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05-02-2012, 20:01
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#46
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Caribbean live aboard
Boat: Camper & Nicholson58 Ketch - ROXY Traverse City, Michigan No.668283
Posts: 6,356
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Re: Best LED bulbs for the buck
If the bulb replacements are noted with a narrow voltage band they are probably not PWM. If they say 12 - 14 this is almost a sure thing. The replacements designed with PWM will often have a range of 9 to 30. My LED deck floods are rated to 90 VDC and also work off my 12 volt truck battery. The seller told me they even operated them directly on 110 60 cycle and the PWM regulated the current but they didn't recommend it.
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06-02-2012, 03:56
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#48
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2010
Boat: 2001 Beneteau 411
Posts: 319
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Re: Best LED bulbs for the buck
As an update and thanks to Jon Hacking, I have been in email contact with Bill Deng of Lighting Matrix as recommended by Jon Hacking in post #85 at: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...g-74352-6.html
Bill has agreed to supply a 6 LED g4 bulb at a cost of $1.75 each. It will include PWM regulation with a color temperature of 3000 K. I am waiting for two quotes based on quantity of one (ie, sample) and twenty along with cost of shipping and delivery time. Wish me luck
Pete
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06-02-2012, 06:12
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#49
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Currently cruising the Philippines, just got back from PNG & Solomons
Boat: Wauquiez 45' (now 48') catamaran
Posts: 1,088
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Re: Best LED bulbs for the buck
We have used Helen at Bo Ya (Lighting Green) but didn't find her very helpful. Because of her, our order was delayed at least a month. After our order she said that Bo Ya was no longer going to add IC current limiting to their LEDs without a minimum order of 500 units. The sole exception was for G4 replacements.
Since Bill Deng & Lighting Matrix sells their G4 replacements for the same price (~$4 for 12-segment 5050), & ALL of their LEDs have IC current limiting, we've switched over to them. They seem much more committed to quality & Bill is very helpful & easy to work with.
BTW, we've found that a 5050 LED segment produces ~12 lumens of light. I think that a 10W halogen produces ~100 lumens. The 10 & 12 segment 5050 LED replacements both produce noticeably more light than our 10W halogens, even in Warm White (Cool White produces ~10% more light, but isn't as nice to sit under, IMO). The Warm White is slightly (but noticeably, when placed side by side) warmer than our 10W halogens as well, but your eye compensates & you don't notice. It's a very pleasant light to sit or read under.
I think that most of these LEDs are actually Blue, but with a phosphor coating that absorbs the blue & re-radiates the light at a different color, much as a Fluorescent re-radiates the ultraviolet produced inside into visible light. Seems inefficient, but apparently that's how they work. The phosphor coating is all that's different for the differently colored white LEDs.
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06-02-2012, 08:43
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#50
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2010
Boat: 2001 Beneteau 411
Posts: 319
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Re: Best LED bulbs for the buck
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Hacking
We have used Helen at Bo Ya (Lighting Green) but didn't find her very helpful. Because of her, our order was delayed at least a month. After our order she said that Bo Ya was no longer going to add IC current limiting to their LEDs without a minimum order of 500 units. The sole exception was for G4 replacements.
Since Bill Deng & Lighting Matrix sells their G4 replacements for the same price (~$4 for 12-segment 5050), & ALL of their LEDs have IC current limiting, we've switched over to them. They seem much more committed to quality & Bill is very helpful & easy to work with.
BTW, we've found that a 5050 LED segment produces ~12 lumens of light. I think that a 10W halogen produces ~100 lumens. The 10 & 12 segment 5050 LED replacements both produce noticeably more light than our 10W halogens, even in Warm White (Cool White produces ~10% more light, but isn't as nice to sit under, IMO). The Warm White is slightly (but noticeably, when placed side by side) warmer than our 10W halogens as well, but your eye compensates & you don't notice. It's a very pleasant light to sit or read under.
