How to Wire LED Lights in a Campervan (12V Wiring Guide)
Good lighting transforms a campervan from a metal box into a home. LED lights are the only sensible choice for 12V systems — they draw tiny amounts of current, barely generate heat, and last thousands of hours. Wiring them is one of the more straightforward jobs in a van conversion, but there are still important decisions around wire gauge, switching, fuse sizing, and circuit layout that affect both safety and functionality.
This guide covers everything you need to know to wire LED lights in your campervan properly. For help choosing the right cable size for your lighting circuit, see our cable sizing guide. For understanding how this fits into your overall electrical system, the wiring and safety guide covers the full picture.
Plan Your Lighting Circuits
Our free calculator helps you design your entire electrical system including lighting circuits, fuse sizing, and cable requirements. Know exactly what you need before you start wiring.
Types of 12V LED Lights for Campervans
LED Strip Lights
Flexible adhesive-backed strips that can be cut to length at marked intervals (usually every 3 LEDs). Available in warm white (2700-3000K), neutral white (4000K), and cool white (5000-6500K). Warm white is the standard choice for living spaces — it creates a comfortable, homely atmosphere rather than the harsh clinical feel of cool white.
Typical power draw: 4.8W per metre (standard density) to 14.4W per metre (high density).
LED strips are sold in 5-metre reels and run natively on 12V DC. They are ideal for under-cabinet lighting, ceiling cove lighting, and ambient lighting behind panels. Look for strips with a high CRI (Colour Rendering Index) of 90 or above — cheap strips with a CRI below 80 make everything look washed out and slightly green.
Puck Lights / Downlights
Small circular surface-mount or recessed lights. These provide focused, directional light and are excellent for task lighting over kitchen worktops, seating areas, and above the bed for reading. Typical power draw is 1-3W per light.
Popular options in the UK campervan community include the 12V LED puck lights from 12 Volt Planet and the Labcraft Banklight range. Prices range from £5-£15 per light depending on quality and brightness.
Reading Lights / Spot Lights
Adjustable gooseneck or swivel-arm lights for targeted illumination. USB-powered reading lights are popular for simplicity, but dedicated 12V reading lights wired into your lighting circuit give you better integration and switch control.
Waterproof Lights
For exterior use (awning lights, boot lights, under-van lighting), look for lights rated IP65 or higher. IP65 means protected against water jets from any direction, which covers rain and splashing. IP67 and IP68 are submersible ratings — unnecessary for most external van applications but fine if you find a light you like at those ratings.
Wire Gauge for Lighting Circuits
LED lighting circuits are low-current, which means you can use relatively thin cable. However, do not go thinner than necessary — voltage drop over longer runs can cause LEDs to dim or flicker.
The Standard Choice: 1.0mm2
For most campervan lighting circuits, 1.0mm2 (roughly 17 AWG) cable is appropriate. It handles up to about 10A at 12V, which is far more than any lighting circuit will draw. A typical campervan lighting circuit draws 2-5A total even with every light on.
When to Use 1.5mm2
If your lighting circuit is particularly long (total cable run exceeding 6-7 metres from the fuse box to the furthest light) or if you are running high-density LED strips drawing more than 5A total, step up to 1.5mm2. The slight additional cost is negligible and the reduced voltage drop ensures consistent brightness across all lights.
| Cable Size | Max Current (12V) | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| 0.75mm2 | ~6A | Short individual runs to single lights |
| 1.0mm2 | ~10A | Standard lighting circuits |
| 1.5mm2 | ~15A | Long runs, high-power LED strips |
For a deeper dive into cable sizing and voltage drop calculations, see our cable sizes guide.
Use Twin-Core Cable for Simplicity
For lighting circuits, twin-core cable (positive and negative in a single sheath) is easier to run and neater than two separate single-core cables. A 1.0mm2 twin-core cable from a supplier like 12 Volt Planet or Auto Electrical Supplies costs around £0.50-£0.80 per metre. For LED strips and individual lights, you can also use the thin 2-core cable (0.5-0.75mm2) supplied with many LED products for the final short run from the main circuit to each light.
Parallel vs Series Wiring
This is a critical distinction for 12V LED lighting.
