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Cheechako · 09-12-2012, 10:25

Then again... how often do you use your spreader lights and for how long...? for me I would say 5 minutes every month or so...... so I guess they would last about 1000 years for me!

mikereed100 · 09-12-2012, 10:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Mike, the 10,000 hour rating tells you they are overdriving the LEDs. LEDs are typically rated for 50,000 hours before they degrade to 50% output, with 100k hours total life.

Might be good enough for gummint work, but this is not a prime quality part if they're consuming the LEDs that quickly. Good enough for many things, but caveat emptor.

True enough, but 10,000 hours is not only good enough for the gummint, but good enough for me.

I rarely use my spreader lights and at $20 a pop, if they last for 100 hours before they degrade too much I'll be content. An equivalent higher quality light like this:
Scandvik LED Spreader Light
is quite a bit more expensive, although they may be worth it when you consider the aggravation factor of replacement.

hellosailor · 09-12-2012, 11:57

Assuming that's the only shortcut they are taking, sure.

But if that's not the only corner they cut, and you've got to go aloft and work on the spreader lights "again"...

I just like to do things once, and not go back to do them again.

S/V Alchemy · 09-12-2012, 12:16

Good idea. I'll try it, I think.

DeepFrz · 10-12-2012, 10:27

Did anyone else read the review on the units of the Amazon link?

The eBay one just says 12v but the new listing says 100,000 hrs expected life.

captboat · 10-12-2012, 10:31

I have the same thing...work great...have had ~6 months...use them once a week for Saturday party loadup

hellosailor · 10-12-2012, 10:42

"the new listing says 100,000 hrs expected life. "
See, this is why fourth grade teachers take away points when you don't spell correctly or pay attention to what you write. And why "tell Susie to post this on Amazon" sometimes isn't the most profitable way to do business, even when it is the cheapest.

Or as the surgeons say, "OOopsie."

Paul L · 10-12-2012, 12:33

Is there any RF noise with these lights? I have RF noise issues with cheap led lights and some expensive ones.

GaryMayo · 10-12-2012, 12:48

You can check them out at the local wal mart in the boating section. (If that tells you anything)

evm1024 · 10-12-2012, 13:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Assuming that's the only shortcut they are taking, sure.

But if that's not the only corner they cut, and you've got to go aloft and work on the spreader lights "again"...

I just like to do things once, and not go back to do them again.

Not to hyjack the thread....

There are some things that I love to do more than once - That is why I have more than one kid.

Regards

Cruiser2B · 10-12-2012, 14:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Assuming that's the only shortcut they are taking, sure.

But if that's not the only corner they cut, and you've got to go aloft and work on the spreader lights "again"...

I just like to do things once, and not go back to do them again.

What corners do you think were cut???? Someone finds a product that might just save money and be useful and all of a sudden they cut corners.....Hmmmmm. Why is that? I used these lights quite a bit this summer, They were on for 1h30min last week when I came in after dark.
BTW .25a X 12v is 3 watts/ea.....not that much heat guys....sorry

I purchased all of my rigging from Riggining only

replaced wire
replaced swages with sta-locs top and bottom
replaced turnbuckles and clevis pins
replaced all tangs and hardware on mast with 316 stainless 1/4' instead of 3/16
replaced chainplates
replaced all chainplate below decks with 7/16' 304 hardware instead on 1/4 for chainplates
reinforced spreaders with a welded in pass through sleeve instead of the tube itself and through bolted mounting bases instead of rivets.
reinforced knees and bulkheads where chainplates attach
fabricated backinplates for all chainplates
replaced all blocks at top of mast with larger bearing series blocks, replaced and reinforced mast step.

I am sure I cut a corner somewhere other than the spreader lights.....just where?

hellosailor · 10-12-2012, 14:35

Cruiser, when I say "they" may have cut corners, it should be fairly obvious that I'm talking about whoever made the spreader lights--not you. You ain't a "they", try going back and reading my post again before you get all upset over misreading it.

Subsequent posts--you did read the subsequent posts, didn't you?--make it very likely that the lighting company made a typo and posted "10,000" hours when they meant "100,000" hours, and that would change things considerably.

Doesn't mean they didn't cut corners, because you still can't BUY a dozen white prime LEDs for $20 wholesale, much less sell them retail for $20. Prime LEDs, high brightness, color matched bin groups, are still something like $6-10 EACH unless you're buying tens of thousands of them. Odds are you don't care what color your spreader lights are as long as it is "whitish" and you'll also never suspect that white LEDs can vary 10x in brightness depending on bin selection, for the "same" LEDs from the same assmebly line, same batch of production.

That's the kind of corners that cheap lighting companies have to cut, and that's often acceptable. Of course, some folks think MacDonalds serves hamburgers. No, that's boxed beef, not a real hamburger. Popular? Sure. Good enough? For many. And still a cheap (well, not so cheap anymore) copy of the real thing.

Cruiser2B · 10-12-2012, 14:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Cruiser, when I say "they" may have cut corners, it should be fairly obvious that I'm talking about whoever made the spreader lights--not you. You ain't a "they", try going back and reading my post again before you get all upset over misreading it.

Subsequent posts--you did read the subsequent posts, didn't you?--make it very likely that the lighting company made a typo and posted "10,000" hours when they meant "100,000" hours, and that would change things considerably.

Doesn't mean they didn't cut corners, because you still can't BUY a dozen white prime LEDs for $20 wholesale, much less sell them retail for $20. Prime LEDs, high brightness, color matched bin groups, are still something like $6-10 EACH unless you're buying tens of thousands of them. Odds are you don't care what color your spreader lights are as long as it is "whitish" and you'll also never suspect that white LEDs can vary 10x in brightness depending on bin selection, for the "same" LEDs from the same assmebly line, same batch of production.

That's the kind of corners that cheap lighting companies have to cut, and that's often acceptable. Of course, some folks think MacDonalds serves hamburgers. No, that's boxed beef, not a real hamburger. Popular? Sure. Good enough? For many. And still a cheap (well, not so cheap anymore) copy of the real thing.

sorry for being so sensative, i just washed the sand from my privates

. I decide to give them a try after a friend of mine mounted them to his jet ski trailer and used them to mark his trailer when loading at night. On more than one occation they were left on....the whole way home....

I figure if i replace them every 5 years...so be it. I was running low on boat bucks when I had the mast down and needed to replace the old 55w units.

Sorry again!

Kettlewell · 10-12-2012, 15:34

Nice find, but I use my spreader lights so infrequently that regular old cheapo incandescent bulb ones are just fine. For that matter, I just have a single midmast light that shines down on the foredeck and I can't remember the last time it was on except to test it when I launch in the spring. I like to keep my night vision at night. They could potentially be useful to light up your boat and sails offshore to alert someone of your location--I did this once with a cruise ship who seemed to be intent on running me down.