LED lighting.

[PassePort III]

Hi fellows cruisers.
For my next project I want to swith to led all my nav lights and most of my cabin lights. There is a lot of these on the market and I wonder if the constant current types are worthing the extra bucks?
Probably need to buy a dc-dc converter to keep them for a long time, again extra bucks.
I know it`s been done before.
Can you tell me what type have you use?

Thanks for your infos.

Bob

On the ground for the next two months.

[Paul L]

We use Marinebeam Replacement LED bulbs for your existing boat fixtures, working well so far. Search CF for LED for lots of discussion.

[ReMetau]

We have tried many over the years, and we have found that this guy has the best dome lights. They are expensive, but well worth it. The light they put off is brighter and the same incandescent light color as our original incandescent bulbs. We replaced all of our cabin lights including the halogen replacement bulbs in those fixtures.

Innovative LED Lighting Products

[Target9000]

Bebi makes some excellent quality LED lights, especially their anchor lights. If you do need to replace fixtures as well as bulbs, I would also suggest the interior lights.

Bebi Electronics-Home of the Finest Marine LED Lighting Products on Sea (or Earth)!

[Paul L]

If you are also replacing fixtures, the best quality over head and reading lights we've found come from Alpenglow Lights Really a nice light from tbeir reading lights.

[bobconnie]

Check on-line at camping world dot com they have whole replacement fixtures with LED, and they have the led bulbs as well! and at some great prices. just a thought, we have bought a lot of stuff from them and it has worked out well for us on boats !!

[mbianka]

Originally Posted by Target9000

Bebi makes some excellent quality LED lights, especially their anchor lights. If you do need to replace fixtures as well as bulbs, I would also suggest the interior lights.

Bebi Electronics-Home of the Finest Marine LED Lighting Products on Sea (or Earth)!

I agree. I am a big fan of BEBI LIGHTS. I really like their BEKA lights. Use it in the cockpit and also the cabin. Also makes a good backup anchor light if needed:
THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: A LIGHT PROJECT
I also use several of them at home as part of my house LED lighting system.

[MysticGringo]

Try http://www.oznium.com. I have relit my whole cabin with their super cheap (less than $3) lights. I have no real fixtures any more, and awesome light.



I have the lights going to a common switch panel, and all are on 3way toggles so I can light with red for night sailing.

[sailorchic34]

For just bulb's, superbrightleds.com offers good leds for a fair price. I noted that the bulbs on their website also appear on at least one online marine retailer, just for 70% more. I'm using them and for the most part they do well...

[belizesailor]

[QUOTE=PassePort III;1047318...wonder if the constant current types are worthing the extra bucks?...[/QUOTE]

IMHO "Yes", the CC types are worth the money. The cheap resistive types just don't last. I run 12V LED both on the boat and at home (off grid) and the better quality CC bulbs have held up quite well (zero failures for several years), but all of the resistive bulbs I've tried are now in the trash bin (last one in the house just died recently). SMD CC are the way to go -- very bright and draw almost nothing.

Read the "Idiots Guide" posted at MarineBeam -- very good summary of the technology.

Just for added insurance, I recently also installed one of their DC-DC converters at the house, very compact (a bit bigger than my thumb and fit easily inside the breaker box), easy in-line install and relatively inexpensive ($26US). Installed just down stream of the breaker.

I've also ordered a number of products from SuperBriteLEDs (see LED Lights, Bulbs & Accessories - SUPER BRIGHT LEDS). Good prices and an amazing inventory of products, but you need to know what you are buying because they stock resistive bulbs too (appropriate for applications where you can ensure both current and voltage delivered are regulated ... like an LED sign with its own power supply for example).

[DeepFrz]

Current Controlled LED lights are the only way to go on a boat. With CC devices you don't need a DC/DC convertor. Some LED assemblies also include spike suppression. I'm not so sure that is needed but it can't hurt.

Edit: added link.
http://www.bedazzled.uk.com/12v_LED_...eplacement.htm

[jannw]

Just buy the ones from Ikea ... they run directly and fine off 12 volts, and 11.4, and 15 (no matter what anyone else says ... the naysayers haven't tried them ;-), and you can get red ones also with a little thought and fiddling.

at £11 per piece (half for colour) they are fantastic

Or, you can go and spend 3times the price for a "marine bulb" sprinkled with special marine dust.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Just for added insurance, I recently also installed one of their DC-DC converters at the house, very compact (a bit bigger than my thumb and fit easily inside the breaker box), easy in-line install and relatively inexpensive ($26US). Installed just down stream of the breaker.
.

This does not added insurance if you have CC controlled. LEDs. Just another point of failure and inefficiency IMHO.

CC is a much better way to drive LEDs. The CC devices are usually rated up to about 30v+ so there is plenty of leaway for charging voltages. If the CC device fails the LED will not work despite the DC-DC converter.

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by MysticGringo

Try http://www.oznium.com. I have relit my whole cabin with their super cheap (less than $3) lights. I have no real fixtures any more, and awesome light.

I have the lights going to a common switch panel, and all are on 3way toggles so I can light with red for night sailing.

Sweet!

At 6'7" tall and a 6' cabin, I really hate it when my head encounters a light fixture. Those suckers have to go! Just hit one yesterday.

Your post gives me hope!

Love the changeable colors!

[conachair]

Also worth noting that the led strip off ebay works fine with a 9v battery, add a micro switch and you can have light inside lockers without the hassle or running wires in.