Warm white LED lights

[TandC]

Morning all,

 

I have the luxuary of shoreline power for most of the winter so am wasteful with electricity - but a promise of more cruising this year, plus what I now suspect is a close-to-knackered battery bank (more to follow no doubt... ) has finally prompted me to replace the 50w halogen downlighters with the LED variety.

 

There are so many different types out there - can anyone give a good recommendation for a 'warm' light quality, at a good price? Suppliers?

 

Thanks v much

[Bob18]

Both these sepcialise in 12 stuuf, have boats, and are good to work with:

Bedazzled

Baddie the Pirate

 

Others will say fleebay, but that can be a bit hit and miss on colour and quality, at least with these two there's a real human you can talk to in the event of problems.

[nicknorman]

Morning all,

 

I have the luxuary of shoreline power for most of the winter so am wasteful with electricity - but a promise of more cruising this year, plus what I now suspect is a close-to-knackered battery bank (more to follow no doubt... ) has finally prompted me to replace the 50w halogen downlighters with the LED variety.

 

There are so many different types out there - can anyone give a good recommendation for a 'warm' light quality, at a good price? Suppliers?

 

Thanks v much

Wow - are you sure you mean 50w down lighters? That would surely burn your hair as you walked past! Most down lighters in boats are 10w or 20w. 50w bulbs are large and require a lot of depth behind the bulb that is not usually available on boats. Could you check and also let us know the type of bulb?

 

We had a lot of smallish down lighters that were mostly 10w but they rapidly add up to a lot of juice, so I have replaced most of them with LED. Tried various types and there is a big difference in the quality of light thy produce with many giving a rather startk and monochromatic light even though they are "warm". The best ones I have found in terms of light quality are these but we were a bit limited with the small size of our dowlighters. The light coming from these is pretty indistinguishable from a 10w halogen and they are dimmable (all our lighting is dimmable).

[jckm2000]

I bought 10 of these from Hong Kong, bright and a very nice warm white and they seem well made:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260904007452?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

Took about 2 weeks to arrive though.

 

C.

Edited March 13, 2012 by jckm2000

[jam pudd]

Morning all,

 

I have the luxuary of shoreline power for most of the winter so am wasteful with electricity - but a promise of more cruising this year, plus what I now suspect is a close-to-knackered battery bank (more to follow no doubt... ) has finally prompted me to replace the 50w halogen downlighters with the LED variety.

 

There are so many different types out there - can anyone give a good recommendation for a 'warm' light quality, at a good price? Suppliers?

 

Thanks v much

I chose to use Aten lighting on 01664 569457 Speak to Jo or Saul. They've been most helpfull and competetive and I had no problem returning and replacing til I got what was right. These are two very genuine people to deal with. They even converted Band Q wall lights for me FOC with my order. This year I boght and od table lamp and they sent me just one bulb to fit. Just good honest and reliable folks.

We have LED throughout our boat and with two 135 watt sola panels hardly ever need to run engine when moored for a week or more.

If I had a house built I'd go 12v LED!

[by'eck]

We had a lot of smallish down lighters that were mostly 10w but they rapidly add up to a lot of juice, so I have replaced most of them with LED. Tried various types and there is a big difference in the quality of light thy produce with many giving a rather startk and monochromatic light even though they are "warm". The best ones I have found in terms of light quality are these but we were a bit limited with the small size of our dowlighters. The light coming from these is pretty indistinguishable from a 10w halogen and they are dimmable (all our lighting is dimmable).

 

Thanks for the link Nick. As I will shortly be in the same boat (pun) as you, will probably take advantage of your homework.

 

Just wondered if/why you had dismissed the similar G4 based SMD LED's from Bedazzled, specifically the G4H series which seem cheaper & offer up to the equivalent of 30 watts of Q.H.

[Semitrad]

Lidl sometimes have a selection of Livarno badged LED lamps available, they have a pleasant diffused light and are reasonably priced.

They always sell out quickly, if you get the Lidl newsletter you can be first in the queue.

[Grace and Favour]

Thanks for the link Nick. As I will shortly be in the same boat (pun) as you, will probably take advantage of your homework.

 

Just wondered if/why you had dismissed the similar G4 based SMD LED's from Bedazzled, specifically the G4H series which seem cheaper & offer up to the equivalent of 30 watts of Q.H.

 

Richard - - have you seen this post today from Colin Smith?

LED's

Edited March 13, 2012 by Grace & Favour

[by'eck]

Richard - - have you seen this post today from Colin Smith?

LED's

 

Thanks for that - will wait for Nick's reply though as we are likely to have exactly the same downlights & so the size of replacement LED may be critical.

[nicknorman]

Thanks for the link Nick. As I will shortly be in the same boat (pun) as you, will probably take advantage of your homework.

 

Just wondered if/why you had dismissed the similar G4 based SMD LED's from Bedazzled, specifically the G4H series which seem cheaper & offer up to the equivalent of 30 watts of Q.H.

 

Hi Richard

 

If you have the same recessed dowlighters as we do (Steve's standard offering for dowlighters) then they are quite small and the max diameter bulb that can be accommodated is 25 maybe 27mm max. That rules out the G4H by a large margin.

