An idea for Cabin Lights...

woodster · Nov 7, 2011

rgranger said:
I was at a trailer supply shop Saturday and saw these... They are fully enclosed backup (White) LEDs. They retail at $22. Can anyone think of a reason these would not make excellent cabin lights?

I'm thinking low draw, durable, bright and cheap (compared to anything with Marie on it).

Anything I'm missing?

r

i dont see why they wouldnt work ....people burn oil lamps on board .....

regards

woody

tkanzler · Nov 7, 2011

I'm guessing too bright, and too direct. But I don't see any other reason.

25yearslater · Nov 7, 2011

During my recycling project I've more than once shopped the RV suppliers. Low and behold I found the exact faucets and dome lights that were original equipment on my 76 Oday 27. And the price was probably less now than when it was built.

kendall · Nov 7, 2011

Only issue I could see is that they are designed more as 'beams' than as an all arounder.

Mounting them under a frosted lens would possibly diffuse the light more and make them better for cabin illumination.

I have a couple spot style lamps, and while they're great for lighting up a spot (of course!), they're useless as area lights/general illumination. You always have a bright spot surrounded by a dim area, made to look even dimmer because of the bright spot.

Best way I've found to use them as general purpose lighting is to aim them at a white surface and let the light bounce. They work great for room lighting that way, bright enough to read by nearly anywhere in the cabin.

voltzwgn · Nov 7, 2011

With an led bulb if the lights too direct some folk sand/scuff the tip to diffuse the light. Or if you install in a fitting with a frosted lens that may do the trick. I found some nice fittings at our local reuse store and my plan was to wire up with leds cause there such low draw, now as I'm thinking about may put in a mult-position switch to get different light levels while I'm at it.

caguy · Nov 7, 2011

My old Macgregor was outfitted with 2 light fixtures, the were made with two 12" flour scent tubes. They did not appear to draw much but put out a lot of light. I'm not sure of the specs I suspect 15 watts. I liked the color and tone of the lights, they were not harsh. I don't know if they were standard issue or a mod by the PO.

rardiH36 · Nov 7, 2011

For about the same price, you can buy marine grade interior LED lights ... like on a couple of pages on this forum's sponsor site for example:

http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?5207
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?6240)

One thing to consider is the color of the "white" LED's. The color of many white LED's is a cold looking blueish. (I suspect the one you are looking at probably is a blue hue LED fixture). Other white LED's are described as "warm" which is closer to the yellowish standard incandescent bulbs we all grew up with ... and also that the current crop of screw-in florescent bulbs emulate. The warm color is desirable if you want a more cozy feeling in your cabin -- rather than lighting for a jewelery store display.

Since these are cabin lights, top-of-the-line voltage/current regulation probably isn't critical but still some degree of of regulation is still desirable.

Or check out eBay. Yeah, a lot of the offerings will be shipped from Hong Kong. But you will find a huge assortment of color, fitting type and lumens for 12v applications.

The price of LED lighting -- with much better lumens than before -- has dropped a lot over the last several years.

Anyway, you might want to look around more before getting the LED back-up lights.

Dan Johnson · Nov 8, 2011

Hey R...

on my last boat I used some red marker lamps and trailer brake lights for night vision lighting in the cabin. With the new LED lighting units you'll save a lot of battery and provide lots of light. Look for a couple of red ones if you sail at night.

Go for it!

finding41 · Dec 18, 2011

I've just ordered a strip of waterproof led lights from ebay for my mac 26D. I went with the strip because it is low profile with a sticky backing and can be cut into 3 led pieces.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Waterproof-...047?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a1727e18f
I think this will be the best type of light in our tight quarters. It will allow for lights to be placed in spots not usually accessible for conventional lighting. Like that spot at the foot of the aft berth.

BillyK · Dec 19, 2011

finding41 said:
I've just ordered a strip of waterproof led lights from ebay for my mac 26D. I went with the strip because it is low profile with a sticky backing and can be cut into 3 led pieces.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Waterproof-...047?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a1727e18f
I think this will be the best type of light in our tight quarters. It will allow for lights to be placed in spots not usually accessible for conventional lighting. Like that spot at the foot of the aft berth.

I'm curious how these will work out for you... i wonder if the sticky backing will hold when the cabin hits over a 100 during the summer..

Jackdaw · Dec 19, 2011

Make SURE that have on-board voltage regulation. LEDs get very hot (and bright) when fed more than 12v. Having non-regulated LEDs on when charging your batteries can make them hot enough to melt solder.

Bill Roosa · Dec 19, 2011

If they work on a car/truck electrical system then they should work on a boat with 12 volt system. Just don't turn them on when equalizing the batts.

Barnacle Bill · Dec 19, 2011

The issues I would be aware of (and many are touched on in this thread) are: Too bright or too concentrated for a cabin light (some people like a more soft illumination in the cabin); voltage drain too high in comparison to cabin lights; the materials are not corrosion free (most trailer lights are made of steel and will rust while cabin lights are made of materials that will hold up to a marine environment).

Stu Jackson · Dec 19, 2011

caguy said:
My old Macgregor was outfitted with 2 light fixtures, the were made with two 12" flour scent tubes. They did not appear to draw much but put out a lot of light. I'm not sure of the specs I suspect 15 watts. I liked the color and tone of the lights, they were not harsh. I don't know if they were standard issue or a mod by the PO.

Frank, those are fixtures that were used on many boats, we have one in the galley on our boat.

I buy replacement lamps at ACE Hardware, my favorite boating store. The lamps come in both cool white and warm white. The original lamp was a cool white. It was horrible. The warm white made all the difference.

Just like LEDs.

Stu Jackson · Dec 19, 2011

rgranger said:
I was at a trailer supply shop Saturday and saw these... They are fully enclosed backup (White) LEDs. They retail at $22. Can anyone think of a reason these would not make excellent cabin lights?

I'm thinking low draw, durable, bright and cheap (compared to anything with Marie on it).

Anything I'm missing?

r

Why not ask to have them light one off for you, so you can see the brightness and color rendering?

Jackdaw · Dec 19, 2011

Bill Roosa said:
If they work on a car/truck electrical system then they should work on a boat with 12 volt system. Just don't turn them on when equalizing the batts.

yea maybe... but why not just buy marine hardware? It costs more, but there's a reason.... SUVs don't sink. Boats do. I get the willies when ever I see someone walk onto their boat with a PEP Boys bag.

An idea for Cabin Lights...

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