we like to dry mount one LED strip to the location where we think we want the light. Use a 12vdc battery to light up that single strip temporarily. Then, step back 50' or 100' from the side of the RV and examine the glow from that strip. Does it look the way you want? If not, adjust the positioning of the LED strip and repeat.

NOTE: If you are using the aluminum channel option and your RV requires three LED strips per side, you'll need to notch out a hole in the aluminum channel for LED STRIP B (see layout diagram above for the 3 LED strip layout) to allow the power lead to exit the channel. This way you can position LED strips A and B as close together as possible.