RE: "There are several companies that sell DC compact fluorescents, and you
don't
lose any efficiency with the inversion. These are also more efficnent than
LEDs."

I think you should check on whoever is making that claim.  The draw on LED's
is very, very low.  The LED's I have (direct replacements) in the stock
light over the storage cabinets in my Westy draw exactly 1/10th what the
incandescents did, 25 ma vs 250 ma, measured at the fixture.  That's .025 x
12 = .3 watts vs. 8 watts for an equivalent fluorescent.