Jump to content

Featured Posts

Juno's having a gradual refurb,  and one job is to replace all the lights with LED fittings, but on the basis that can wait until the ceiling comes down (I need to replace, probably in the spring) I've got the existing lights going again. There is the curious case of electrics "recovering " of their own accord so in the end all they need is new bulbs. The originals (first photo) have two contacts and a single element but all I can find is two contacts and two elements, which are actually rear and brake light bulbs. In most of the fittings these work but are dim as the rear light element comes on.

 

It appears I can't mix old and new as when I turned the bathroom light on (old) all the others went off. Now I've put a twin element one in the bathroom they all work but the bathroom one is lighting the brighter filament! 

 

The pins are offset, not symmetrical, and the twin filament ones have the pins furthe from the contacts so are tricky to fit. 

 

So, simple question, any idea where I can get twin-contact,  single element bulbs? 

 

And any other comments...? 

 

 

20190908_111037.jpg

20190908_111100.jpg

20190902_225239.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, magpie patrick said:

Juno's having a gradual refurb,  and one job is to replace all the lights with LED fittings, but on the basis that can wait until the ceiling comes down (I need to replace, probably in the spring) I've got the existing lights going again. There is the curious case of electrics "recovering " of their own accord so in the end all they need is new bulbs. The originals (first photo) have two contacts and a single element but all I can find is two contacts and two elements, which are actually rear and brake light bulbs. In most of the fittings these work but are dim as the rear light element comes on.

 

It appears I can't mix old and new as when I turned the bathroom light on (old) all the others went off. Now I've put a twin element one in the bathroom they all work but the bathroom one is lighting the brighter filament! 

 

The pins are offset, not symmetrical, and the twin filament ones have the pins furthe from the contacts so are tricky to fit. 

 

So, simple question, any idea where I can get twin-contact,  single element bulbs? 

 

And any other comments...? 

 

 

20190908_111037.jpg

20190908_111100.jpg

20190902_225239.jpg

The twin filament bulb is a vehicle stop and tail light bulb. Thin filament 5 or 6 W, Thick filament 21W and would have offset pins.  The single filament bulb looks like 21W indicator bulb, these will use a lot of juice.

You can get 5 or 6W bulbs with the same diameter cap as the ones in the pics with level pins.

Double pole.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The twin element are car Brake & sidelight bulbs.

You need the single element 'indicator bulb' (but they are 21 watts so a bit thirsty on power - almost 2 amps)

Trouble is, the only single filament bulbs o can find also have only s single contact - presumably the bayonet is the return. On my cabin lights the bayonet is not the return.

4 minutes ago, bizzard said:

If you check out Bedazzled's website I think you can get direct replacement LED bulbs to fit those size bulb sockets with level pin bayonet fitting.

Given your and Alan's comments on power consumption, this sounds like the way to go!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is well worth paying the extra for the quality bulbs offered by bedazzled, they have a wider band of operation between high and low voltage. This means they last considerably longer and don't 'strobe'.

 

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The twin contact bulbs in that size are designated SBC (small bayonet cap) the single contact ones are SCC (single centre contact). Bus bulbs have twin contact caps but the caps are the size of domestic bayonet light bulbs. I think both SCC and SBC bulbs are available in either 6 watts and 21 watts.

 

For completeness the size of bulbs often found in torches but with a bayonet fitting and a single contact are designated MCC (miniature centre contact) while the tiny bayonet bulbs found in some instrument panels are designated LCC (Lilliput centre contact or LES (Lilliput Edison screw). The screw in equivalent of the MCC bulb is MES (Miniature Edison screw).

 

SBC, SCC and MCC  12V bulbs should be available from the majority of motor factors or car shops.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, magpie patrick said:

LED look tempting - I've only five lights and £30 will get bulbs for them all

I don't know whether LED car bulbs are actually more efficient than incandescent bulbs. They have to fool the canbus into thinking they are the same. Not sure how this works, possibly a resistor but that might push the power consumption back up. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not sure whether you are wanting offset bayonets, or equal  bayonets. If you want equal bayonets, it is possible that I can help you. I have two single filament, twin contact 12v 5w bulbs , and one 12v 21w single filamet bulb in my box of old car bulbs, which I could post to you. please let me know. he 21 watt bulb has a larger globe, the same size as twin filament ones. The 5w ones have smaller glass globes.

 

Edited to add:- The smaller 5w (twin contact) bulbs are have a Lucas Number LLB 209. and those shown on Stagedamager's post are the same as the two I have, and a box of ten for £2.60 are a gift.

 

 

Edited by David Schweizer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, magpie patrick said:

LED look tempting - I've only five lights and £30 will get bulbs for them all

They may be tempting but check the voltage range, most automotive LED bulbs only work correctly at exactly 12v. Many will either fail quickly or flash in the way of a florescent bulb with a defective ballast when used on the variable voltage found on our boats (14v - 11). Those sold by bedazzled have a range between 10 - 30 volts. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, BWM said:

They may be tempting but check the voltage range, most automotive LED bulbs only work correctly at exactly 12v. Many will either fail quickly or flash in the way of a florescent bulb with a defective ballast when used on the variable voltage found on our boats (14v - 11). Those sold by bedazzled have a range between 10 - 30 volts. 

