LED Lighting for all interior fixtures

[Mike McDonald]

Hi all,
I would like to replace the interior lighting on my boat.  Both fluorescent fixtures (in head and over ice box), main cabin fixtures, reading lights in forward and aft cabins, and possibly the navigation table lamp.  I would like to be able to operate each light individually (on/off), and possibly dimmers.  Currently, if I have the "cabin lights" circuit turned on, there is no way to turn off the main cabin lights individually.  If I want to use the reading lights in the V-Birth, all of the main cabin lights have to be left on.  I've read many of the previous posts, but most are from years past, and the technology is constantly changing and improving.  It sounds like simply replacing bulbs with LED bulbs can sometimes work, but may be a real compromise.

Has anyone taken on this type of project recently, to take advantage of the newer LED technologies?  If so, I would really appreciate learning from your experience. 

Some specific areas of interest include:
-  Specific fixtures/Sizes
-  Switching/Dimming
-  Light Output to match existing or improve
-  Color Temps (I like the warm look of the incandescents)
-  Wiring issues

Thanks.
Mike....

[Exodus]

Mike,

I replaced all of my lights with LED except for the chart light on the nav station.  I used the Dr. LED dome lights in the salon and have been happy with them (other than one that went out, it was difficult to get them to honor the warranty)  I have two different kinds of reading lamps in the cabins.  One set forward and another set aft.  It has been my experience that the more expensive the fixture is the better the quality of the light output.  The more expensive fixtures look like incandescents while the cheaper fixtures look like LEDs.  Wiring was easy, just use existing wiring and new butte connectors.  Overall I would say it is a vast improvement over the old factory lighting.

FYI if you want to try a less expensive and easier route check out marinebeam.com and just replace your bulbs.  I did this for my NAV lights and can't tell the difference, so my caveat on price is not always necessarily applicable.

[Noah]

I have a 1990 MK I so your boat may be different and mine may not be "stock" due to a few different POs. over the years. While I do have one breaker for all cabin lights, each individual fixture has an on/off switch. IF I hear you right, yours don't? Very odd. I'd fix that for sure if I were you, which would rule out just changing to LED bulbs. Meanwhile I am in the process of undertaking the same change to LED project on my boat. I just completed adding two Alpenglow LED lights to my main saloon overhead. I like a lot of light (bad eyes) and these work well. They are combo featuring warm white and red and have dual power high/low brightness switch to control either color. I made some flat teak moldings with an offset channel routed in them to run the wires. I ran the mouldings all the way across the cabin coachroof tying into the saloon hatch frame so that (in my opinion) they looked like they "belonged", were balanced, and appeared less like wire covers. Very subjective decision. I am thinking about just abandoning the port and starboard under deck lights in the saloon as these new overhead lights give plenty of light. I am still undecided about replacing the fixtures in the rest of the boat. The Alpenglow products are very well reviewed (by Practical Sailor, etc.) but are expensive. The overhead style I used in the Saloon are not the best choice in the fore and aft cabins. I am considering their adjustable cabin or reading light models for the cabins. But again--they are expensive, approx $150 per! I may experiment with one, against a cheaper fixture from Luna Sea or West Maine to compare -- before I go crazy with a lot of fixtures.

[chuck53]

I've got an 87 as well and all of my lights have on-off switches.  Never heard of a boat light that didn't.

I did replace my salon cabin festoon bulbs with LED equivalents.  Haven't done any others yet.

[Sue Clancy]

I replaced all my salon lights with the dr led johns. I like the light they give off. Nice and warm but brighter than the old fixtures which is what I was looking for. They don't dim but have a high and a low switch setting. I found the best price surprisingly at WM.  For the aft cabin I put in 2 LunaSea reading lamps. They are very nice with touch dimmer switches and an option to have the switch glow which could be a good night light.

I put in a very inexpensive led in the head area that I got at a local RV store  It's a much colder white but I like the brightness in that area.

