Best RV Awning Lights | Top 10 Picks for Campers & RVers

When you are living the RV life, you have to pay special attention to the area right outside your house. With a couple of foldable chairs and tables, the place would become an ideal spot for recreational purposes if the weather is nice.  However, in order to utilize that space in an efficient manner, you have to make sure that it’s well lit. You don’t want darkness to put a stop to an exciting party, right?

Having the best RV awning lights around should be able to solve the illumination issue but what kind of product should you use? In the case you could use some recommendation, this article is for you. Down below is a list of quality examples on the market along with a couple of useful information by the side.

Different people would have different taste so you should expect conflicting opinions about one particular product, it’s a pretty common sight actually. Don’t make a purchase based on advice alone and take some time to think about what you need instead. Some of the best RV awning lights could have a lackluster performance in certain cases simply because they are unsuitable. As a result, if you want to make a wise investment, you must have a clear understanding of available options. Making a purchase without proper consideration is ill-advised, you may waste lots of money on products that you have little use for.

Top 10 Best RV Awning Lights Money Can Buy

No	RV Awning Lights	Price	Review
1	RecPro RV Awning Light	$$$$$	*****
2	AMLIGHT Awning Lights	$$$$	*****
3	Brightown Globe String Light	$$	****
4	RC LED Strip Light	$$$	***
5	Polymer Products LCC Lights	$$$$$	****
6	Coleman LED String Lights	$$	*****
7	LEDwholesalers Color-changing Light	$$$	****
8	easyDecor String Lights	$$$$	***
9	Noza Tec Outdoor String Lights	$	****
10	easyDecor Globe Solar String Lights	$	**

1. RecPro RV Awning Light | The Best Awning Light for RV Camping

A start of art design from a well-known brand, RecPro RV Awning Light is very convenient to set up with no hassle. Covered in crystal resin and silicone sleeve, the light is 100% waterproof and it’s able to handle a wide range of weather condition. The excellent performance of the high quality LED light is sure to impress most customers with its brightness and longevity. Besides the light, you would receive a couple of UV treated poly-carbonate mounting channels with commercial grade 3M adhesives. It’s recommended that if your vehicle is black or tan, black PCB would be ideal. In the case your vehicle is white, you should go after white PCB.

Pros

• Good service
• Very bright for most of the time
• Simple and convenient installation
• Basic and simple to understand manual

Cons

• Inconsistent lifespan
• The adhesives fail occasionally
• The packaging could use some improvement

2. AMLIGHT Awning Lights | Best Outdoor Commercial String Lights

Come from detail-oriented designers, AMLIGHT brings you the best of the string light technology with excellent illumination and lifespan. The glass light bulbs are specifically constructed to be weather tight using the latest sealing technology with self-gasketed sockets and rubber casing. Thanks to the use of copper wiring, the light possesses safe electrical passage and top-notch durability. If needed, you could add a programmable timer to automatically activate/deactivate the light base on your need and requirement. As a proof of the manufacturer confidence in their product, the light is backed with a 10-year warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee.  

Pros

• Reasonable price
• Simple installation
• Nice post-purchase supports
• One of the best RV awning lights in term of flexibility

Cons

• Unwieldy and unsightly cords
• The sockets are not exactly tough
• Customers complain about receiving damaged products

3. Brightown Globe String Light | Fantastic Light for the Price

With 24 glass bulbs and 2 wire color options at your disposal, the Brightown awning light is among the most fashionable product money can buy. The 1.5-inch bulbs have a clip on their back, you can arrange them on the awning in whatever way you like. Brightown back their product with a 1-year satisfaction guarantee. If you don’t like the lights performance or having quality issues then all you have to do is to contact the customer service. The distance between the light bulbs is 12 inches and you could connect up to of 3 strands. The brightness of the bulb is great but not to the point of being excessive

Pros

• Affordable
• Excellent packaging
• Installation is a breeze
• Warm light and good service

Cons

• Get very hot while being used
• Quality control should be improved
• Fragile and break easily if you are not careful  

4. RC LED Strip Light | Sturdy Color-changing Light

Want your RV to be the coolest place in the campground? If so, the RC awning light is the product you should use. Featuring 4 dynamic modes, 4 color changing modes, 6 custom colors and 20 static colors, it’s truly one the best RV awning lights. In the case you want to cut it into specified lengths, the RC product could be cut every 3 LEDs. About its resistance, the entire light strip is waterproof with a rating of IP6, this means it could handle outdoor element with ease. For installation, the light strip is self-adhesive and it’s adhered from the back. However, the adhesive is not very strong so you should consider supplementing it with double adhesive tapes.  

