LEDs / Halogen Lights

[JusDreaming]

Thermal
I am interested in how you used these. Did you build housings?

[Thermal]

JusDreaming - Yes, on my boat I made "fixtures" out of some scrap teak just to improve the looks. The lights in the link are housed in a plastic tube and has an adhesive tab at each end and could be stuck up as is. There is also a piece of adhesive velcro included to hold the inverter, and comes with a small switch too. I also cannibalized a cheap $10 desklamp from Home Depot for the bendable goosneck thing for a reading light. The CCFLs use about 1/3 amp per tube. I have also used these lights in my house, which has a 12v solar system in addition to the 120 wiring. There I mostly used a router to make a 1/2' wide groove to recess the lights into beams or mouldings.

[MoonlightSailor]

I Called Alpenglow lights and placed an order last week. It might have been a sales tactic but he said he was going to have to raise his prices this fall due to an increase in materials cost. I ordered 10 lights from them and I'll post a review here for all you.

Matt

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by beau

I am at the wiring stage for interior lights, in my 39ft power trimaran.
Led's are more reliable? and don't give off heat, and use less power but are they really "bright" enough, for say, a reading light.
Halogen, I know are brighter but I don't like the heat they generate

Can I have some advise please.

YES!!! The new Sensibulb, that just began shipping last week, is nearly 40% brighter than the ones I tested back in December 2008. LED BULB REVIEW (LINK) When I plugged them in I was STUNNED!!

According to Nick, one of the owners of Sensibulb/SCAD, they have had four output upgrades since I ordered my last bulbs in 2008. This most recent change is a major change from the two emitter design to a single emitter design.

While many other LED's have remained unchanged in technology, output and color temp and dropped the price accordingly, as their technology became like a dinosaur saddle, the Sensibulb price has remained the same but the technology is and has always been totally cutting edge and the "latest and greatest".

I honestly did not think it could get much better than the ones I have been using but it has. I bought one of the first Sensibulbs to ever hit the market at the first boat show they displayed at. That bulb is still going strong and has LOTS of use on it.

The new ones are about equal or better than a 20W halogen and the color is very warm and pleasing. While not cheap they are about the best you can buy and also have no radio interference something that plagues other LED bulbs. With LED's I have found that you do get what you pay for. I own three different generations of the Sensibulb, as well as many other LED bulbs, and the Sensibulb is just an AMAZING product. Yes, you may pay more but you actually get more.

I have no vested interest in the Sensibulb company but am willing to pay the premium as I have found no equal or substitute at any price.

The new one has only one teeny tiny LED emitter as opposed to two of the last model but is still the brightest LED interior bulb I have seen. I have seen 10 emitter bulbs not even half as bright as this new Sensibulb...

June 2010 Sensibulb (even Sensibulb does not have a photo of the new ones):



2008 Sensibulb:

[impi]

My Lagoon 440 came out with Halogen bulbes and they chewed up current. So, I got speaking to Kent at Just Catamarans in Fort Lauderdale and got the solution. The halogen bulbs are the 'two pin' type and he sourced 'two pin type' Led's in their place. I slid out the Halogen bulbs and slipped in the new Led's - FANTASTIC LIGHTING (go for the 'warm' Led not 'cold' - cold white gives sharp blue colour where the warm type is EXACTLY like the halogens). I am NO expert at this but I am REALLY pleased with the result. The ones I put in are G4-6M 12V Warm white Led's. They even fade with my regular fader switch. The halogen bulbs I threw out were G4 12V 5W bulbs.
Hope this helps

Impi

[impi]

...... AND THEY ARE DIRT CHEAP !

[bobsadler]

I recently converted my CABIN reading lights to LED using the OEM conversion kit. The result is great - a much better light - and sometimes, with only one on, the power drain doesn't even register on the LINK10 battery monitor