LED Light Bulbs

[junior]

Any experts on LED light bulbs?

 

I'm looking to get 11 bulbs to replace the ones currently on (almost) my boat. 7 of a certain type and 4 of another.

 

I've had a look at Bedazzled website and done a rough guestimate on how much i think it's going to cost. Now i'm not a tight arse or a cheapskate, but i wondered if there is anywhere cheaper to get LED bulbs? I realise that they will pay for themselves once being used and for that reason, if there is no cheaper alternative, i'll buy them from Bedazzled.

 

The other problem i have is i don't know what type of bulbs i have at the moment or need to replace them with so my costings have been wild guesses. From my pictures below, can anyone identify what type of bulbs i have/need? This would help me greatly when ringing around/Googling to find best prices.

 

 

[RichLech]

I used bedazzled and found them very helpful over the phone. If you order the wrong bulb by mistake they will take them back.

 

I found it quite easy to identify bulbs required from their website.

 

 

[grahame r]

Bedazzled have done a lot of work in soucing lamps that are right for boaters, their prices are probably not the absolute cheapest but they aren't outrageous and everyone agrees that their service is excellent so for these reasons it is worth supporting them so that they are still around to help others once they have sorted out your requirements.

The spec of the lamps you have pictured should be in thin black lettering on the glass if you look with a lens, the style of fitting will be shown on Bedazzled's website.

As everyone agrees, changing to LEDs is probably the best power saving move you can make.

[matty40s]

you are NOT going to get 11 bulbs for 50p.

[bizzard]

Any experts on LED light bulbs?

 

I'm looking to get 11 bulbs to replace the ones currently on (almost) my boat. 7 of a certain type and 4 of another.

 

I've had a look at Bedazzled website and done a rough guestimate on how much i think it's going to cost. Now i'm not a tight arse or a cheapskate, but i wondered if there is anywhere cheaper to get LED bulbs? I realise that they will pay for themselves once being used and for that reason, if there is no cheaper alternative, i'll buy them from Bedazzled.

 

The other problem i have is i don't know what type of bulbs i have at the moment or need to replace them with so my costings have been wild guesses. From my pictures below, can anyone identify what type of bulbs i have/need? This would help me greatly when ringing around/Googling to find best prices.

 

 

Top one in the pic would be either 10w or 21w. Same pic below the 50p is 5 or 6w. Second pic look the same. The voltage and wattage should be stamped on the globe or cap. I think they all look double pole, level pin, they normally are.

[junior]

you are NOT going to get 11 bulbs for 50p.

Having worked out roughly how much 11 bulbs will cost, I am tempted to buy one of each and just carry them around the boat with me and put them in as and when required!

Top one in the pic would be either 10w or 21w. Same pic below the 50p is 5 or 6w. Second pic look the same. The voltage and wattage should be stamped on the globe or cap. I think they all look double pole, level pin, they normally are.

The only markings I can find on them LOOK to say 12v 2W but as with everything else on the boat they are pre-historic and the stamping is very worn. Ill call Bedazzled and perhaps email them the photo. If they've gone to a lot of effort for boaters it would be rude not to support them.

[bizzard]

Having worked out roughly how much 11 bulbs will cost, I am tempted to buy one of each and just carry them around the boat with me and put them in as and when required!

 

The only markings I can find on them LOOK to say 12v 2W but as with everything else on the boat they are pre-historic and the stamping is very worn. Ill call Bedazzled and perhaps email them the photo. If they've gone to a lot of effort for boaters it would be rude not to support them.

I think you'll find they'll be what I say. 2w would be a tiny torch bulb, even those are usually 3w.

[Timleech]

Agree with biz, the larger ones are probably 21W. Why 21 is standard and not 20, I have no idea.

 

THIS sort of thing gives a similar amount of useful light to a 21W tungsten filament lamp. Those are 24V but the same is available in 12.

 

Tim

[BEngo]

The connector end arrangement is some version of BA15, but whether its is BA15d or another I can't tell without seeing where the other pin is. Are they level, or offset? I think I can see they are two-contact lamps.

