LED lights from Aten lighting

[GillianC]

I am about to install the LED lights as demonstrated by @CaliforniaCamping
Has anyone else fitted them and if so any tips that might help and aren’t covered by the video?

 

[Thruxton]

As we have the internal isotherm I had to stick the leds on the ledge at the front , and that worked well. So don’t fit round the vertical front lip if you want to fit an internal therm cover.

 

[sensisuperstar]

I am about to install the LED lights as demonstrated by @CaliforniaCamping
Has anyone else fitted them and if so any tips that might help and aren’t covered by the video?

I have watched the demo and thought it was a good idea, but what did you order as the website just seems to have components?

 

[Thruxton]

I have watched the demo and thought it was a good idea, but what did you order as the website just seems to have components?

Give them a call, they should still have the measurements for the ocean and sell it made up....

 

[GillianC]

Give them a call, they should still have the measurements for the ocean and sell it made up....

Yes. Ask for the Cali lights as shown by California Camping. They are proving popular.

 

[GillianC]

I have tried installing these today and have some questions for those who might already have done this...
1. The wire going from the plug to the start of the lights seems to be very long and hard to hide. How have you done this? I am worried that I will catch it and pull the lights off. It is very intrusive.
2. The whole thing is too long and results in the lighting strip coming flush with the pull down drawer which won't work. Can you just cut the lighting strip to fit?
Any advice very welcome or it might be back to the fairy lights
@CaliforniaCamping can you help please?

 

[aBusAndBeyond]

Hi Gillian,

I hid the wire by running it under the back part of the bed (in the boot) but then running it up the back wall with a bit of duct tape (silver to match the grey wall) and so far haven’t had any problems with that. This is a retrofit and so I didn’t want to put holes anywhere. You can use those removable tabs to tie the wires up too.

The new size was designed to have a bit of extra wire between where the lights go from the lower level to the bed level. I can’t see what you’ve done but I can only guess that this is where you’ve found extra length? You can tape any excess down here.

Best advice is to work from the middle back. But ours are great. If you have any problems just speak directly to Saul at Aten Lighting and send him the exact measurements you want.

Thanks,

Lizzy

 

[GillianC]

Hi Gillian,

I hid the wire by running it under the back part of the bed (in the boot) but then running it up the back wall with a bit of duct tape (silver to match the grey wall) and so far haven’t had any problems with that. This is a retrofit and so I didn’t want to put holes anywhere. You can use those removable tabs to tie the wires up too.

The new size was designed to have a bit of extra wire between where the lights go from the lower level to the bed level. I can’t see what you’ve done but I can only guess that this is where you’ve found extra length? You can tape any excess down here.

Best advice is to work from the middle back. But ours are great. If you have any problems just speak directly to Saul at Aten Lighting and send him the exact measurements you want.

Thanks,

Lizzy

Thanks so much for coming back to me Lizzy.

These are way too long and yes I think that the extra is in the gap between the lower level to upper bed. Not sure why it was made longer but I think that aesthetically bunched taped black wire is not going to look very nice. Yours just seem to fit so well.

I will speak with Saul tomorrow but I am really disappointed. I removed all my command hooks in order to fit them but these don't fit well at all...

Hopefully Aten will be able to rectify the situation.

 

[DrJuanKerr]

Could you tell me whether a solution was found please? I'm considering the very same install
Thanks

 

[GillianC]

Could you tell me whether a solution was found please? I'm considering the very same install
Thanks

It involved a lot of masking tape holding them on to the B pillar on the drivers side. When we sold the van they went with it and personally I wouldn’t bother! The tape kept coming off and was unsightly. Others might have a different view though.

 

[DrJuanKerr]

It involved a lot of masking tape holding them on to the B pillar on the drivers side. When we sold the van they went with it and personally I wouldn’t bother! The tape kept coming off and was unsightly. Others might have a different view though.