I think that most of these LEDs are actually Blue, but with a phosphor coating that absorbs the blue & re-radiates the light at a different color, much as a Fluorescent re-radiates the ultraviolet produced inside into visible light. Seems inefficient, but apparently that's how they work. The phosphor coating is all that's different for the differently colored white LEDs.
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Thanks; very helpful. Bill has made his final quote with full specs. Cost is $1.75 each for a 6 SMD5050 LED bulb drawing 1.3 watts, warm white, 120 degree angle, 55-80 lumens, voltage 8-30 and diameter 25 mm. It will use the T6322A PWM chip. This should be a good replacement for our 5 watt halogens. I've asked him for the latest delivery date since we plan to depart March 1st.
Pete
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06-02-2012, 08:56
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#51
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2010
Boat: 2001 Beneteau 411
Posts: 319
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Re: Best LED bulbs for the buck
We just tested the Array bulb purchased at Lowes. It seems brighter and a bit more white (as opposed to yellow) when compared to our 5 watt halogens. It seems quite acceptable. It draws 1 watt as measured by our Victron BMV-600 battery monitor. We just got a response from the US distributor; it uses linear regulation as opposed to resistive or PWM. At $8.98 each we will consider these if the Chinese ones don't work out. The big advantage is they are available locally and easy to return if desired.
Pete
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06-02-2012, 14:13
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#52
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Maine
Boat: CS-36T - Cupecoy
Posts: 3,197
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Re: Best LED bulbs for the buck
Quote:
Originally Posted by prroots
We just tested the Array bulb purchased at Lowes. It seems brighter and a bit more white (as opposed to yellow) when compared to our 5 watt halogens. It seems quite acceptable. It draws 1 watt as measured by our Victron BMV-600 battery monitor. We just got a response from the US distributor; it uses linear regulation as opposed to resistive or PWM. At $8.98 each we will consider these if the Chinese ones don't work out. The big advantage is they are available locally and easy to return if desired.
Pete
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That was one of the bulbs I tested, and for the price, I found it to be a decent product, though who knows how long it will last.. It is a long way from a Sensibulb but also less than 1/4 the price..
I find it takes two of those to come close to the light output of a single Sensibulb so really $18.00 vs. $36.00 but still, half price. The Sensibulb also has a much wider beam that spreads better and is less "spot" focused..
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06-02-2012, 15:00
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#53
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Presently on US East Coast
Boat: Manta 40 "Reach"
Posts: 10,108
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Re: Best LED bulbs for the buck
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maine Sail
That was one of the bulbs I tested, and for the price, I found it to be a decent product, though who knows how long it will last.. It is a long way from a Sensibulb but also less than 1/4 the price..
I find it takes two of those to come close to the light output of a single Sensibulb so really $18.00 vs. $36.00 but still, half price. The Sensibulb also has a much wider beam that spreads better and is less "spot" focused..
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That is exactly our experience. But in our case, we did not want the brightness of the sensibulb.
Interestingly, in our fixtures, we find the Array bulb has a wider beam than the Sensibulb. I think it is because our fixture lens is shallow and the Sensibulb sat right against it and did not allow the lens to diffuse the light.
The Sensibulbs got very hot, but the Arrays have no noticeable heat output at all.
The Sensibulbs put out a slightly warmer (yellower) light, but the Array is close and not hard white or blue at all.
If one was looking for the most light output and warmest light, the Sensibulbs are good, but they are expensive, difficult to fit in a lot of fixtures, look "industrial" and they get very hot. But they are very good lights.
If one is looking to replace a 5-10W bulb in a small, shallow fixture, the Array bulbs are good, 1/4 of the price, have the esthetic appearance of a halogen G4 and do not produce heat, but they are not as bright. But you can just pick them up in Lowes and Home Depot
Mark
__________________
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You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.