Parallel Wiring (Use This)
In parallel wiring, each light (or group of lights) connects directly to the positive and negative supply rails. Every light sees the full 12V supply. If one light fails, the others continue to work. This is the correct approach for 12V campervan lighting.
In practice, parallel wiring means running your main lighting cable from the fuse box along your ceiling or wall cavity, and tapping off at each light location. Each light has its own connection to the positive and negative conductors.
Series Wiring (Do Not Use for Separate Lights)
In series wiring, lights are chained end-to-end, with the voltage divided across them. If one light fails, the entire chain goes dark — like old Christmas tree lights. Additionally, 12V divided across multiple lights means each light gets less voltage, resulting in dim output.
Exception: The individual LEDs within a strip light are wired in series internally in groups of three, with these groups then wired in parallel. This is how strip lights are designed to work and is handled within the strip itself — you do not need to worry about it. You simply connect 12V to the strip's input and the internal circuitry handles the rest.
Never Wire 12V Lights in Series
Wiring separate 12V lights in series is a common beginner mistake. Each light is designed to receive the full 12V. If you chain three 12V lights in series, each one gets only 4V and will either glow dimly or not work at all. If one light in the series chain fails open-circuit, all lights go off. Always wire in parallel.
Switching Options
How you switch your lights on and off is as much a usability decision as a wiring one. There are several approaches, and you can mix them within a single van.
Rocker Switches
The simplest and most reliable option. A 12V rocker switch rated for at least 10A costs £2-£5 and is available in a range of sizes and styles. Illuminated rocker switches have a small LED in the toggle that shows whether the circuit is on — useful for switches in dark corners.
Wire the switch on the positive (live) side of the circuit, between the fuse box and the lights. The negative connects directly from the lights to the negative bus bar or battery negative.
Dimmer Switches
12V PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) dimmers allow you to adjust brightness from fully off to fully on. They work by rapidly switching the power on and off thousands of times per second — LEDs respond to this smoothly and without flicker (provided you use a quality dimmer).
A basic rotary or touch-sensitive 12V LED dimmer costs £5-£15. Inline dimmers wire into the positive cable just like a switch. Panel-mount dimmers replace a standard switch and look cleaner.
Important: Use a dimmer rated for LED loads. Cheap dimmers designed for incandescent bulbs may cause LED flicker, buzzing, or premature failure.
Smart Switches
Bluetooth-controlled or WiFi switches let you control lights from your phone. Products like the Shelly Plus 1 (around £12) can be wired into a 12V circuit and controlled via app, voice assistant, or automation rules. These are excellent for creating lighting scenes (all on, night mode, reading mode) without installing multiple physical switches.
Zone Switching
Most campervans benefit from at least two independently switched lighting zones:
- Main living area — ceiling lights, under-cabinet strips, ambient lighting
- Bedroom area — reading lights, subtle night lights
Having separate switches means one person can read in bed while the other has the main lights off. Wire each zone as a separate circuit from the fuse box, each with its own switch and fuse.
Fuse Sizing for Lighting Circuits
Every lighting circuit needs a fuse. The fuse protects the cable from overheating if a short circuit occurs.
How to Size the Fuse
The fuse rating must be:
- Greater than the maximum normal current draw of the circuit
- Less than the current capacity of the cable
For a typical lighting circuit on 1.0mm2 cable drawing 3A normally, a 5A blade fuse is correct. This gives headroom for the normal load but protects the cable (which can handle around 10A) from a short circuit.
| Circuit | Typical Draw | Recommended Fuse | Cable Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main ceiling lights (4-6 puck lights) | 1-2A | 3A or 5A | 1.0mm2 |
| LED strip circuit (3-5m of strip) | 1.5-4A | 5A | 1.0mm2 |
| High-density LED strips (5m+) | 4-6A | 7.5A or 10A | 1.5mm2 |
| Reading lights (2 lights) | 0.3-0.5A | 3A | 0.75-1.0mm2 |
For a comprehensive guide to fuse sizing across all your circuits, see our fuse sizing guide.