 

I tried some other Bedazzled bulbs and they are OK but the quality of light from the Boatlamps ones is noticably better. You get what you pay for, but having just spent a lot of money on a new boat I suggest the little extra is worth it!

 

If you do go for the oblong boatlamps ones and have the same light fittings as we do, you will find that you have to cut a couple of mms off the leads to get them to fit, otherwise the leads bottom out and the bulb will not push home far enough. Once you do that they fit perfectly

 

Just looking at our lights ( and now can't see anything except yellow spots in front of my eyes!) the pair that are Boatlamps look virtually indistinguishable from halogen, the Bedazzled ones have an artificial and slightly greenish hue and look horrible when compared side by side. However the BD ones are brighter. So like all things there is no perfect answer , but one thing I hate is garish harsh light in my eyes, hence my preference for the Boatlamps ones even though they are not the brightest.

[TandC]

Thanks for the links - I shall have a look.

 

On checking, the downlighters are 50w max - but the bulbs are actually 35w halogen, so not quite so hair-burningly hot! I read the wrong sticker.

 

I'll give Aten a call - there are plenty on a well-known auction site, but i'll see what they have to say first.

 

And then i need to start to think about testing the batteries...

[johnmck]

To a large extent, you get what you pay for. I have experimented with L.E.D lights at home and found cheaper often means poorly made with a distinct lack of longevity!

 

On the boat, we have these.

 

http://www.ideallights.co.uk/corporate/index.php

 

Beautiful light, good quality and none have as yet failed.

 

Expensive though...

[by'eck]

Hi Richard

 

If you have the same recessed dowlighters as we do (Steve's standard offering for dowlighters) then they are quite small and the max diameter bulb that can be accommodated is 25 maybe 27mm max. That rules out the G4H by a large margin.

 

I tried some other Bedazzled bulbs and they are OK but the quality of light from the Boatlamps ones is noticably better. You get what you pay for, but having just spent a lot of money on a new boat I suggest the little extra is worth it!

 

If you do go for the oblong boatlamps ones and have the same light fittings as we do, you will find that you have to cut a couple of mms off the leads to get them to fit, otherwise the leads bottom out and the bulb will not push home far enough. Once you do that they fit perfectly

 

Just looking at our lights ( and now can't see anything except yellow spots in front of my eyes!) the pair that are Boatlamps look virtually indistinguishable from halogen, the Bedazzled ones have an artificial and slightly greenish hue and look horrible when compared side by side. However the BD ones are brighter. So like all things there is no perfect answer , but one thing I hate is garish harsh light in my eyes, hence my preference for the Boatlamps ones even though they are not the brightest.

 

Thanks again Nick - the Boatlamps ones it is then

[nicknorman]

Thanks again Nick - the Boatlamps ones it is then

Maybe you should try a few before equipping the whole boat. My preference may not necessarily be the same as yours!

[cotswoldsman]

I have just fitted these to my boat Link to Puffer Parts was easy to do and they do seem very good but as they say I am no electrician.

[George94]

I bought ten LEDs from Ebay late last year for 99p each. No voltage control on them, but I don't need to have them on while running the engine, so they are never subjected to high voltages. Cooler light than the old 20W car bulbs, but just as bright.

 

One has failed in six months. I don't know how long the others will last, but we shall see.

[bizzard]

I've fitted Bedazzled's warm white controlled LED's to several boats over the last couple of years including my own and to my knowledge none have failed yet.

[ditchcrawler]

Both these sepcialise in 12 stuuf, have boats, and are good to work with:

Bedazzled

Baddie the Pirate

 

Others will say fleebay, but that can be a bit hit and miss on colour and quality, at least with these two there's a real human you can talk to in the event of problems.

I have used Fleebay and they have never lasted as well as ones bought from Ultraled

I know Baddie The Pirate and she is a boater so is in tune with boaters requirments

[boots]

Bought ours from Puffer Parts also, and have been pleased so far

[bowten]

Bought ours from Puffer Parts also, and have been pleased so far

Another thumbs up for Puffer Parts.

[jelunga]

I've fitted Bedazzled's warm white controlled LED's to several boats over the last couple of years including my own and to my knowledge none have failed yet.

Another vote for Bedazzled. A liveaboard boater who knows his stuff

[jonathanA]

I've used puffer parts leds and bought some from Arten at Crick. Also had some from the far east via ebay

 

All seem fine. the puffer parts ones have been working for 18 months amd the arten one have only been in a week !

 

The hong kong specials are about 12 months old, not as bright as the others but cost less than half the price. I'm going to use the cheapos in non critical/not used often fittings and the brightest in areas that need the best light. I would say the arten units give a better light than the old 21w car type bulbs they've replaced.

 

(anyone want to buy some BA15d 21w bulbs ?)

[Fred_Smith]

I have just fitted these to my boat Link to Puffer Parts was easy to do and they do seem very good but as they say I am no electrician.

 

 

These in the link are really bright and not expensive to buy and run, I suggest you buy one to try

 

http://www.pufferparts.co.uk/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=311

[Ryeland]

Whatever you do, buy all the LEDs for one area at the same time. I have bought mine at various times, all from UltraLEDs, and there is quite a variance in colour. Having said that, I haven't had any failures, and some of them are over 3 yrs old now.

 

Richard