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06-02-2012, 18:12
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#54
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2010
Boat: 2001 Beneteau 411
Posts: 319
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Re: Best LED bulbs for the buck
I'm also interested in an anchor light bulb. This bulb has the correct base: Aqua Signal Series 25 - 44mm Festoon LED lights
but seems pricey. Any suggestions?
Pete
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06-02-2012, 18:36
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#55
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2007
Boat: Mahe 36, Helia 44 Evo, MY 37
Posts: 5,731
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Re: Best LED bulbs for the buck
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06-02-2012, 21:12
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#56
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Currently cruising the Philippines, just got back from PNG & Solomons
Boat: Wauquiez 45' (now 48') catamaran
Posts: 1,088
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Re: Best LED bulbs for the buck
Quote:
Originally Posted by prroots
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We use this for our anchor light. You can delete the top LEDs, giving you 40(!) 5050 segments, putting out almost 500 lumens. We usually have the brightest anchor light in the anchorage. They will happily put it on the BA15 base that Aqua Signal uses (2 pins opposite, but offset). ~$12 + shipping in singles.
That bulb is also bright enough to use in your tri-color fitting, but the fact that it's not a vertical filament means that for a small angle straight ahead, you see light that's coming through both the red & green segments, which your eye normally perceives as yellow (except that we used a cool-white bulb, so it looks white). This means that for a small angle directly ahead of you, it looks like you're going away!
If anyone has a solution here, we'd love to hear it. We've seen the single, vertically mounted 1W LED shining into a conical mirror (for $80, thank you very much!) but IMO they don't put out enough light.
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07-02-2012, 02:16
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#57
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2010
Boat: 2001 Beneteau 411
Posts: 319
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Re: Best LED bulbs for the buck
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Hacking
We use this for our anchor light. You can delete the top LEDs, giving you 40(!) 5050 segments, putting out almost 500 lumens. We usually have the brightest anchor light in the anchorage. They will happily put it on the BA15 base that Aqua Signal uses (2 pins opposite, but offset). ~$12 + shipping in singles.
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Thanks. Bill has just quoted a Item:LM-MFL0301,
30 SMD3528 AC/DC8-30V ROUND, D22 x H44mm
as shown in the attachment below. We need the festoon style with dimpled ends as shown in right-hand view.
Pete
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07-02-2012, 03:45
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#58
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2010
Boat: 2001 Beneteau 411
Posts: 319
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Re: Best LED bulbs for the buck
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Hacking
We use this for our anchor light. You can delete the top LEDs, giving you 40(!) 5050 segments, putting out almost 500 lumens. We usually have the brightest anchor light in the anchorage. They will happily put it on the BA15 base that Aqua Signal uses (2 pins opposite, but offset). ~$12 + shipping in singles.
That bulb is also bright enough to use
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Thanks. Have you noted any RFI from the PWM regulation for either the g4 or anchor bulbs?
Pete
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07-02-2012, 04:25
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#59
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Currently cruising the Philippines, just got back from PNG & Solomons
Boat: Wauquiez 45' (now 48') catamaran
Posts: 1,088
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Re: Best LED bulbs for the buck
We turn off one string of 3 G4 replacements in the salon when using the SSB. Unfortunately, they came from a variety of sources. And now our entire boat is stripped to her bones for a major overhaul, so I can't isolate the offender...
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07-02-2012, 05:26
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#60
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2010
Boat: 2001 Beneteau 411
Posts: 319
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Re: Best LED bulbs for the buck
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Hacking
We turn off one string of 3 G4 replacements in the salon when using the SSB. Unfortunately, they came from a variety of sources. And now our entire boat is stripped to her bones for a major overhaul, so I can't isolate the offender...
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Thanks. We did order 15 g4 bulbs plus 1 festoon style anchor light bulb from Bill. He has been very helpful and extremely fast with his responses. Maybe I should hang onto my 1 Array g4 bulb since it uses linear regulation and is unlikely to cause RFI.
Pete
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