Lighting Types
Hi Jack - There are basically 4 types of lights to choose from: 1) INCANDECENT: Standard lighting on many boats, like car bulbs. They put out decent light, and the light is a warm glow. The lights do get warm and use a fair amount of electricity. Relatively inexpensive. 2) HALOGEN: These upper end lights use expensive bulbs that produce a lot of heat. They provide very bright white light, but also consume the most electricity. 3) FLUORESCENT: These lights use relatively little electricity, but they also can interfere with stereos and other electronics due to the high frequency. Although the energy consumption is low by comparison to incandescent and halogen, they emit a stale white light that isn't as warm as the others. However, as Harley mentioned, Alpenglow makes a nice fluorescent light that's supposed to emit a warmer glow than the older types. 4) LED (light emitting diode): These are the newest offering, and use very low electricity. Fixtures ususally require several LEDs together to combine for a brighter light. Good solution for boats, but they are pricey. Depending on your budget and battery capacity, it's a good idea to consider the merits and drawbacks of each type. I use a combination of all four on my boat (halogen in galley, incandescent for most interior dome lights, fluorescent in work spaces, LED nav and anchor light). Experiment and see what makes the most sense on your boat! Hope this helps, Trevor
