Cabin lights/ LED lights

[commanderpete]

Different choices to replace the old incandescent cabin lights. You can get halogen, flourescent or LED. Each has its pros & cons.

I decided to get LED lights. I'm embarrassed to say that I bought them 2 years ago and only hooked up one of the four so far.

I was really looking for the red/white fixtures, but couldn't find them. I'm sure there's more styles available now.

I bought them from this place

http://www.theledlight.com/led-fixtures.html

I'm putting them on teak mounting bases to dress them up a bit.

[CapnK]

C'pete -

There's a fella by the name of Jobst on the TSBB who makes some really nice red/white LED fixtures. I don't know his email or anything, but you could Search there and find it. He actually makes the fixtures himself - he could make any color combo you wanted, I bet...

Also, Boaters World has a 20-LED wall mount fixture for about $25. I bought one, and though the fixture is nice, the LED's themselves are low grade, and 20 of them draw enough current that it is a measurable drain. Something like .25 A/h.

So I started hacking...

What I wound up doing was making a new LED-bulb out of some high-output LED's that I bought at an automotive store (the kind of LED's you put on your lowrider). Those 4 LED's produce a bit more light than the 20 in the original "bulb". I have some pics, I'll link 'em up when I get them posted.

Those brass fixtures look nice.

[commanderpete]

Thanks Kurt.

I'm thinking maybe I just need one of those battery powered red/white lights.

Where can I buy one?

Shouldn't take long to install....six months...tops

[CapnK]

WalMart has (as of a few weeks ago) a small headlamp that has both red and white LED's, runs off of either AA or AAA batteries. IIRC, cost is $12-15. Look in the sporting goods section.

Nice pic.

[ebb]

http://www.theledlight.com/led-specs.html

This source (don't know if this is the right source) has every description of these diode lights - for you guys who will be making your own.

There are leds that replace incandescent bulbs in regular cabin fixtures.

Regular white leds are too stark for my taste. They are great for anchor lights. I guess the whiter white helps in identifying floaters from shore lights.
Warm whites are appearing for interior use and they also can be found in shades like sunny white, golden white. The 25w incandescent look.
Leds also come in plugin ropes that might be cool under shelves in the cabin.

Orca Marine's masthead tricolor with strobe and smart anchor light has dropped to $365. Think I'll wait till the spring boat show.

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If I decide to go with a tricolor would I also put in side and stern lights?
Having them on while motoring at night makes the boat legal. Right?

[Robert Lemasters]

Look at Commanederpete go! Thats why I bought a Commander. Great photograph, spiffy sails, American flag and all( the Commander insignia on the main sail is real class), who took the photograph?.... I seem to be going to all LEDs, I have Perco LED running lights that I bought at a yard sale still in the box they are nice and bright (damn expensive at West Marine over $100). A thought here.... I have solar charged LED garden lights...it stands to reason why not solar charged LED running lights...DAH... Perco..My copper coated garden solar LED lights cost less than $25, have been in use 3 years and still work (one rechargable aa battery) I'm sure Perco could do better but they would charge a fortune. There are so many diffferant designs of LED lights for auto, camper or truck uses, interior exterior, many colors, sizes and they are cheap.

[Bill]

If I decide to go with a tricolor would I also put in side and stern lights? Having them on while motoring at night makes the boat legal. Right?

Might look at chapter 6 in Chapman. "Power driven vessels must display (1) a masthead light, (2) sidelights and (3) a sternlight." Vessels "less than 12 meters (39.4ft) may display an all-round white light in lieu of the masthead and sternlights. On all power-driven vessels, side lights are required." "All sailboats must carry sidelights (seperate or combined) and a sternlight. Or, these lights can all be combined into a tri-color fixture carried at or near the top of the mast where it can best be seen. When a combined tri-color is used, additional navigation lights must not be displayed." "A sailboat using mechanical propulsion is legally a power-driven vessel. This is true even if the sails are hoisted. At night it should show a white masthead light."

[ebb]

Thanks Bill,
My interpretation is this (please correct me if it is wrong.)

A/Cs which are under 10 meters -
and rigged with a tri-color masthead light -
can steam around (sails up or down) in the dark of night -

with a tri-color (port, starboard, and white stern) turned on.

But, as a motorboat,
should I have the all-round 'anchor' light on as well?
I assume this light in the fixture is separate from the three color light(s)
and is above them in the same fixture. (?)

Is not the all-round masthead white light used only when anchored?

IE, it is correct for 338 to only have the normal tricolor on when under power at night.

It sounds like a green/red pulpit light
and the pushpit white stern light are used
as a complete extra system backup. Or
when the tricolor is not being used. When
motoring with these lights is the
masthead all-round white light also ON?

What is unclear is how an allround white
masthead anchor light can be used on a moving boat. (?)

[Bill]

Should I have the all-round 'anchor' light on as well?

My guess is that It would appear not, since you are NOT anchored. But then again . . .

According to Chapman, each light covers a specific arc of visibility. If this is understood, then the orientation of the vessel at night becomes clear. For example, P&S running lights have an 112.5 degree arc. Steaming lights face forward and cover 225 degree. Stern lights face aft and cover 135 degrees. Combined, the stern and steaming lights do cover a full 360 degrees. An anchor light also covers 360 degrees. . So, . . . ?