LED lights

[Jentine]

We all do stupid thing in our lives. Some are by accident and some are by design. I was stupid by design. I fell for the hype about LED lights even though my better judgement said - "run the other way and do it fast". I succumbed to the pressure of others. My crime was to change over to LED lights for the interior of my boat. It has become a lovely place to sit in the dark. I changed the overhead and reading lights to LED's without first sampling each. I now have ten, count them, ten of the most horrific, eerie light generating devices ever added to a nice boat.
The problem is not that one can't see; it is that one can't see well or clearly. The light is inferior to the lovely incandescent bulbs that only consumed 5 tiny watts each and gave a pleasant yellowish glow. The bright (these are the less white) white glow that is insufficient for reading, or playing games, or doing anything else that requires sight, are not pleasant and draw three watts. That is right two watts less for the most eeire light I have ever encountered. Perhaps their wierdness is the key. I could save them for halloween next year and devise a haunted boat.
Well, in all seriousness, each of the LED's has been relegated to the drawer or areas where they won't be used for more than general lighting for short periods, i.e. the spare head, the lazarette, the reading lights not used for such and the like. Some things are not worth the money and LEDs are in that category.
From this point forward, let the buyer beware! You have been forewarned!
Jim

 

[Grizz]

Any thoughts of testing the water...

...before diving in head-first? Would you feel any different if you'd bought 1 (instead of 10) to see if they worked, you liked them and they performed as advertised?

 

[Rich (P303)]

LED's are certainly coming around. There are good and bad applications. I have a LED anchor light... it is the nuts! Thinking about adding some LED rope behind the fiddle-blocks on port and starboard sides of the cabin for indirect light. LED's are good for accenting lighting down the companionway.

I have been a little leery about changing the cabin lights... as I haven't really seen a fixture in a display that I could compare. I have a few busted fixtures... will replace 3 and try my luck with 1 Sensibulb... if that looks good I am off and running!

We spend all out time on a mooring.

There are good and bad LED's in beam spread and color... I am afraid you might have gone the bad route.

Mainesail has done a commendable job scoping these out for us.

 

[Maine Sail]

Jim..

LED's are indeed buyer beware and also "you get what you pay for". There are some wonderful LED's out there that are bright, throw a warm glow and have a wide pattern. I, like you, tried many LED's then found the Sensibulb and they are simply amazing. My wife never even knew I ahd switched from the halogens.

As for wattage or amps a sensibulb at .194 milliamps draws 78% less electricity than a 10 watt halogen at .88 amps.

There are many threads on LED bulbs and there are good LED's so please don't banish the entire spectrum because you got some duds..

I just did a comparison between three different LED bulbs and I have one more on order that I will add to it when it gets here. Trust me I feel you pain and I have a bin of junk LED's to show for my frustrations.

The Sensibulbs are the most expensive but also the absolute best I've seen as of yet and if they are able to fool my wife that says something she hates florescent bulbs and about 90% of the LED's made thus far. Within a year I think you'll see many more bulbs that can compete with the Sensibulb and it may bring prices down.

Please do us a favor and let us know what bulb, where you bought them, how much and what the model # is so that others can avoid them..

Feel free to check out this thread with plenty of photo comparisons. More LED Bulb Comparisons (LINK)

 

[Benny]

LED's are great to use as anchor lights, navigation lights and courtesy lights. The have a bright beam which adds safety as it can be seen from farther out, their low power draw is best when used at anchor or underway at night. Their long life, some claim 20,000 hours will probably outlast the boat and you won't have to climb the mast or hang over the transom in stormy weather. For these uses they are worth their weight in gold but for cabin use it is entirely another story. The have a narrow beam and unpleasent colors. Anyways the average sailor mostly uses cabin lights at a marina dock where shorepower is usually available or they have a generator or simply conserve power by going to sleep early. There are new LED's that provide a similar performance as incandescent but the difference in price is close to $30 per bulb. 10 bulbs will cost you an additional $300. If you are at the border line of your power budget and do not have room for another battery you may consider the expense as an alternative although until the technology/price improves I would revert back to oil lamps.

 

[sailingdog]

Maine Sail—

I think you have to say that the LED draws 78% less energy... not 484% less... since you can't draw negative power.

 

[ITMaster]

Jim

Although you don't say it, the implication that you have made is that you put the other lights back in place that you started out with? Correct, or did you try something else?

 

[Mr Bilge]

I've got the boat in the backyard for a re-fit, and thinking about going LED, certainly for up the mast (WAY too old & fat to go up there if avoidable) possibly elsewhere. When you made the switch, did you replace wiring with smaller gauge? "Crank down" the fusing?

 

[alexco38]

I use 1156-PCB-WHP9 warm white from Superbrightleds.com. It has 6 high power LED emitters on a small circuit board so it would shine downwards.

Yes I replaced all 6 and used double sided tape inside existing fixture. You can't even tell the difference between the old incandecent or the new LED. It's a little brighter than the old bulb. Yes you can read books with them.

You've got to buy the right type. Get one and try it first.

I don't own shares in that company.

 

[alexco38]

No I didn't downsize the wiring or the circuit breaker. There is no need.

I left the running light and deck light with halogen because when I need them the engine is on anyway.

I only changed cabin, vanity, and NAV lights for sailing.

 

[Tom Spohn]

My first generation conversion produced a light that was not bright enough and was too blue. I experimented with many different bulbs (one or two at a time) and settled on the sensibulb and G4WHP6 from Superbright led's. They have about the same color--at least to the eye--as halogen and they really light the boat up. If you have ceiling mounted halogen lights with two wire bases the G4WHP6 are a direct replacement. I like both bulbs about the same and if I were starting over again I would use only the G4WHP6 as it is quite a bit cheaper than the sensibulb. Installed on bulkheads behind frosted lenses I cannot tell the difference.

 

[Jentine]

Although you don't say it, the implication that you have made is that you put the other lights back in place that you started out with? Correct, or did you try something else?

I replace the LED's that are in the fixtures that we commonly use with the halogen bulbs that were in them originally and relegated the LEDs to places that we rarely use. I would rather turn lights off than have to suffer with wierd lighting. I have over 700 ah sitting in my batteries, so power is no problem.
Jim

 

[Maine Sail]

I replace the LED's that are in the fixtures that we commonly use with the halogen bulbs that were in them originally and relegated the LEDs to places that we rarely use. I would rather turn lights off than have to suffer with wierd lighting. I have over 700 ah sitting in my batteries, so power is no problem.
Jim

You still have not told us the brand or model of the bulb so others can avoid them. Please help others learn from your mistake and let us know which bulbs they were..

 

[Jim]

I agree 100%. They are not worth the money and don't work as well as good old fashion light bulbs. They do use less energy so if you cruise extensively you might want to look into them. I do not!