Dimatec

All-round lighting

As confirmed at the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf, lighting is a major segment of Dimatec’s business. The catalogue features interior and exterior lights for RVs paired with considerable production flexibility to the advantage of customisation

Words Renato Antonini

The Caravan Salon was a success for Dimatec. The presence in Düsseldorf was the opportunity for the company to consolidate relationships held back by the pandemic and establish new connections with new players in Europe and worldwide. Dimatec is confidently stepping into the North American market, for instance, through the company’s local distributor Elwell. The Caravan Salon was also the chance to display new products, like the slim recessed spotlight and the magnetic portable lamp. Dimatec’s business in the RV sector is mostly focused on the lighting segment, with a variety of interior and exterior lights for vehicles on offer. “Our production includes many lighting solutions”, said Alexander Vohwinkel, Key Account Manager at Dimatec. “We have standard models, but we are always ready to develop customised solutions. We have already started working for the 2023 Caravan Salon. We want to present a different lighting concept with invisible lights integrated into the interior ambience”. The external lights range includes awning lights to be fixed above the door or elsewhere on the side of caravans and motorhomes. There are models in various sizes, some equipped with a water drainage channel for applications above the door. The model for XXL doors is remarkably 75 cm long. Very long light profiles (up to 6 metres in length) designed to be fixed under the awning are also available. The catalogue also includes a light profile designed for installation above the sliding door of Fiat Ducato camper vans.

Reading spotlights and track system devices

Dimatec has a complete range of reading lights in all shapes and sizes generally with 1 W of power that can be upped to 3 W on demand. The reading lights come in two types. The swivel reading lights have a pivot attached to a base and can perform rotations and inclined movements. Flexible lights, on the other hand, have a lighting head connected to the base by a long, flexible element. A USB port can be integrated into the base. Variable finish: white, black, chrome

Slim spotlight

The prototype of a new recessed spotlight with a reduced thickness of just 6 mm was presented at the 2022 edition of the Caravan Salon. Circular in shape, it has a magnetic outer decorative ring that can be applied quickly.

or other colours as chosen by the customer. The catalogue also features movable lighting point solutions in addition to the fixed reading lights. Dimatec also offers track-based lighting systems for top-notch flexibility in use and installation. The track system can be used to place and remove elements positioning them as required along the track. The aluminium rail is available in several lengths, currently up to 120 cm, and customisable on demand. Slider spot-

LED light bar for recessed installation

Portable lamp

The production of a portable lamp for use in various situations in the RV or on the veranda has begun. The device has 3 W of power and is powered by a battery that can be recharged by plugging the base into a special slot connected to a USB port. It can work for 2 hours at full power and 13 hours at minimum power. The lamp is magnetic and can be attached to a table stand or a small wall bracket. It sparked the interest at the Caravan Salon of manufacturers of pop-up roof motorhomes and urban motorhomes because of the possibility of simply lighting the upper sleeping area without any special work on the electrical system.

lights, swivelling spotlights, USB ports and even light profiles can be inserted on the track.

Spotlights and ceiling lights

The catalogue includes an extremely wide range of spotlights designed to be mounted on walls, ceilings or under cabinets. There are recessed spotlights and surface-mounted spotlights with a circular or square decorative bezel. The models differ in power, light beam type (concentrated or diffused) and bezel colour (that can also be customised on demand). The spotlight range includes fixed lens lights, tilting lights and turning/swivel lights. Equally wide is the range of ceiling lights. These slim devices are surface mounting and protrude by just from 5 to 12 mm so avoid hindering movements inside the RV or the opening of the interior doors. The ceiling lights can have a circular, elliptical, square or rectangular frame. Customers can choose the standard moulded models or opt for custom versions that Dimatec can manufacture using a laser cutting system to keep the costs down even for small runs.

Lights developed in length

The use of strips and light bars is increasing. On motorhomes, for instance, recessed LED bars are in high demand. Dimatec developed its first model ten years ago for the Hymer campervan range and has been perfecting it ever since. More in detail, they consist of aluminium bars of variable length, minimal thickness (even 7 mm) and dimmable lighting. Surface-mounted light bars that are not recessed are also available. Of course, there are the now popular LED strips, flexible and adaptable to various contexts, perfect for creating indirect lighting effects concealed behind furniture elements. The power can vary from 1.6 to 9.6 W/metre. Although this product does not lend itself to customisation due to its features, Dimatec was able to create something specific by supplying a customer with a strip provided with 60 LEDs per metre and power consumption of just 2 W/metre. LED flexible profiles have also recently gained popularity. Dimatec’s Neon Flex product is a flexible light profile for applications in sight. It does not require a diffuser because the LEDs are encased in an elongated semi-transparent waterproof plastic element.

Utility lights

To complete the range of lights for various requirements, Dimatec offers utility solutions that are normally less elegant and designed for use where the functionality of the lighting system is important. Examples are the nofrills garage lights that can be mounted on the wall or elsewhere in the cargo area. The models in production have powers in the range of 2.5 to 3.8 W. Then there are the cabinet lights designed to help find things inside the wardrobes. There are versions powered by the onboard 12V system and battery-operated versions (also rechargeable) with a function for switching on automatically when the door is opened or by pressing a switch.