Use a Blade Fuse Box
A small blade fuse box (6-way or 12-way) from a supplier like Blue Sea Systems or a budget option from Amazon gives you a clean, central location for all your low-current circuits — lights, USB sockets, water pump, fans. Each circuit gets its own fuse and output terminal. Prices range from £10-£30 depending on the number of ways and whether it includes a negative bus bar.
Wiring Step by Step
Step 1: Plan Your Layout
Before running any cable, plan where every light will go. Mark positions on the ceiling, walls, and cabinets. Think about where shadows fall — a single ceiling light creates harsh shadows, while multiple distributed lights or strip lighting gives even illumination. Consider the position of overhead lockers, as they can block light from ceiling-mounted fixtures.
Step 2: Run the Main Feed Cable
Run your main lighting cable from the fuse box to the lighting area. Use 1.0mm2 or 1.5mm2 twin-core cable. Route it through conduit or trunking where it passes through metal panels (use grommets to protect against chafing). See our cable routing guide for detailed advice on running cables neatly and safely.
Step 3: Branch to Individual Lights
At each light location, tap into the main feed cable. The neatest approach is to use an inline connector or junction box. Wago 221 series lever connectors (rated to 32A) are popular for low-current lighting connections — they are tool-free, reusable, and reliable. Alternatively, use crimp butt splices sealed with adhesive-lined heat shrink.
Step 4: Connect the Lights
Follow each light manufacturer's instructions for wiring. Most 12V LED lights have two wires: positive (usually red) and negative (usually black). Double-check polarity — while most modern LEDs will not be damaged by reverse polarity, they simply will not illuminate, and some cheaper products may fail permanently.
Step 5: Connect Switches
Wire your switch into the positive line between the fuse box and the lights. The switch interrupts the positive supply — when off, no current flows to the lights. The negative line runs uninterrupted from the lights back to the negative bus bar.
Step 6: Connect to the Fuse Box
Terminate the positive cable with a ring terminal or ferrule and connect it to the appropriate fuse output on your fuse box. Connect the negative cable to your negative bus bar.
Step 7: Test
Turn on the fuse and switch, and verify each light works. Use a multimeter to check voltage at the furthest light from the fuse box — it should be within 0.5V of the battery voltage. A larger drop indicates undersized cable or a bad connection somewhere in the circuit.
Common Mistakes
Using too-thin wire for LED strips: The wire supplied with many LED strips is extremely thin (0.3-0.5mm2) and is only intended for short connections (under 300mm). Do not use it to run 2-3 metres from a power source to the strip — the voltage drop will cause the far end of the strip to be noticeably dimmer. Use proper 1.0mm2 cable for the main run and the thin supplied wire only for the final connection.
Not fusing the circuit: Even a lighting circuit drawing only 2A needs a fuse. A short circuit in a thin cable can cause a fire in seconds if unfused.
Mounting strip lights without a channel: Bare LED strips stuck directly to wood or fabric can overheat and degrade the adhesive. Aluminium LED strip channels (around £2-£5 per metre) act as heatsinks, protect the strip, and give a much cleaner finished look with a diffuser cover.
FAQ
What colour temperature should I choose for campervan LED lights?
Warm white (2700-3000K) is the most popular choice for campervan living spaces. It creates a cosy, relaxing atmosphere similar to incandescent lighting. Neutral white (4000K) is good for task areas like the kitchen. Avoid cool white (5000-6500K) in living areas — it feels clinical and harsh, especially in a small space.
How much power do LED lights actually use?
Very little. A typical campervan lighting setup (six puck lights and a few metres of LED strip) draws around 2-4A at 12V, which is 24-48W. Running this for five hours uses only 10-20Ah of battery capacity. Lighting is one of the lowest power consumers in a campervan — your fridge and heating draw far more.
Can I use 24V LED strips on a 12V system?
No. A 24V LED strip will not illuminate on a 12V supply — it needs at least 24V to function. Always check the voltage rating before purchasing. Most campervan systems are 12V, so buy 12V-rated strips and lights. If you are running a 24V system, see our guide on 12V vs 24V systems for component selection.
Do I need a separate circuit for each light?
No. Running separate circuits to every individual light is unnecessary. Group lights into logical zones (main living area, bedroom, exterior) and wire each zone as one circuit with its own fuse and switch. Two to four lighting circuits is typical for a campervan.