Switching Old Cabin Lights to LED

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drdanj

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Jun 15, 2009
44
Hunter 290 Channel Islands
I want to replace an old fluorescent inside cabin top lamp with an LED lamp, I bought a red/white AlpenLight lamp, should be simple, they're designed for boats. Took out the old light, put in the new lamp, made sure wires match, black/black, red/white.

The LED light doesn't come on at all. I happen to have another LED light, wired it up, it does not work. Tried a brass reading lamp with traditional bulb, it does work.

So, what would it be about LED lights that they do not work?

Dan
S/V Tao
Catalina 36
 
philwsailz

philwsailz

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Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
Regular lights are not polarized, as they can be wired any ole which way and still glow. An LED is a diode, and it will not light up if wired backwards.

Try reversing the polarity....
 
The Garbone

The Garbone

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Nov 7, 2012
678
1978 Catalina 30 Wilbur-by-the-Sea
On the one stock lamp I was able to salvage I had to reverse the polarity for the LEDs to work also. I did so at the splice behind the lamp as I wanted to avoid any goofy reversals at the distribution panel.
 
centerline

centerline

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Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
The Garbone said:
On the one stock lamp I was able to salvage I had to reverse the polarity for the LEDs to work also. I did so at the splice behind the lamp as I wanted to avoid any goofy reversals at the distribution panel.
Click to expand

As you wrote, you changed the wires at the fixture rather than the panel, this would be the correct way to do it. Its unlikely the panel is wired wrong, unless some previous owner wired it wrong, and for lighting it dont really matter anyway...
But i have seen some off brand led lights with the wire colors reversed.... so all that does matter with led lights is that the polarity is correct...
 
D

drdanj

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Jun 15, 2009
44
Hunter 290 Channel Islands
Does this mean just reverse the color of the wires?

Just flip them?
The Garbone said:
On the one stock lamp I was able to salvage I had to reverse the polarity for the LEDs to work also. I did so at the splice behind the lamp as I wanted to avoid any goofy reversals at the distribution panel.
Click to expand
 
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Capt jgw

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Feb 8, 2014
1,300
Columbia 36 Muskegon
Easier than that maybe. If the LED bulb can be reversed in its socket thats all you need to do.
 
D

drdanj

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Jun 15, 2009
44
Hunter 290 Channel Islands
Found it

Capt jgw said:
Easier than that maybe. If the LED bulb can be reversed in its socket thats all you need to do.
Click to expand
Turns out that what looked like a straight wire run from the panel was actually split down under the cabin sole, with the second set of wires reversed going up to the cabin top, black to red.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,709
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
drdanj said:
I want to replace an old fluorescent inside cabin top lamp with an LED lamp, I bought a red/white AlpenLight lamp, should be simple, they're designed for boats. Took out the old light, put in the new lamp, made sure wires match, black/black, red/white.

The LED light doesn't come on at all. I happen to have another LED light, wired it up, it does not work. Tried a brass reading lamp with traditional bulb, it does work.

So, what would it be about LED lights that they do not work?

Dan
S/V Tao
Catalina 36
Click to expand
With incandescent fixtures it is most likely a polarity issues..

You will need to remove the ballast if installing LED "tubes" into fluorescent fixtures....
 
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