[C320-list] led bulbs again

jim brown jbrown5093 at yahoo.com
Wed Jan 15 14:14:45 PST 2014


Thanks Warren. The MarineBeam website is by far the most complete on that I've seen so far. Clear descriptions of the replacements with full specs on every bulb. They also have a primer on LED bulbs that is very informative. I ordered a couple of their G4 replacements. Thanks again for the tip. 

Jim Brown
--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 1/14/14, Warren Updike <wupdike at hotmail.com> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [C320-list] led bulbs again
 To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
 Date: Tuesday, January 14, 2014, 10:52 PM
 
 Hey, Capts, in 2011 I
 wrote an article for the Mainsheet on replacing
 incandescent bulbs with LED (don't know if
 it was ever published.) On our
 #62, they
 were the festoon type. I got LED replacements at
 MarineBeam.com,
 and they have been great. (I
 have no personal interest in the company or
 their products.) Be aware of the difference
 between LED lights for home and
 those for
 use on 12V systems like boats and RVs. Here is what I wrote
 then:
 
 "One main
 distinction between marine and non-marine environments is
 the
 voltage range. Typically, we see
 voltages between 12 and nearly 15 volts
 when
 charging. That means that the current can vary to the point
 that LED
 life is significantly impaired.
 Constant-Current Control circuits in marine
 LEDs insure that currents remain at levels that
 produce a constant
 brightness and protect
 the LEDs from premature death."
 
 MarineBeam has a constant current circuit. I
 can't say if this is sales hype
 or for
 real; but, it made sense to me. We have been very happy with
 them and
 the benefit in the battery
 department is noticeable.
 
 Warren & Pattie Updike
 1994
 C320 #62 "Warr De Mar"
 
 -----Original Message-----
 From: jim brown [mailto:jbrown5093 at yahoo.com]
 
 Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2014 10:31 AM
 To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
 Subject: Re: [C320-list] led bulbs again
 
 Thanks for all the good
 advice. I think the best approach is to try a couple
 of different types before shelling out for a
 complete replacement. The task
 is not made
 any easier by the information supplied by the manufacturers
 or
 sellers. Some rate in watts, some in
 equivalent watts, some in lumens, some
 in
 descriptive colors some by Kelvin temperature, etc. Very
 confusing to say
 the least. Some give almost
 no information except the price. I'll let you
 know if I find a comparison table anywhere out
 there. 
 
 Jim Brown
 
 --------------------------------------------
 On Mon, 1/13/14, DAVE Swanson <kswanson123 at comcast.net>
 wrote:
 
  Subject: Re:
 [C320-list] led bulbs again
  To:
 "C320IA List Server" <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
  Date: Monday, January 13, 2014, 11:30 PM
  
  Jeff,
  
  Here are the LED light strips that I
 purchased  from an eBay seller.  I
 bought
 two rolls of these in 2012  for about $35/roll.  The cost
 looks like
 it is now about  #$20/roll. 
 See the eBay link below:
  
 
 
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/5M-Non-Waterproof-5050-SMD-Warm-White-300-LED-Strip-
 /310278351343?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item483e07e9ef
  
  I also posted a couple of
  photos that I took of my lighting project. 
 See the link  below for my
 directory to our
 C320IA website:
  
  http://www.catalina320.com/mediagallery/album.php?aid=280&page=1
  
  I will take some close up
  photos of my lights and switches this weekend
 when I get  down to the
 boat.  
  
  I
  should
 have those posted by the end of the weekend after the 
 Seattle
 Seahawks put a BEAT DOWN on the SF
 49ers in the NFC  Championship Game this
 Sunday.
  
 
 Dave
  
  David
  Swanson
  S/V Emily Ann
  2007
  C320 MK II, No. 1107
  Mukilteo, WA 
  
  
  On Jan 13, 2014, at 9:04
  AM, Jeffrey Brown <oceanblues at mac.com>
  wrote:
  
  >
 Dave
  > Thanks for the detailed report. 
 I looked  at the Sensibulb website and
 based on my recollection of my  boat, I do not
 have halogens bulbs, not sure
 what the 
 specific term is but I think boats of my era are 
 different.  I am
 indeed wanting to switch
 all my  fixtures/bulbs to LED but I think it will
 require a new  fixture as well.  Any
 ideas?
  >
  > However,
 most interesting is the indirect  LED strip lights mounted
 under
 the head liner.  Can you  provide a
 better description or ebay seller so I
 can
 look  for these?
  >
 
 > Thanks
  again for your help.
  >
  > Jeff Brown
  > "Out
  of the
 blue" Dana Point, CA
  > Hull
  78
  > (949) 350-5123
  >
  oceanblues at mac.com
  >
  >
 
 >
  >
  > On Jan 12,
 2014, at 7:20 PM, DAVE Swanson  <kswanson123 at comcast.net>
  wrote:
  >
 
 >> Jim
  and Babs,
 
 >>
  >>
  I have
 replaced almost all of my Halogen light bulbs with  LEDs. 
 I have
 different types in different
 locations.  I  read that due to the changing
 technology and reductions in  prices due to
 wider availability that it is a
 good
 approach  to replace the original halogen bulbs in a
 staggered
 fashion.  That is what I have
 done over the last several  years.  I started
 with replacing my anchor light with an  LED
 and then purchased a couple of
 Sensibulbs
 for the main  cabin.  Then added other inexpensive LED
 bulbs as I
 have  come across good deals. 
 the following is a lost of what I  have done
 so far on my C320 MK II:
 
