hello everyone 
i have purchased a 26 foot uhaul truck, and, the back half is gonna have dirt bikes, the front half is for living, insulated, and, with solar powered AC. my goal is to make this thing into a portable home!
only hitch ive been having is: we have ALOT of lighting options these days! i dont want to assemble this thing, running the wiring behind the wallboard, and turn on the lights like :shakehead ! then id be like this:. not good! id have wished i just ran some basic bulbs, saved a few hundred dollars, and been done with it! i would really appreciate some ideas, because i dont want buzzing when i dim the lights, and, i dont want the lights to not be able to dim down. ( i tried a commercial electric 50 watt edge lighting 2 by 2 foot, and, it wouldnt really go dim, even with the proper dimmer, and it also buzzed alot. so, i scrapped that idea, and, im considering making a whole new deal out of strip lights and analog, or maybe remote control dimming. id like to be able to have it bright as heck, or maybe be able to set a mood, with different colors and the blacklight strip i want to include.
my layout im considering is this: mattress on cabover. below cabover will be a platform 7 feet by 8 feet, the width of the truck. under platform is 8 batts, and, 100 gallons water, as well as storage. the platform is about 34 inches high (inside roof height is 8 feet). this platform is where im gonna sit, stretch, basically live. on the passenger side of the platform, is gonna be a 50 inch tv, on the wall. on the driver side wall, up in the corner and aiming down at about a 45 degree angle, i envisioned strip lights: an RGB strip, a blacklight strip, and a 3k strip, and, a 6k strip. i figured id break that down into 2 zones, one zone above the platform, and, the other zone above the kitchen and bathroom area. (each zone about 7-8 feet). a third zone would be for under platform lighting... this zone id like to include only RGB and blacklight strips, no white.
OK!! i hope you can follow! now, while im sitting on my platform, reading a book, im gonna want it bright. ok, so turn up the 6k, turn up the 3k, maybe add a little blacklight so things appear more interesting... and maybe put on a color, just in the zone above the bed. OK! now im done reading. i want just ambient lighting. i turn down the 3k, turn off the 6k, turn off the blacklight, and maybe have a dim RGB color on.
:welcome:my concerns are these: might i encounter buzzing, when i dim down/change color on, the strips? will the strips only be able to dim down to say, 15%? (i was gonna use Heraco strips, theyre supposed to be 96 watts/16 feet... and 15% of 50 watts IS STILL QUITE BRIGHT!) -------> should i use cheaper, less powerful strips? i liked the idea of using a warm and cool white strip, to make a nicer color.... i dont really need 200 watts white light... id be ok with probably 100. and, i thought about using some sort of RF controller, but, wont it only dim down in large steps? (id like to be able to set the lights just right). and which controller? check this next paragraph, i would be needing alot of channels--------->>>>>
..... so my other idea was to use analog RGB pwm dimmers, one for each zone, for a total of 3 RGB analog dimmer modules. as well as analog pwm dimmers, for the white lights... a total of 4 dimmers needed, because im using 2 strips, in 2 zones. and finally, 3 more 1 channel pwm dimmers, for my blacklight strips. anyhow, i imagined these all together, like a BRICK :huh: of a wired remote, being able to be right next to me, so i can change the lighting, to suit my mood ... or, do i try to use a RF setup, which somewhat scares me, because its one more thing which might break....
SO: what do you think? what would you do? i was planning on using a quality magnetic driver, 300 watts. or should i just come off the batteries, and, try to make some sort of voltage regualator? would that make me more succepitible to noise from dimming, or, noise through my A/V equipment? i am using a pure sine inverter, by the way. my big concerns are having alot of hummmmmmmmmm. also, not being able to get a dim, nice ambient light. i think i can make it bright, just by sheer lumens, and having the lights up in the corner, behind where id be sitting (i figure id be aiming towards the TV on the passenger side wall, most of the time).