I'm surprised at this. I would expect automotive bulbs to be quite happy up to around 14.5v. I guess there could be issues with low voltage when the alternator isn't running but there can be times when that applies to cars as well. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, stegra said:

I'm surprised at this. I would expect automotive bulbs to be quite happy up to around 14.5v. I guess there could be issues with low voltage when the alternator isn't running but there can be times when that applies to cars as well. 

Most, if not all components on a vehicle are run through relays, etc. and as such the voltage is regulated - don't take my word for it, look at the spec of those offerings. I have tried numerous types and most display one or both of these faults.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, stegra said:

I don't know whether LED car bulbs are actually more efficient than incandescent bulbs. They have to fool the canbus into thinking they are the same. Not sure how this works, possibly a resistor but that might push the power consumption back up. 

Another good reason not to have a canbus.  KISS keep it simple ...... And do not rely on computers for vital things, always have a manual override, tell Boeing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BWM said:

They may be tempting but check the voltage range, most automotive LED bulbs only work correctly at exactly 12v. Many will either fail quickly or flash in the way of a florescent bulb with a defective ballast when used on the variable voltage found on our boats (14v - 11). Those sold by bedazzled have a range between 10 - 30 volts. 

https://bedazzledledlighting.co.uk/product-category/led-bulbs/ba15d/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, BWM said:

It is well worth paying the extra for the quality bulbs offered by bedazzled, they have a wider band of operation between high and low voltage. This means they last considerably longer and don't 'strobe'.

 

 

Mine have been going strong for about 12 years (from bedazzled). I had a set previously from Ultraleds and they gradually fizzled out one by one after only a few months and they weren't cheap. Ultraleds blamed my 12v system but that was clearly not the case given that the bedazzled ones work fine.

 

Also the sales service is good from bedazzled. You can ring the guy up with questions and he's very patient and will refund or replace anything you're not happy with.

Edited by blackrose
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

I am not sure whether you are wanting offset bayonets, or equal  bayonets. If you want equal bayonets, it is possible that I can help you. I have two single filament, twin contact 12v 5w bulbs , and one 12v 21w single filamet bulb in my box of old car bulbs, which I could post to you. please let me know. he 21 watt bulb has a larger globe, the same size as twin filament ones. The 5w ones have smaller glass globes.

 

Edited to add:- The smaller 5w (twin contact) bulbs are have a Lucas Number LLB 209. and those shown on Stagedamager's post are the same as the two I have, and a box of ten for £2.60 are a gift.

 

 

It is possible I may still have quite a number of bulbs removed from a previous boat.

 

In fact at best I might have two sets- the original "non halogen" ones, but also the halogen types that replaced them.  Subsequently all got converted to LEDs.

I'm not at home to check, but if you are interested, PM me, and I will have a search around in some boxes tomorrow.

I may even have a choice between ones of around 21W, and lower powered ones (possibly 10W).  Clearly the latter would be less bright, but only trash you batteries half as fast.

In principle, LEDs are definitely the way to go, but I wasn't happy about putting LED clusters with a converter into the type of fitting you have pictured.  The clusters in mine ended up being far too far offset, and nothing like central

 

As an aside all our LEDS (3 boats) have come from UlraLEDs at half the cost of Bedazzled, and none have ever shown any type of problem.  Perhaps Mike's were a duff batch, for some reason. 

 

It is important to buy the types that are rated from about 8V up to 30V - I wouldn't trust any that specified only a bit over 12v.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Onewheeler said:

Look for BA15D. BA15S are single contact, BAY15D have offset bayonet pins (often found in nav lights). Loads on Ebay or the usual LED suppliers.

BA15D is what you want simple as 

 

proper ba15d  bulbs have each end of the (single) filament connected to each contact on the base. The car type dual filament versions use the metal part of the base as a common connection - usually ‘earth’ cars. 

 

Search ebay for ba15d leds, disregard or at least treat with a degree of scepticism those who say using anything other than overpriced units from the likes of bedraggled will result in your grandmother spontaneously bursting into flames or some such nonsense...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, jonathanA said:

 

 

Search ebay for ba15d leds, disregard or at least treat with a degree of scepticism those who say using anything other than overpriced units from the likes of bedraggled will result in your grandmother spontaneously bursting into flames or some such nonsense...

I'm surprised how reasonably priced the Bedazzled lights are. They certainly seem to be a lot more competitively priced than they were a couple of years ago when I last looked at their site. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

51 minutes ago, jonathanA said:

BA15D is what you want simple as 

 

proper ba15d  bulbs have each end of the (single) filament connected to each contact on the base. The car type dual filament versions use the metal part of the base as a common connection - usually ‘earth’ cars. 

 

Search ebay for ba15d leds, disregard or at least treat with a degree of scepticism those who say using anything other than overpriced units from the likes of bedraggled will result in your grandmother spontaneously bursting into flames or some such nonsense...

 

I don't think it's "simple as" at all. Lots of people here are speaking from experience. We've tried cheaper eBay units and they were crap and didn't last.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

I don't think it's "simple as" at all. Lots of people here are speaking from experience. We've tried cheaper eBay units and they were crap and didn't last.

Simple as in terms of finding the right type of bulb fitting. It is BA15D 

 

im speaking from personal experience not something I’ve read on a website or forum.

 

yep some of the eBay stuff is not so good but then when they are dirt cheap it’s sometimes worth a punt.

 

as others have said the price of leds in general has tumbled so not quite such a big difference as there was. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.