 >>
  
  >> 1.  In
 my directional reading
  lamps in the main
 cabin, I have a pair os Sensibulbs.  I  like these the
 best. 
  >>
  >> 2.  In my main cabin overhead, I
 have  flat 12V 9 mini LED bulbs that
 are a
 flat G4 replacement  that I bought inexpensively at
 Lowes.  I also put
 these in  the surface
 fixture lights along the port and starboard side  of
 the main cabin.
  >>
  >> 3.  In my surface mount light
 under
  the dish "cloud" in the
 galley I have a nine LED  round disc.  This light
 was one of the first ones I  purchased at a
 marine store.  Not very bright
 though as
 a  task light.
  >>
 
 >> 4.  In my aft cabin reading lamps, I  purchased
 front facing disk LEDs
 with a pair of stiff
 plug  wires out the back that plug into where the
 halogen G4 bulb  would plug in.  they were
 inexpensive, say around
 $12/each.  However,
 i like the Sensibulbs much more.  >>  >> 5. 
 I still
 have halogen G4's in my forward
 cabin as this space  doesn't get as much use
 as the main and aft cabins.  Since I now have
 lots of extra halogen G4s, I
 probably will 
 not replace these anytime soon.
  >>
  >> 6.  I replaced my anchor light
 with
  an AquaSignal LED bulb.  Make sure
 the bulb is put in the  correct
 direction
 as it will only work one way.  It uses  only 1/10 of what
 the
 incandescent bulb used.  A great 
 purchase for reliability and reduce
 amp-hours when anchoring  out.
  >>
  >> 7.
  Perhaps the best upgrade that I did was to
 install  adhesive-backed 12V LED
 strip
 lighting along the upper part  of the wood paneling above
 the edge of
 the head liner along  the port
 and starboard sides of the main cabin.  I
 installed a small toggle switch along the back
 of the  surface mount lights
 (similar in
 size and type to the toggle  that is on the surface
 mount
 lights) to switch the LED strip 
 lighting on and off.  These lights provide
 a beautiful  indirect warm light along the
 wood paneled sides of the main
 cabin. 
 Great for TV watching and when we are playing cards  and
 games.  We
 use these lights + the
 directional reading  lamps the most in the main
 cabin.  I purchased the LED  strip lighting
 from reputable eBay lighting
 dealer.  I
 was  so impressed with it that I bought an extra roll of
 warm
 white strip LEDs.  I am going to
 install some more of this  strip lighting
 as hidden under counter lighting in the 
 Galley as well as some hidden light
 for the
 cockpit lockers  and even in the trunk of my Honda
 Accord.  I am
 going to  wire another
 switch into the galley fluorescent fixture to  power
 the LED strip and to turn it on and off. 
 there is  room in this fixture for
 this
 small toggle switch.  I will  try to post a picture or two
 of this main
 cabin indirect LED  Strip
 lighting in our C320IA website under my Owner's
 Photo Library.  I have a bunch of other
 upgrades photos  there are well such
 as
 Snap Davits, Diesel Heater  Installation, Starter battery
 Install,
 LinkPro installation,  etc.
  >>
  >> Our
  power usage when anchored is much lower now
 due to these LED  lamp
 upgrades.  I would
 encourage you to start with just a  couple of bulbs in
 your most used fixtures and just go from 
 there a little at a time.  For me,
 I
 started with a pair of  Sensibulbs and have added other
 less expensive
 types of LED  bulbs along
 the way.  >>  >> Good luck with your effort,
 you
 will  be happy with the results.
  >>
  >> Dave
  >>
  >> David
  Swanson
  >> S/V Emily
 Ann
  >> 2007 C320 MK II, No. 1107
  >> Mukilteo, WA
 
 >>
  
  >>
  >> On Jan
  12, 2014, at
 4:14 PM, Stephen Cox <scox at timmin.com>
  wrote:
  >>
  >>> -----Original Message-----
  >>> From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
  >>> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com]
  On Behalf Of jim brown
 
 >>> Sent:
  Monday, January 13, 2014
 9:22 AM
  >>> To: c320-list at catalina320.com
  >>> Subject: [C320-list] led bulbs
  again
  >>>
  >>> Looking to change out the
 halogens
  to LEDs. I know this has been
 addressed  >>> in the past but it looks like
 the  technology is moving fast. I have
 looked  >>> at the Sensibulb 2 units
 and the  new Sensibulb direct size replacement
 for  >>> the G4 10 watt, the
 Dr
 LED discs,  bulbs and now the tower G4 replacements, 
 >>> and those from
 Catalina
 Direct  (disc). The Catalina Direct is the least 
 >>> expensive the
 Sensibulbs the
 most  expensive. Anyone have any new insight  >>>
 into what
 to consider (I want warm  white
 light). Thanks  >>>  >>> Jim and Babs
 Brown
 >>> Desafinado 
 >>>  >>> 
 ======================================
 
 >>>
  >>> My
  message from June still stands.  Ultimately
 its not the  price but the  >>>
 amount of light  produced that's relevant
 to LED lights.  You can waste  a
 lot 
 >>> of money buying lights  that aren't up to
 the mark.
  >>>
  
  >>>     Don't know if you
  have replaced your cabin light globes with
 LED  >>> ones yet.  I have tried
 a few  different ones in an effort to get a
 decent  >>> strong light for
 over
 the cabin  table with reduced power consumption.
  >>> Earlier this year I found a
 really
  good one which I can recommend. 
 See
  >>>
 http://marineledshop.com/g4-bi-pin-led-replacement-bulbs/g4-15-led-bulb-back
  >>>
 
 pin-2-3-watt-warm-white?path=37_39  which are $16 each
 post  free.  I
 bought  >>> a
 couple to  try out and they are cheaper and brighter than
 the
 ones that  I  >>> was using -
 I feel that my  quest is now over.
 
 >>>
  >>> Stephen Cox
  >>> Tegwen #1141
 
 >>>
  >>
  >
 
  
 
 



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