... but then again, i could just use a couple LED spots for reading, and, get a cheap RGB in the corner, and just call it what it is.... ALTHOUGH: id much rather be able utilize these 2017, new wave lighting options we have going, today! :laughing:
any sorts of ideas, feedback, is appreciated! my issue is, i have to run all these wires behind the walls, before i put up the walls.... so im afraid im gonna run the wires, put it all together, and come out with buzzing, and these bright or off lights, which would such! id have wished i just ran some christmas lights around the room, on a dimmer! not to mention the 400 dollars this setup is gonna cost!
so, please: any suggestions??? im all ears !!!
i have purchased a 26 foot uhaul truck, and, the back half is gonna have dirt bikes, the front half is for living, insulated, and, with solar powered AC. my goal is to make this thing into a portable home!
only hitch ive been having is: we have ALOT of lighting options these days! i dont want to assemble this thing, running the wiring behind the wallboard, and turn on the lights like :shakehead ! then id be like this:
. not good! id have wished i just ran some basic bulbs, saved a few hundred dollars, and been done with it! i would really appreciate some ideas, because i dont want buzzing when i dim the lights, and, i dont want the lights to not be able to dim down. ( i tried a commercial electric 50 watt edge lighting 2 by 2 foot, and, it wouldnt really go dim, even with the proper dimmer, and it also buzzed alot. so, i scrapped that idea, and, im considering making a whole new deal out of strip lights and analog, or maybe remote control dimming. id like to be able to have it bright as heck, or maybe be able to set a mood, with different colors and the blacklight strip i want to include.my layout im considering is this: mattress on cabover. below cabover will be a platform 7 feet by 8 feet, the width of the truck. under platform is 8 batts, and, 100 gallons water, as well as storage. the platform is about 34 inches high (inside roof height is 8 feet). this platform is where im gonna sit, stretch, basically live. on the passenger side of the platform, is gonna be a 50 inch tv, on the wall. on the driver side wall, up in the corner and aiming down at about a 45 degree angle, i envisioned strip lights: an RGB strip, a blacklight strip, and a 3k strip, and, a 6k strip. i figured id break that down into 2 zones, one zone above the platform, and, the other zone above the kitchen and bathroom area. (each zone about 7-8 feet). a third zone would be for under platform lighting... this zone id like to include only RGB and blacklight strips, no white.
OK!! i hope you can follow! now, while im sitting on my platform, reading a book, im gonna want it bright. ok, so turn up the 6k, turn up the 3k, maybe add a little blacklight so things appear more interesting... and maybe put on a color, just in the zone above the bed. OK! now im done reading. i want just ambient lighting. i turn down the 3k, turn off the 6k, turn off the blacklight, and maybe have a dim RGB color on.
:welcome:my concerns are these: might i encounter buzzing, when i dim down/change color on, the strips? will the strips only be able to dim down to say, 15%? (i was gonna use Heraco strips, theyre supposed to be 96 watts/16 feet... and 15% of 50 watts IS STILL QUITE BRIGHT!) -------> should i use cheaper, less powerful strips? i liked the idea of using a warm and cool white strip, to make a nicer color.... i dont really need 200 watts white light... id be ok with probably 100. and, i thought about using some sort of RF controller, but, wont it only dim down in large steps? (id like to be able to set the lights just right). and which controller? check this next paragraph, i would be needing alot of channels--------->>>>>
..... so my other idea was to use analog RGB pwm dimmers, one for each zone, for a total of 3 RGB analog dimmer modules. as well as analog pwm dimmers, for the white lights... a total of 4 dimmers needed, because im using 2 strips, in 2 zones. and finally, 3 more 1 channel pwm dimmers, for my blacklight strips. anyhow, i imagined these all together, like a BRICK :huh: of a wired remote, being able to be right next to me, so i can change the lighting, to suit my mood ... or, do i try to use a RF setup, which somewhat scares me, because its one more thing which might break....
SO: what do you think? what would you do? i was planning on using a quality magnetic driver, 300 watts. or should i just come off the batteries, and, try to make some sort of voltage regualator? would that make me more succepitible to noise from dimming, or, noise through my A/V equipment? i am using a pure sine inverter, by the way. my big concerns are having alot of hummmmmmmmmm. also, not being able to get a dim, nice ambient light. i think i can make it bright, just by sheer lumens, and having the lights up in the corner, behind where id be sitting (i figure id be aiming towards the TV on the passenger side wall, most of the time).
... but then again, i could just use a couple LED spots for reading, and, get a cheap RGB in the corner, and just call it what it is.... ALTHOUGH: id much rather be able utilize these 2017, new wave lighting options we have going, today! :laughing:
any sorts of ideas, feedback, is appreciated! my issue is, i have to run all these wires behind the walls, before i put up the walls.... so im afraid im gonna run the wires, put it all together, and come out with buzzing, and these bright or off lights, which would such! id have wished i just ran some christmas lights around the room, on a dimmer! not to mention the 400 dollars this setup is gonna cost!
so, please: any suggestions??? im all ears !!!