This was my worry to be honest. Looking hideous and falling off! It's all well and good having the "mood" lighting but I'd blow a blood vessel looking at the trailing wire held on with tape and wondering when it'd fall off!!

I wonder if anybody else has had a better solution?

 

[aBusAndBeyond]

For what it's worth, our lights have never come unstuck at all. Which is amazing to say it all stayed put in the very hot summer we had this year.

We don't run any wires up the B pillar. Ours is taped to run up the pillar right at the back. You never see the cable and even with Bentley right next to it when travelling it has never come unstuck

 

[aBusAndBeyond]

I would also say that masking tape isn't designed to hold stuff in place very securely. Something like duck tape would probably have worked better

 

[GillianC]

I would also say that masking tape isn't designed to hold stuff in place very securely. Something like duck tape would probably have worked better

Sorry, you are absolutely correct. I sold the van earlier this year but yes, it was indeed the rear pillar next to the bed that the tape went on. The wire ran from the plug by the bench seat down the side of the bed and then up that to the top. We did also use duck tape, not masking tape. Husband fitted them for me.
Personally I didn’t like the look of the tape and found that making and unmaking the downstairs bed disrupted it. Maybe if you sleep upstairs it might be better. It used to really bother me lying in bed and seeing the tape next to me.

 

[DrJuanKerr]

For what it's worth, our lights have never come unstuck at all. Which is amazing to say it all stayed put in the very hot summer we had this year.

We don't run any wires up the B pillar. Ours is taped to run up the pillar right at the back. You never see the cable and even with Bentley right next to it when travelling it has never come unstuck

Would you have a photograph showing the cable routing please? I don't fancy laying out £60 and finding that the cable bothers me extensively Thanks

 

[aBusAndBeyond]

Would you have a photograph showing the cable routing please? I don't fancy laying out £60 and finding that the cable bothers me extensively Thanks

Hopefully this has worked. We did it very quickly so it's not the neatest but I've been informed you can actually route it behind the panel it's attached to if you want. Hope that helps a bit

 

[DrJuanKerr]

Thanks for that. I'm with GillianC. Looking at that would really wind me up. I wonder how easy it would be to route it behind the panel

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks for that. I'm with GillianC. Looking at that would really wind me up. I wonder how easy it would be to route it behind the panel

Agree. With care and a Trim tool could probably tease the wire under the trim. Probably easier at the rear of the D trim , by the tailgate.

 

[DrJuanKerr]

Agree. With care and a Trim tool could probably tease the wire under the trim. Probably easier at the rear of the D trim , by the tailgate.

I'll take a look when I get home.
Never heard of a "trim tooll" to be honest
Is this what you mean --> https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001J52274/?tag=eliteelect-21
Cheers

 

[Andy]

No you want the plastic ones, do less damage

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[WelshGas]

I'll take a look when I get home.
Never heard of a "trim tooll" to be honest
Is this what you mean --> https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001J52274/?tag=eliteelect-21
Cheers

This set would be better.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01HHNSPAY/?tag=eliteelect-21

 

[DrJuanKerr]

This set would be better.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01HHNSPAY/?tag=eliteelect-21

Bought.

Next step is to determine how the covers are held in place and where the retaining pins are located

 

[WelshGas]

Bought.

Next step is to determine how the covers are held in place and where the retaining pins are located

This might help.

 

[rod_vw]

This set would be better.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/WINOMO-Pan...r=8-1-spons&keywords=Plastic+trim+tools&psc=1

Priceless if you ever need to remove any plastic parts BUT throw the metal one away! Using that risks severe scratches.

As for removing the trim, use one of the hooked type and lever/pull the trim off as near as you can to where the plastic pegs are (No 40 above). You will need to remove the seat belt fixings (spline tool) taking care of the top plastic cover as they break at the hinge part very easily!
The often the plastic pegs stay with the pillar when removing the trim, remove them from the pillar and refit to the trim when replacing . The top one (often longer than the others) may require careful lining up when refitting.