Lighting

This cost estimate might be a little light (no pun intended, ha) because it doesn't include the wiring and connections, which are the most expensive part, or the electrical tools needed, but all that is basically accounted for in the Electrical section along with some of Miguel's services getting my system installed. But, nothing really broke the bank here, except for the $60 I wasted making a poor choice on the bedside reading lights that had to be replaced. $400 and some change is definitely worth it for a well-lit van because it enables me to get work done when I'm not outside exploring! All this gas ain't gonna pay for itself, amirite?

Main/Ceiling LEDs

For the main lighting in my van, I went with the LED setup suggested by Far Out Ride, and have been very pleased with the results. Above is my lighting chart which I modified from their original.

I will again offer the disclaimer that I am not an electrician. I didn't connect the lighting to the fuse box, I let a 12v expert handle that. But the tutorial was easy enough to follow for a total beginner that I was able to wire the lighting connections myself. My guy Miguel at High Volume looked over my work before connecting everything to the actual power source. Once I learned how to do the basic connections myself I was able to finish hooking up the lights and had a Hallelujah moment when they actually turned on. (I never do anything without shutting off the main power switch.) I couldn't believe it actually worked!

The LEDs seem to have a very low power draw, so that's always a plus in a van. They look nice and sleek, comparable to recessed lighting in a home. I pat myself on the back for spacing them out well, the lighting is pretty consistent throughout the van. The one thing I overlooked was adding lighting in the cab area, which is used for my desk - so I fixed that later by adding some additional desk lighting.

I used the dual-switch dimmer recommended by Far Out Ride (one of the few products which was not available from Amazon and had to be ordered from another site snail mail, lol). After much consideration I went with their placement recommendation as well and mounted it right next to the slider door, which is a good spot because it's easily accessible from anywhere in the van. My only mistake here was putting it a bit too low - I wasn't thinking about the bathroom/shower box cover which would eventually be placed there. When the bathroom/shower "Door" is raised, it covers the dimmer switch, so it's a minor annoyance having to lower it to adjust the lighting. A design flaw on my part, but we live and learn.

Here are some photos showing the process of installing the lights:

A bit later in the build I've supplemented my ceiling LEDs and cargo door lighting with some additional lighting, all of which brings me joy. (Mari Kondo is thrilled with me at this point!)

Motion sensor exterior lighting

Since Alaska and Yellowstone are on my travel list, I was doing some reading on camper van bear safety. Several websites recommended motion sensor lights to scare off unwanted guests, whether animals or humans. (Live Like Pete also has a suggestion for this.) Unlike Pete I didn't use magnetic tape, although that's a great idea. I bought these lights on Amazon. They come in a box of 6, and Miguel mounted 5 of them for me using Loctite on the exterior of the van. He held them in place with some duct tape and within an hour or so they were on tight. They've held up great for the last few months! They charge via solar power during the day, and turn on at night whenever they sense motion. They tend to stay on at night while I'm driving, too, and I like that it has the added benefit of making me more visible on the road (like a semi-truck!). I'm really happy with these and they only cost $35.

Desk lighting

As I mentioned, my Desk area gets a bit dark at night because the ceiling LEDs don't extend into the cab area, a design oversight on my part. Initially I hadn't anticipated using the passenger seat swivel so often, but it's comfortable! I thought my "desk" area was going to be the foam cushions on top of the kitchen Drawers and Bathroom enclosure, but I ended up using the passenger swivel much more.

It was going to be a bit of a hassle to add two more of the LED recessed lights in the cab area - doable, but a hassle - so I thought I'd see if there was a better/cheaper option first. On my first trip I used this clip-on light which was okay, a cheap and kinda ugly temporary fix, but the batteries drain fast and I was always forgetting to turn it off.

Battery powered puck lighting

Since I often find myself digging for something in the 'garage' storage area under the bed, I regretted not having the foresight to include some lighting in there. I found an easy solution with these battery-powered, remote control-operated puck lights.

I installed five of them within the garage space, and two in hard-to-reach areas around the plumbing to give me some extra visibility in case I need to check back there. They come with an adhesive sticker, which I didn't use. Instead I drilled the back plate into the wood and the front portion easily twists onto the back plate. One tiny remote control works for all of them.

They do require three AA batteries each (so that's 21 batteries for seven lights, which is a lot). Some people may have different opinions but I actually prefer battery-operated over USB-rechargeable, I already have way too many things to remember to recharge via USB. The jury is still out on the battery life since I just got these, but I plan on only using them when I'm actively looking for something.

Bedside reading lights

Am I overdoing it here? I don't know. It sounds like a lot of lighting now that I'm writing it all down, but it all serves a purpose.

I put in two bedside lights, one for me and one in case I ever bring a companion to join me on the road. Unlike some ladies, I've never really had a height requirement, in fact, it's probably best if my companion were under 6 feet because otherwise he will be bumping his head all the time and his feet will be hanging off the bed. (The bed is exactly 6' long, and the interior height of the van floor to ceiling is about 6' and some change.) If you're single and handsome in the 5'7" - 6' range with a clean driving record we can chat. I did weight-test the bed with two people, so we're good there.

Sad to say but so far I have barely used them for their original intended purpose (reading before I go to bed). More often than not I am crawling into bed exhausted from the day's activities on the road. I do use them all the time, though, when I'm looking for something in the dark. (The black-out shades mentioned in the Windows section are serious!)

When I finally do drag myself out of bed and into the sunlight, I'm usually ready for some pleasant wake-up tunes. I didn't want to have to crank the van ignition up every time I listen to some music (plus, the Promaster factory speakers are trash - I replaced them, but the acoustics are still terrible), so let's talk about my House Sound System!