12" Fluorescent light fixture replacement?

[pateco]

So I had already replaced the dome light bulbs with LED.

but I have these directional reading lights above the lee berth and dinette in the salon. They are BA15S bases, but the reflector is part of the socket, so the socket is slightly deeper than normal, and stays narrow beyond where the bulb base would go for a short distance. 1/8' max.

This was enough to cause the Imtra bulbs I bought at the Pompano Beach marine flea market to not seat fully. I bought a bunch of cheap BA15S bulbs off ebay, and was disappointed when the also wouldn't seat fully. However, at $9 for 10 bulbs, I figured I would screw with them to see if I could solve the problem.

I sanded the outside edges of the cheap bulbs, and was able to remove enough of the extra plastic around the edge of the bases to get them to seat. They are a bright white, so I may replace again, but satisfied for now.

 

[pateco]

While I was at the boat installing the new LEDs for the reading lights, I took some pictures of the 12" fluorescents in question.

 

[pateco]

Wal-Mart is generally using Midtronics testers. They are decent tools for determining "warranty" as well as availability of "cranking amps" but not much more. They do horribly at predicting typical house bank use or Ah capacity or state of health for house bank use...

Are Impedance Testers Worth It?

That said if two group 24 batteries failed to start a small aux engine after 5 hours, with just incandescent lighting, they're toast and we don't need a test for that.....

Thanks Main Sail,

Looks like I'm shopping for new batteries. Has anyone tried the Group 24s from Costco?

 

[Maine Sail]

Thanks Main Sail,

Looks like I'm shopping for new batteries. Has anyone tried the Group 24s from Costco?

How to Murder Batteries in Half a Year!

What is a Deep Cycle Battery?

 

[pateco]

How to Murder Batteries in Half a Year! What is a Deep Cycle Battery?

Ok so I need to test and check my alternator output. It will probably depress me with its lameness since it is a standard Hitachi 50amp battery killer. However, we mostly day/evening sail, so we are connected to shore power almost every night using a West Marine charging system. Would this be enough to keep the battery from being murdered?

Also I went to Costco during my lunch break today, and these are the batteries they have on sale here.

The 27DC is $78.99, and the 24DC is $72.99.
They weigh a lot more than a standard car battery of the same size. I checked. Do you think they are what they say they are?

 

[pateco]

How to Murder Batteries in Half a Year!
What is a Deep Cycle Battery?

I just read your article on deep cycle Batteries, and you can forget my above question on the group 24s. Tomorrow I will look at the 6v golf cart batteries that were also on sale. A bank of those, and maybe a new starting battery, and I should be much better off. Still wondering about my alternator/shore power charging question. I will research my charger and post here to determine if it is good enough for the new bank. Thanks

 

[Maine Sail]

Ok so I need to test and check my alternator output. It will probably depress me with its lameness since it is a standard Hitachi 50amp battery killer. However, we mostly day/evening sail, so we are connected to shore power almost every night using a West Marine charging system. Would this be enough to keep the battery from being murdered?

For your described use your alternator really does not matter in a huge way. Even for a single week long vacation per year it would probably not be worth an upgrade. For folks on moorings, cruisers, live-aboards or who regularly do three-four day weekends plus a few week long trips or longer then we start getting into the need for a better alternator and some solar.

 

[pateco]

Has anyone tried these Batteries?