Replace H23.5 cabin bulbs with LEDs?

Jun 28, 2016
334
Hunter 23.5 Paupack, PA
Not at boat for a few weeks. Does anyone know if there is a 12v LED solution for the H23.5 cabin lights? Thanks.
 
Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
Yes, I replaced all of mine (and a buddy's H260 with the same bulbs). It doesn't get dark here until almost 11pm during our summer sailing season, so I didn't really need them since I only day sail except for maybe one night out per year.

Ouch! I see I paid US$14 each! I ordered 10 of them from Marinebeam.com 4 years ago.

Wedge Base 10-LED Side WG-SP-12X-WW 10 14.00 Output Color = Warm White
Mount Replacement
X-Beam
 
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Doug J

.
May 2, 2005
1,192
Hunter 26 Oceanside, CA
I upgraded all my lights to LED. Check out Marine Beam. They have some informative information on their web site explaining "Constant Current" technology and why it's important.
http://store.marinebeam.com/constant-current-1/

These are the replacement LED's I used that fit my fixtures. Much brighter than the old incandescent festoon bulbs.
http://store.marinebeam.com/42mm-1-11-16-festoon-led-bulb-6-led-power-cluster/

You're gonna need to identify what bulbs you have so you can determine what LED's will fit.
 
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Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
I am very happy with the LEDs that I put in my Hunter. There is a wide variety of prices & qualities out there. For navigation lights, I get the good ones. for cabin lights, I get cheap ones from a local auto parts store.
 
Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
Doug,
Thanks for the heads up. The "cheap" LEDs, that I have in my cabin, run much cooler than the incandescent bulbs that they replaced. I think that I am going to be OK with them in terms of fire hazard.

Thanks also for the marine beam source. Prices there are much better than my local chandler.
 
Apr 27, 2010
1,279
Hunter 23 Lake Wallenpaupack
That is an interesting article from Marine Beam. I suspect it is more of an issue/risk on larger boats that have alternators, shore power to charge batteries, etc. For the smaller boats that have basically a single battery, perhaps an outboard with an alternator, perhaps solar panels with a charge controller, etc. I suspect it is less of a risk, particularly when used for cabin lights that would normally not be on when any kind of charging is active. I'd probably pay some extra for the few lights that are hard to access, on the mast, just for the extra likelihood of it not failing mid-season. Now, I might not buy Chinese made bulbs from say eBay, but maybe from a reputable auto chain store.
 
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Doug J

.
May 2, 2005
1,192
Hunter 26 Oceanside, CA
That is an interesting article from Marine Beam. I suspect it is more of an issue/risk on larger boats that have alternators, shore power to charge batteries, etc. For the smaller boats that have basically a single battery, perhaps an outboard with an alternator, perhaps solar panels with a charge controller, etc. I suspect it is less of a risk, particularly when used for cabin lights that would normally not be on when any kind of charging is active. I'd probably pay some extra for the few lights that are hard to access, on the mast, just for the extra likelihood of it not failing mid-season. Now, I might not buy Chinese made bulbs from say eBay, but maybe from a reputable auto chain store.
You're probably right. But my boat does have shore power, with battery charger and a solar charge controller. True the lights are only on at night, so that eliminates the solar charge controller. But sometimes I have a shore power connection while in a marina, that activates the battery charger, which goes through three phases, bulk, absorption and float, where the voltage levels change, and go to 14.4v. I'd rather pay a little more and buy bulbs that control the current delivered to the bulbs.

I agree if there is only a battery with the lights and no charging - no problem.
 
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Apr 27, 2010
1,279
Hunter 23 Lake Wallenpaupack
The original poster and I are both on the same lake that has no shore power, which is the reason I added my comments.
 
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Ward H

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Nov 7, 2011
3,775
Catalina 30 Mk II Cedar Creek, Bayville NJ
Ditto on Marinebeam. I tried some of the cheaper bulbs and didn't like the color tones. Read a lot of comments on Marinebeam, read their site info and tried them. I really like their white/red dome lights I installed on my O'day.
Switching out to all Marinebeam lights, interior and exterior, on my C30.
 
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Jun 28, 2016
334
Hunter 23.5 Paupack, PA
I upgraded all my lights to LED. Check out Marine Beam. They have some informative information on their web site explaining "Constant Current" technology and why it's important.
http://store.marinebeam.com/constant-current-1/
Ha! I had no idea I was about to burn down. Thanks to all who responded. Doubt my battery would ever see a 15v charging source, but I might do something stupid, like, "yeah, let's hook up the drill battery..."