Help? I am restoring a 1978 Airstream Trailer I am using some cool accessories and light I boug...

[G+_Michael Wild]

Help? I am restoring a 1978 Airstream Trailer. I am using some cool accessories and light I bought from Hafele.com. I thought, like the LED light strip I bought, that I could directly wire them to the 12 VDC lines already in the trailer, but when I go to connect single lights or USB charging outlets, I burn them out. They say they are 15 watt max.

 

How can I take my trailer's 12VDC wires and convert them to 12VDC with a maximum of 15 watts or less?

[G+_Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ]

First... AWESOME! I'd love to refit an old airstream. :)

 

Second... You shouldn't have to limit the Wattage. These devices will only pull what they need... Unless they are somehow "naked" LED fixtures and need a resistor to limit current. (Unlikely)

 

Can you connect them to a different 12v power source? Then perhaps throw a meter on the power line in the trailer to see exactly how much voltage it reads?

 

[G+_John Sullivan]

What is the exact model of the lights you bought, and can you include a link to the webpage where you found them?

 

Watts is an indication of how much power the device will draw (need), as long as your source will provide at least that amount of power, you should be ok.

 

Your case sounds like a voltage mis-match (which is why I asked for the link to them). As Padre said, are you sure the voltage in the trailer is 12 V, or is there an up-converter somewhere? Did you measure it?

 

You might have an inverter that converts 12 VDC to 110 AC and not know it (which is why your LEDs burn out)