 

Have a look at the Wikipedia entry for Bayonet Mount for the varieties and you should be able to define these.

 

The top lamp looks like a 21 Watt and the bottom like a 5 Watt. The LED's need to provide an equivalent output I lumens and Bedazzled will help you there.

 

N

[bizzard]

If you connect a 12v battery across the poles on each bulb their intensity should be as follows. If 21w it will be the same brightness as a cars brake light, indicator, or rear fog light bulb. If 10w it will be roughly half that brightness. The smaller 5 or 6w bulbs should be the same brightness as a front or rear cars sidelight or number plate light bulb. This assumes that your car is not a latest model with LED bulbs.

[p6rob]

The cap ends look to be identical sizes, standard 15mm car bulbs. The large one will be an indicator wattage, the smaller a sidelight or number plate. How many connectors are on the bottom? In one picture the lower bulb looks like a double contact, although it only has one filament, just wondering if that is an optical illusion.

 

There are lots of people selling LED bulbs on ebay. I bought mine 12 X MR11 from China, via ebay, it cost about 26.00 for the 12 including postage. They've been in since March, I've been living aboard since April. I've had a few where the circuit board has come away from the glass, one got hot enough for one of the smds to fall off. I think these issues might be because the power supply from the batteries isn't regulated and I fairly often had the battery charger running while the lights were powered. I thought that LEDs were supposed to be cold, these aren't but, as I don't have anything to compare them to, before writing off the cheap ebay lights, I'm going to buy a couple of uk supplied ones from Bedazzled or Baddie the pirate to test the theory.

 

Rob

[bizzard]

The cap ends look to be identical sizes, standard 15mm car bulbs. The large one will be an indicator wattage, the smaller a sidelight or number plate. How many connectors are on the bottom? In one picture the lower bulb looks like a double contact, although it only has one filament, just wondering if that is an optical illusion.

 

There are lots of people selling LED bulbs on ebay. I bought mine 12 X MR11 from China, via ebay, it cost about 26.00 for the 12 including postage. They've been in since March, I've been living aboard since April. I've had a few where the circuit board has come away from the glass, one got hot enough for one of the smds to fall off. I think these issues might be because the power supply from the batteries isn't regulated and I fairly often had the battery charger running while the lights were powered. I thought that LEDs were supposed to be cold, these aren't but, as I don't have anything to compare them to, before writing off the cheap ebay lights, I'm going to buy a couple of uk supplied ones from Bedazzled or Baddie the pirate to test the theory.

 

Rob

Standard car bulbs are single not double pole bulbs which earth through the cars body unless the car body is made of fibre-glass like a kit car or special, then they would be double pole bulbs. Only a cars stop-tail twin filament bulb 21-5w have two poles.

Edited September 2, 2013 by bizzard

[p6rob]

Thanks Bizzard,

Every day is a school day. Is there a reason they don't use standard, easily obtainable bulbs and run the earth to the bulb holder?

[jelunga]

I re-bulbed my boat about 2 yrs ago using LEDs from Bedazzled. No failures yet and we live on our boat. Helpful in changing some that I ordered in the wrong colour temperature, helpful in suggesting alternatives for 3D fluorescent roof lamps into LEDs.

A little more expensive but worth the extra few pence

[DeanS]

I bought drop down lights on Ebay (the holders....for MR16 type) for very cheap...and then got 3 LED bubs for £9 from B&Q. I've slowly replaced all the halogen ones I had . The LEDs are 1Watt...and the halogens are 10W, and the LEDs are brighter. It's amazing.

[Nightwatch]

I re-bulbed my boat about 2 yrs ago using LEDs from Bedazzled. No failures yet and we live on our boat. Helpful in changing some that I ordered in the wrong colour temperature, helpful in suggesting alternatives for 3D fluorescent roof lamps into LEDs.

A little more expensive but worth the extra few pence

we have 2D lamps in the square fittings. A couple of these have been replaced with a completely different arrangement by the previous owner.