Pros

• The remote is easy to use
• Nice delivery and good price
• Bright light and low power consumption
• Backed with a 18-month warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee

Cons

• Inconsistent performance
• The adhesive stickiness is barely acceptable
• The remote range is short and requires a clear line of sight

5. Polymer Products LCC Globe String Lights | Great Set of Lights for Your RV

Possessing Polycarbonate housings and stainless steel hooks, the Polymer Products example totally deserves its reputation as one of the best RV awning lights.  The quality built black and etched bronze globes are very tough plus it endures outdoor weather quite well compared to other market products. In the case you really hate dealing with fragile and flimsy light bulbs that tend to break, this would be a perfect choice.  The original string is about 20 feet with 6 globes that only weight about 8 pounds. It’s a great addition to porch, patio, deck and especially awning of recreational vehicles.

Pros

• Illuminate a wide area
• The customer service is very nice
• Heavy-duty cords and hardware
• Could accommodate bulbs up to 60 watt  

Cons

• Quite pricey and sometimes come with missing parts
• Some of the bulbs appear to be tampered with when they arrive
• There are complaints about leaking water  

6. Coleman LED String Lights | Functional & Fun – Light up your Outdoor Life

As a portable design, the Coleman lights are the best RV awning lights when it comes to improvising an illuminating system within minutes. Each string consists of 10 mini LED lanterns that could last for about 20 consecutive hours using a set of 3 AA batteries. As a result, there is no need to modify your RV structure to accommodate these lights since they use an independent energy source. Nonetheless, it could take a couple of string to provide the area near the awning with sufficient illumination. Fortunately, the Coleman light is very cheap and it could endure unfavorable weather very rather well.  Same as other Coleman product, the light is back with a limited warranty against defects and flaws.

Pros

• Last for a long time  
• Good battery life
• Reasonable brightness
• Adorable and attractive design

Cons

• The power cord contains lead
• The battery cover is tricky to operate
• The power wire could have been done better

7. LEDwholesalers Color-changing Light |High Quality and Bright LED Strip Kit

Come in an easy to assemble kit along with wireless control and power supply, the LEDwholesalers light uses little energy without harmful radiation. Similar to other LED awning light, you could cut it every 3 LED so you could separate the original strip into variable lengths. If you need to add extra strips then extension kits are available. One drawback of the light is that you should only use it during dry weathers, the light could malfunction if it gets wet. There are 16 different colors along with multiple brightness settings for you to choose. The size and shape of the strip allow you to conveniently deploy it in almost anyway you want.

Pros

• Simple to install
• Nice brightness
• Effective transformer

Cons

• No instruction manual
• The adhesive is not very good

8. easyDecor String Lights | Exceeded All Expectations for Battery Operated Lights

Powered by two 18650 rechargeable batteries, the easyDecor light is among the best RV awning lights in term of user convenience. The light also comes with an interesting daily timer feature: if you activate the light at 18:00, it would stay lit until 24:00. On the next day, it would repeat the 6-hour-on-18-hour-off cycle and keep it like that without human interaction. After a full charge, the batteries could sustain the light for roughly 60 hours which is equal to 10 days. There are 8 modes available and thanks to the memory function, you don’t have to reselect the mode every time you use it.      

Pros

• Come with a USB charging cable
• Convenient timer feature and memory function   
• The detachable control box is also the battery charger

Cons

• The lights coverage is not exactly wide
• The delivery service needs to be improved   
• Missing or damaged accessories in some cases

9. Noza Tec Outdoor String Lights | The Best RV Awning Lights for Cozy Setting

A great option for social gathering and joyful occasions, the Noza Tec bulbs emit warm and romantic light. Similar to the Brighttown bulb mentioned above, there is a clip on the back of the bulb for convenient attaching.  

