LED meltdown

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Just got back from my first local trip to Lake Lanier, Ga.  All went well except a springtime mod to my RPod lights.
I had purchased a bunch of 6x8 LED panels (less than$30) that came with very small LED's. The supplied two sided tape was used to adhere them in the Rpod fixtures. All looked well. Nice and bright, warm color.

We left them ON at the sink/stove fixture unintentionally when we went on an afternoon trip.  When I got back, it looked like  the panels had become loose and hanging in the fixture . On taking off the lenses, I noticed the LED backing tape had MELTED (it was a soft goo) and the back of the LED's hanging from their wires were TOO HOT TO TOUCH.

Has anyone experienced this? Did I get the wrong LED's? Is there a high temp rated 2-sided tape available?

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Bill-GA Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Cumming, GA Online Status: Offline Posts: 214	Topic: LED meltdown Posted: 31 May 2013 at 9:40pm
	Just got back from my first local trip to Lake Lanier, Ga. All went well except a springtime mod to my RPod lights. I had purchased a bunch of 6x8 LED panels (less than$30) that came with very small LED's. The supplied two sided tape was used to adhere them in the Rpod fixtures. All looked well. Nice and bright, warm color. We left them ON at the sink/stove fixture unintentionally when we went on an afternoon trip. When I got back, it looked like the panels had become loose and hanging in the fixture . On taking off the lenses, I noticed the LED backing tape had MELTED (it was a soft goo) and the back of the LED's hanging from their wires were TOO HOT TO TOUCH. Has anyone experienced this? Did I get the wrong LED's? Is there a high temp rated 2-sided tape available?
	Bill & Bev 13 yr old dachshund 'Elsa' 2010 RP-176T (tent & slide-out) 2011 Toyota Tundra 2WD TV

Goose Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 24 Sep 2010 Location: Arizona Online Status: Offline Posts: 672	Posted: 31 May 2013 at 9:52pm
	Bill, I did not know that the LED's got warm or even hot, I always thought that they ran cool. With the wires getting hot makes you wonder if they are undersized for the load. It is something to worry about as it could be a fire hazard, good thing you got back when you did. Goose
	Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee

Bill-GA Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Cumming, GA Online Status: Offline Posts: 214	Posted: 31 May 2013 at 10:14pm
	Goose, it wasn't the wires that were hot, it was the back of the board. The front of the LED's were not that hot. I wonder if I got some engineering / design rejects? Made in China. Anyone know of a reliable source to get replacements that are market tested and reasonably priced?
	Bill & Bev 13 yr old dachshund 'Elsa' 2010 RP-176T (tent & slide-out) 2011 Toyota Tundra 2WD TV

marwayne Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 25 Oct 2011 Location: Edmonton AB Can Online Status: Offline Posts: 1003	Posted: 31 May 2013 at 10:30pm
	I hate to say it, but you get what you pay for. I tryed those LED bulbs did'nt like them at all, I wanted a bulb with a wedge base that fit properly in to the socket, I bought these very happy with them, pricey at 14,75$ but than up here in Canada everything costs more than in the US.
	If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.

Outbound Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 19 Nov 2009 Location: Oshawa, Ontario Online Status: Offline Posts: 767	Posted: 01 Jun 2013 at 1:12am
	I've got similar bulbs to marwayne and I really like them. They're warm white and a fantastic replacement for the stock bulbs. I'm well into the second year with them and they're holding up strong. Mine are 2 watts, so they consume 30% of the power of the stock 7 watt bulbs while providing plenty of light. I ordered a pack of 10 off of eBay (the seller is in China)... I won't mention the price - I'll just say that they were very reasonable.
	Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150

CharlieM Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797	Posted: 01 Jun 2013 at 8:18am
	As others have said, you get what you pay for. And sometimes you get burned...Literally! I tried some of those cheap Chinese units and found them totally inadequate. Junque. But then, I didn't lose much. I replaced all my lights with LEDs from SuperBrightLeds.com. Yes they are more expensive but they work and are very acceptable as far as brightness and color go. They are slightly whiter than the 921s, particularly as the 921s age and turn black, and I like them. The SuperBrights plug like a bulb with no tape required. They also appear to have regulator circuitry built in so the brightness and power should be somewhat independent of battery voltage. The individual LEDs are 5050 SMDs which seem to be one of the best available. See the ones I bought at: http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/miniature-wedge-base/194-led-bulb-18-smd-led-wedge-base-tower/397/ Happy podding,
	Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD

Racer\|X\| Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 21 Mar 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 237	Posted: 01 Jun 2013 at 9:39am
	Buy price....buy twice! Thebulbs like Marwayne posted are better and worth it. No needed adapters, tape, etc. Glad nothing bad happened out of it. I had one of the bunk light covers melt from the standard bulbs. Those bulbs were mini-heaters.

marwayne Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 25 Oct 2011 Location: Edmonton AB Can Online Status: Offline Posts: 1003	Posted: 01 Jun 2013 at 1:00pm
	Outbound, I tested the 921 incandescent bulb it drawes 25 watts LED replacement 1.7 watts. C194 markerlight drawes 3 watts LED replacement 0.2 watts.
	If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.

Outbound Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 19 Nov 2009 Location: Oshawa, Ontario Online Status: Offline Posts: 767	Posted: 01 Jun 2013 at 4:42pm
	Admittedly, I never took a multimeter to the stock bulbs, but they were labelled 7 watts and I have no reason to distrust that. The new LED bulbs that I ordered are definitely 2 watt - there were lower wattage bulbs available, but I decided to go with the higher-wattage bulbs from past experience with LEDs. When I received the new LED bulbs, I checked out the amp draw and lumen output on my bench at home (admittedly, I used the light meter on my cell phone to measure the latter, but it's not bad)
	Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062	Posted: 01 Jun 2013 at 9:26pm
	Goose, even LEDs produce heat, and unlike in incandescent lights the waste heat is a big LED killer. If you ever buy a LED light for your house (to replace a standard light bulb) you'll see they come with big heat sinks to keep them cool.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual