Anyone replaced their compass light with LED?

[rpwillia]

I am getting around to replacing most of my lights and this is one of the last I have not done yet.

 

[woodster]

they put an LED in mine when i sent it off to have it refurbed

 

[kappykaplan]

I did a few years back when the bulb failed. Works great.

 

[pateco]

I tried to do mine, but the bulb is so tiny, I could not find a replacement locally, and would need to order online.

 

[kappykaplan]

I ordered online - didn't think to check locally. The bulb came as an assembly with wires that I spliced in to the existing wires.

 

[Ward H]

I did but don't like it. The light is too focused instead of lighting up the whole compass. May try sanding the LED lens. I've done that on model train LEDs to get more of a floodlight affect.

 

[Stu Jackson]

If it still works, why bother? The amp load is tiny. Wait til it dies, but research ahead of time.

 

[All U Get]

The red is wearing off on mine, is your new LED red?
All U Get

 

[Ward H]

yes, red LED. Marine Beam.com

 

[woodster]

The red is wearing off on mine, is your new LED red?

hence the saying ...."somebody licked the red off your candy "

 

[All U Get]

On a moonless night its surprising how bright that little light is. We usually close the cover on the compass. Tried nail polish with limited success. Maybe I need to go back to Victoria's Secret and get a darker red. Woody which one have you been using?

All U Get

 

[woodster]

they put it in at the repair station...but the little radio shack one looks to be ok for that ...i don't know what they used ...i think it was the edson one but that kit is a little high seems to me

 

[rpwillia]

OK, I have the Ritchie compass. I do recall years ago having a problem (before LEDs), opening it up, verifying it was wired correctly, taking it to West Marine, seeing they had the same ones, and then trying it on a battery there, reversing the leads, seeing it worked, and just saying screw it and installed it backwards cuz it worked that way. Do not remember the number or type. I do believe I have a Globemaster SP-5. My current bulb is white, but the green might be nice as it would match my Raymarine instruments. Stu might have a point (trying hard to not agree with him).

 

[marchem]

I'm kind of late to this conversation, but I replaced our original incandescent bulb assembly with the Ritchie red LED kit. I bought it from these folks: http://www.vikingcompass.com/globelow.html They also carry the green version.

 

[Alansails]

Rob, That is a great resource, Thanks for sharing!

 

[marchem]

Rob, That is a great resource, Thanks for sharing!

I've gotten so much good advice and ideas from these forums; it's nice to pay it back now and again.