Rather than Continuing to Buy 'Bulbs' ...

[senormechanico]

We bought some LED strips from these guys. Great company, good quality product.
No affiliation, just a happy camper.

LEDs - underbody kits, cathodes, flexible LED strips, dome lights

For our house's kitchen under counter lights, we bought the tri chip strips.

Tri-Chip LED Tube - Amazingly bright & economical - LED Home Lighting

For the boat, we bought a couple of these for under counter use.

Waterproof SMD Bar

Both were warm white, although the smd bar was slightly yellower than the tri chip.

Steve B.

PS If anyone is interested, the $128 price for those I2 Touch lights came from Fisheries Supply in Seattle.

[James S]

Good links...thanks Steve

I'm making all new headliners (segmented plywood panels covered in vinyl/foam) and am wondering about using those Tri-Chip tubes between the panels....I wonder how effective that lighting would be on the ceiling for area lighting?

PS
The prices I got for the I2 Touch Lights were from a different source.

[Richard Harper]

When my boat was struck by lightning (The Ligthning Strike) four of the 6 florescent fixtures were destroyed. I replaced the guts with LED light strips which took a couple hours for each light. They put out just as much light at slightly less current and can be dimmed by switching out some of the light strips.

[hellosailor]

Mark-
Are your LEDs made in China? As a hairy barbarian, I had to ask.

Seriously though, I'd seen a number of white LED home nightlights, imported by Leviton from China, dim very significantly in less than a year of use. You'll see some quality suppliers rating their LEDs for 50,000 hours or longer, and they'll tell you just how much less output you'll get at that point, but the generic stuff from China seems to lose 50% within a year. Which is entirely logical--you make cheaper white LEDs among other things by using cheaper phosphor mixes in them and not licensing the top-quality technologies. (A white LED can be made several ways, one common one is to use a UV LED with a "white" phosphor in it, emitting the white glow.)

IIRC Michael at Bebi is using the top-quality LEDs.

Then there's the voltage supply. If the LEDs are on "ships power" and subject to spikes from the alternator and starter--they will take damage. If they are simply running off resistors, rather than regulators, they'll also age faster. Ever see a truck or bus with the "dozen LEDs" type tail lights, always with several burned out? That's cheap LEDs without much regulation, and for that use it is cheap but effective, enough of them survive to keep the truck legal until the next round of depot maintenance. On a boat...one might choose otherwise. (G)

[osirissail]

Seniormechanico - I loved the link to the Waterproof SMD Bar - it shows the lights being used as the underbody lights on cars (they used to use neon lights underneath to shine on the roadway as they paraded up and down the boulevard) - Can we use lights under our boat hulls shining down into the ocean so we look cool like the superyachts do with their underwater lights?

[senormechanico]

I don't know how they'd hold up with salt. Maybe you could get a testamonial from someone who used them on his car in a Chicago winter???

There are lots of links for underwater boat lights, just do a search.

Steve B.

[Roy M]

Here is something to consider: Taylorbrite(R)

[forsailbyowner]

While browsing electronics I spied a 12v regulator "chip" that had constant 12v , 1 amp output in specs. Was wondering how or if these would work to keep a constant voltage versus 12.5 - 14.2 range that the house bank sees. I bought a hundred pack of 15000 mcd 10mm leds and am working on fixtures. So far my best one has been a teak 1x strip with 2 grooves cut on one side. In one groove I run 2 wire 18 guage. Off of that I solder in a 330 ohm resistor from 12v+ then three leds in series then back into the 12v-. I've done a couple with the LEDs recessed into the wood. The one I'm working on I'm drilling two small holes for the LED leads and surface mounting them. One thing I ran across that has been handy is a putty made by superglue. I tested with multimeter and it showed no conductance. Is sold for temporarily attaching things to walls etc. 1$ at dollar tree.

[James S]

Have you got any pictures of what you've come up with?
How hot will that superglue putty get?

[forsailbyowner]

Wish I could post pics, am limited to blackberry and haven't figured out how. I held a match sized piece of the putty in lighter flame just now. After 10 -12 seconds directly in flame it started burning. I also held some insulation from ancor boat wire over flame and it started burning after 3-5 seconds. The putty got more pliable when hot but didn't melt or drip.

[James S]

Cool...

[hellosailor]

The chips are probably 7812 or 7912 series. Either will do well, but they are not ''low loss" types so they will eat some extra power. They also need a certain amount of overhead, i.e. they ay eat 1+ volt at all times, resulting in an output of only 11.6 volts when your alternator is off.

Look up thespecific part number online and you'll turn up a data sheet for them, with specifics on this.

[Extemporaneous]

In case you haven't seen this.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...son-21839.html

Extemp.

[Extemporaneous]

A bit off topic I know, but while all of the tentacles are out investigating lights and particularly led's, if anyone comes across what they think would be a good yellow led cockpit light (fixture and/or bulb), could they please let me know.

Thanks,
Extemp.

Also see http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...pit-28519.html

[James S]

Have you tried the "Sensibulb" as mentioned in the link to your post #58?
They look like they have a spot of yellow paint on the LED....when I tested them they look like soft incandescent light….yellow-ish…but not really yellow like shooting glasses.
They are expensive.