Porch Light

[JaSAn]

How useful is a rear outside light on your camper?

Are lights on the sides useful?

jim

 

[Bosque Bill]

I think it all depends upon your camping style, i.e., how much time in the evening/night you spend outside v. inside. Personally, I only infrequently use the porch light (I did replace the bulb with an LED). I've used the side floods, maybe twice in 4 years. I have the side down-lights and I really like those for setting up camp in the dark, though I don't do that too often either.

 

[Bill D]

I use the rear amber outside light quite a bit. That's why I install an LED bulb.

I find it useful for things like:

-illuminating the rear camper steps to avoid banging a shin Into them.
-having a bit of light behind the camper when cooking outdoors beside the camper.
-Illuminating the dead bolt when unlocking it without the use of a flashlight.
-having a bit of light to chop wood in the evening.
-helping guide the way back to the camper when using the restroom at a campground.
-when backing into a campsite at night (I now use a 7 pin light)
-when having a tailgate party. Sometimes we just sit out back with the lawn chairs.

So yes, overall, I find it quite useful.

 

[craig333]

Yes, very useful.

 

[takesiteasy]

We use a light on the side for cooking fairly often. We have a shell so no inside kitchen. We use the rear porch light less often. We also have the rear flood lights but rarely use them- too bright!

 

[MidAtlantic]

Agree that side and rear porch (yellow) lights are useful, but floods (we have two on the back) are too bright unless you are really boondocking alone or need to light things up (e.g. once when backing into an overgrown site). The indoor switches in our ATC glow green and provide a handy night light.

 

[ntsqd]

We use ours semi frequently. Usually when visiting others camped in the area. Makes a nice beacon on a dark night.

Had a 50W LED flood up high on the rear. It has been removed pending some long over due changes and those are stalled in Analysis Paralysis. Plan is/was to hook it via a relay into the back-up lights.

We've use a long string of LED warm white Xmas lights to light up camp when we're cooking or just living outside at night, but those require a small inverter. I've been looking for something similar that can run off of 12VDC. Trust me when I say that rewiring a string of Xmas lights to 12 VDC from 120 VAC is an object lesson in excruciatingly exact monotony......

 

[klahanie]

Very useful ... for a knock on the door ... or a bump in the night

 

[ski3pin]

Stars and moon and occasional use of the red led on our headlamps does it for us.

 

[Arvee]

The porch and side awning lights provide enough illumination. When considering options, I decided against floods because many said they didn't use floods as expected and/or they were too bright for the neighbors.

 

[craig333]

But the floods are nice when you go "is that a bear sniffing around my stuff?". I do have a red light indoors when I don't want to blow out my night vision. Never been able to a headlamp for some reason.

 

[hebegebe]

That was the reason I bought my fwc when I first came to see it the lite was on an it looked like home

 

[Squatch]

I don't use mine a lot. But glad it's there when I do.

 

[Advmoto18]

Use the amber porch light all the time when I have a 2AM AARP break.

 

[pvstoy]

If FWC would put a inside switch to turn on that porch light would be good. I see the 2015 model I just picked up you have to be outside to turn it on. Not very good when you need to see without opening the door. It does have running lights and one on each side LED strip light that is switched from the inside.

 

[NivekD]

Replaced mine with an LED flood light. I'm dispersed most of the time and its the only outside light available at times. Very useful.

 

[klahanie]

Not very good when you need to see without opening the door.

Agree, our porch light is a 3 way. Switch on the fixture and one inside the door. Good for paying the camp attendant.

Guess they dropped that.

 

[Roaming_Eagle]

I removed my porch light as it no longer worked.... I also replaced the ridiculously large halogen flood lights with quad LED spot/flood lights. The LEDs are great for backing up or recoveries at night.

 

[smlobx]

We use the rear led light quite a bit if one or both of us is out after dark.
Our side led lights are actually too bright for hanging out at night so I installed an led tape light on the passenger side of the camper where it overhangs the bed rail. It has about 20 different color options and intensities and came with a remote so is easily adjustable.
My wife really likes it..

 

[Vic Harder]

brand? cost? link?