Choosing an interior light

Start with colour temperature. 3200K is a warm white close to a halogen and is easier on the eyes in a caravan or camper at night. 6000K is a cool daylight white that suits a canopy, tray or truck cab where you are looking for tools rather than winding down. Narva's dimming interior lamps come in both, with a chrome, nickel or white bezel.

Then size it to the space. A 182 x 100mm panel lights a canopy or drawer bay. A 270 x 160mm or 470 x 100mm panel lights a full caravan ceiling or truck sleeper. Strip lamps with 31, 61 or 121 SMD LEDs in 150mm and 300mm lengths fit under a shelf or along a canopy rail, and swivel lamps and map lights put a small beam where you want it without lighting the whole cab.

Switches, sensors and current draw

  • Built-in switch or not. Panels come with and without an on/off switch. A switched lamp saves running a separate switch wire in a canopy.
  • PIR motion sensors turn the light on when the door opens and off after a set time, so a canopy light is never left on overnight.
  • Dimming matters on battery power. A lamp dimmed to half output cuts the current draw over a long night.
  • 10 to 30V lamps run on 12V and 24V systems without a converter. 12V-only lamps are cheaper and fine for a single-battery setup.
  • USB versions add a charge port to the lamp body, which saves a separate outlet in a bunk.

What else you might need

LED strip lights: flexible strips for under-awning and along-the-drawer runs where a rigid panel will not fit.

Awning lights: the outdoor half of the camp lighting setup.

Globes: T10 wedge and festoon LEDs if the factory interior lamp stays and only the globe changes.

Wiring kits: fused circuits and switches for a canopy or caravan lighting run.

Frequently asked questions

Should I choose 3200K or 6000K interior lights?

3200K warm white for living space, bunks and caravans. 6000K cool white for canopies, trays, truck cabs and anywhere you need to see detail. Mixing the two in one space looks odd, so pick one.

How much current does an LED interior light draw?

Far less than a fridge. A strip lamp draws a fraction of an amp at 12V and even the largest panels here draw only a few amps, so a full night on an interior light is a small dent in a 100Ah battery.

Can I run a 12V interior light on a 24V truck?

Only if it is rated 10 to 30V or 9 to 33V. LED Autolamps sells separate 12V and 24V versions of its strip lamps, so check the code. A 12V-only lamp on 24V fails fast.

What is a PIR interior light?

A lamp with a passive infrared sensor that switches on when it detects movement and off after a delay. It suits a canopy, boot or caravan entry where hands are full and a switch is a nuisance.

Popular interior light brands

We stock LED interior lamps, panels and map lights from Narva and LED Autolamps.