There are 2 different color choices for you to choose: White, Black and Green. The bulbs are all incandescent and they are located 12 inches apart from each other. Up to 3 strands could be connected to make the light last longer.

Pros

• Beautiful light
• Work well and the price is affordable.
• Simple to install and high endurance

Cons

• The bulb lifespan is inconsistent
• Some people receive cracked bulbs

10. easyDecor Globe Solar String Lights | Beautiful and High Quality

If you like easyDecor Globe Battery String Lights but don’t like to charge it often then this product should be a quality alternative. Instead of batteries, the light runs on solar power so there is no electricity cost. It would automatically activate at dusk and automatically deactivate at dawn which means you don’t have to do anything. There are up 30 LED lights on one string and 8 different light settings at your disposal. If you want to be an eco-friendly person then this is the among the best RV awning lights for you.

Pros

• Waterproof
• Simple operation
• Run on solar power

Cons

• The light is slightly dim
• The solar charging is not very consistent

How to Get Your RV Awning Lights Running in a Blink of an Eye

Step 1: Plan the set up of the lights

As the name suggests, awning lights should be installed right under the awning rail of your vehicle to protect them from outdoor elements. The set up also allows you to conveniently put the lights to use when the RV awning is not in the extended position. To power up the awning lights, you have to ensure that there is an energy source located nearby. Without a power supply in their vicinity, even the best RV awning lights would have a hard time operating correctly. That is why you must remember to make arrangement for an energy source before setting up the light.

There are two options here: Either hard wire them into the interior of your vehicle or connect them to an exterior power supply. You could choose whatever arrangement that suits you the most, it’s your vehicle after all. The first method is aesthetically pleasing but it often requires you to drill a hole and that doesn’t sit well with some people. On the other hand, the second method has no need for drilling but it could complicate the put up and take down processes.

Step 2: Cut the lights strip into suitable size

In the case you use LED lights, this step is rather simple because you could easily cut them to fit unique awning size. You should only cut at certain points along the strip though or you may ruin the lights conductivity by mistake. There should be copper pads labeled with the letters RGB on the strip surface to indicate where you could cut. Look for the pads and cut between their dots using a sharp pair of scissors or a utility knife. If you like to use standard light strips, inquire the salesmen or professional on how to cut the strip efficiently and effectively.

Step 3: Install the lights

Many manufacturers include handy adhesive backings on their products but the long-term effectiveness of the adhesive is nonetheless questioned by some people. So to be on the safe side, you should consider reinforcing the adhesive stickiness with several products like mounting tape and silicone glue. Before you actually stick in the strip, wipe clean the area around the RV awning using an alcohol wipe and let the place dry. After that, apply an appropriate amount of glue on the surface and firmly press the strip onto it then secure everything with tape.

Step 4: Run the wire

It’s all about connecting the cords and matching up the wires but the choice of power supply would lead to some issues. If you like to use an interior source, you have to drill a hole through the RV and that could damage internal components.  That is why you should consult professional in the field or experienced Rver if you truly wish to go with this power arrangement. After you are done drilling, route the cord to the vehicle 12V outlet and plug it in. You should also deal the hole by sealing it with a suitable amount of silicone caulk. Finally, process the wires exposed end using shrink wraps and that would be it.

For the exterior source, all you have to do is to buy a long extension cable and run it along the awning track. When you park next to a 12V exterior energy supply, simply connect the cable to it and your awning should come to life. Existing plastic conduits could be used to tuck away the wire for protection and aesthetic value. The set up is pretty easy to arrange but you have to repeatedly unplug and plug the lights while traveling. It also requires you to search for exterior source whenever you move to a new location as well.

Important note

Compare to ordinary LED lights, standard outdoor string lights are much easier to employ and manipulate. In several cases, you may have no need to substantially alter any of your vehicle features and its appearance to accommodate these lights. However, you do have to put them up and take them down manually whenever you operate the vehicle awning which could be tedious.

In the event of a storm, you need to retract the awning as fast as possible so you should secure these lights with binder clips or badge clips. These clips would allow you to promptly remove the lights when you need to move in a rush. Of course, you could use other material to attach the lights to the awning but it’s wise to keep thing simple and practical.

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Last Updated on January 1, 2022