[KWKloeber]

RC did a comparison of LEDs.  I didn't readily locate the write up - may be on a forum somewhere - but here's the pics.....  It's obviously older so the models tested may not reflect what's on the market now.

www.pbase.com/mainecruising/led_bulb_test

Ken

[chuck53]

Mike,
What lights do you have in your main salon?  Is the standard light that Catalina used...a clear rectangular fixture that is approximately 3" x 7" or did a previous owner replace those with something else?

[patrice]

HI,

I have replaced just the bulb by LED in the standard fixtures in the main cabin.

At $2.00 / ea. and I am very pleased with the result.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Warm-White-48-LED-SMD-Panel-Dome-Interior-Light-Bulb-Lamp-T10-BA9S-Festoon-12V/371035595842?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140602152332%26meid%3Df701374e95eb47e5b34c9a58cd2ac1eb%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D20140602152332%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D221150713054&tfrom=221150713054&tpos=unknow&ttype=price&talgo=origal

[Mike McDonald]

Thanks for all of the great feedback and pictures.  Nice woodwork Noah.  I will check my salon fixtures again later today for on/off switches, but I haven't found them yet.  They are approx. 3"x8" with plastic cover.  As I recall, the plastic cover encloses everything.  They have 2 of the festoon type bulbs in each fixture. 
Mike....

[chuck53]

Thanks for all of the great feedback and pictures.  Nice woodwork Noah.  I will check my salon fixtures again later today for on/off switches, but I haven't found them yet.  They are approx. 3"x8" with plastic cover.  As I recall, the plastic cover encloses everything.  They have 2 of the festoon type bulbs in each fixture. 
Mike....

I'm pretty sure you have the same fixtures I have.
here's the scoop...there is no switch.  The fixture itself is the switch.  It slides forward and aft.  There are 3 positions...the middle position is off.  Move the fixture fore and aft.  One position will turn on one bulb and the other position will turn on both.  I replaced all the festoons with LED equivalents as I didn't want to go the trouble and expense of replacing the entire fixture.  Way less power draw and there is very little heat output.

I think I'm going to replace my cabin bulbs as well in the near future.

[Mike McDonald]

Chuck,
Thanks for the explanation of how the fixture works.  I'll try it tomorrow when I get to the boat.  Never thought to slide the whole fixture. Thanks.

Mike.....

[Noah]

For the aft cabin I put in 2 LunaSea reading lamps. They are very nice with touch dimmer switches and an option to have the switch glow which could be a good night light.

Sue, do your Luna Sea reading lights have white glass shades? I saw them online and was considering them for my aft cabin too. Is the shade translucent and lets light through? Are you worried about breaking the shade and if they did break can you buy a replacement shades?
Also, off thread: you have inspired me and am replacing my old Racor with the 500 series T handle with drop in filter this weekend.   Next thing I want to do is a make a beautiful small saloon table like yours. Can you share your project's secrets?

[mainesail]

Two LED products I really like are the Sensibulb and anything from Marine Beam. Please be very, very careful with no-name eBay Chinese LED's. LED's need constant current control to operate at safe temps and to maximize life. Good circuit topology for LED control is not cheap. I have one customer who went eBay then paid me for a troubleshoot. I found three of his emitters had literally unsoldered themselves and were in the dome. He now has 100% Marine Beam.


Marine Beam has a bulb to fit anything and everything I have converted. Their warm white is very pleasing and a true warm white. Jeff Field the owner also stands behind the product.. Also Marine Beam supplies many of the "big names" in marine lighting with their LED bulbs...

[chuck53]

Superbrightleds is a good company to deal with.

[Mike McDonald]

Chuck,
You are right! I have the slider fixtures. After a few connection adjustments, all are working in the 3 different positions. One bulb/two bulbs/off. The Admiral is much happier now. I think I'll look into the replacement LED bulbs for now, except for the galley and head fluorescent fixtures. Thanks again.
Mike...