Now, we have tried to locate three replacements for the ,switched, fittings to non avail.

 

You say above you have replaced 3D fluorescent lamps with LEDs. Did you 2D? I have not heard of 3D. Mind you, I do search the Internet with my eyes half open.

 

Martyn

[LEO]

Hi,

 

I purchased about 20 LED bulbs for my boat from Bedazzeld - good company to deal with, why not post your bulbs off to them and ask for similar fittings.

 

They have built in units to overcome voltage spikes, Ok you may get some a bit cheaper on the 'net, but BeDazzled know their stuff and deal with cnal boaters.

 

Leo.

[jelunga]

we have 2D lamps in the square fittings. A couple of these have been replaced with a completely different arrangement by the previous owner.

Now, we have tried to locate three replacements for the ,switched, fittings to non avail.

 

You say above you have replaced 3D fluorescent lamps with LEDs. Did you 2D? I have not heard of 3D. Mind you, I do search the Internet with my eyes half open.

 

Martyn

You might be right at 2D. Solution from Bedazzled was to remove all the fittings for the fluro and fit a single sided muktielement flat LED with double sided sticky pads. Sounds Heath Ribinson but with the opal cover back on works well. Much cheaper than a new ceiling light fitting.

[Colin North]

I have purchased a number of LEDs from Bedazzled - excellent.

I have purchased a couple of cheapies as well - beware of the cheapies. The radio frequency noise generated by the cheapies that I purchased prevent listening to the radio (even affect VHF/FM), so these are only used briefly in the engine bay during maintenance.

[jonathanA]

They are almost certainly the BA15d type bulbs fitted to many boat light fittings. They differ from car bulbs in that they do not use the metal of the cap to provide the earth return. + and - from the battery is applied to the two solder blobs on the base of the bulb, rather than a single solder blob and the metal of the cap as in a car.

 

Bedazled/baddie/puffer parts all do direct replacements or 'adapters' than convert the Ba15d fitting to a 'G4' type (two pins)

 

like this but I'd only expect to pay £1.50-£2.00 each.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BA15D-to-G4-MR11-MR16-Adaptor-/390397259960?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_BoatEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item5ae57d70b8#ht_483wt_958

 

if you search on ebay for Ba15d led's there are thousands of far eastern suppliers who will supply them for a 1/10th of the cost of the usual Uk suspects. a big argument will ensue now about voltage, Radio interference, flickering, relative brightness and colour and some will even claim that your boat will spontaneously combust if you use anything but a UK provided (but far eastern manufactured) LED unit. I've tended to use expensive high brigtness (big lumens number) in critical lights (eg for reading by) and the cheaper far eastern ebay cheapies in less critical areas.

 

a significant part of the cost of the more expensive units is the built in voltage stabilisers which I am totally convinced are not needed (unless you are on a 24V system in which case you obviously need units rated for 24v or more)

[George94]

You can either buy lights from Bedazzled at £11 each, or from Ebay at 99p each. In my experience, 8 out of 10 Ebay ones work and keep working (for 30 months so far in my case). They DON'T go up in flames, and they DON'T cause radio interference, and they DON'T require voltage stabilisation. At least, they don't in my experience. Maybe I was lucky.

 

So, what's the case for paying £11 rather than 99p?

 

1 The people at Bedazzled are nice.

2 Er, that's it.

 

And the case for spending 99p instead of £11?

 

1 You've got £140 to spend on something that has a real benefit, rather than an imaginary one.

2 You need 2?

[junior]

Having studied the bulbs a bit better, i also have come to the conclusion that i have the BA15D type bulbs as there is 2 'blobs' on the bottom and the little things that stick out the side are both level. I hadn't noticed before, but even though the glass bit of the bulbs are 2 different sizes, the actual base fittings are the same.

 

So i guess i can choose any of the BA15D type bulbs off of the bedazzled website. I've no idea what lumens and watts i need so i'll buy a few of each and can jiggle them around the rooms depending on where needs more light.

[Nightwatch]

You might be right at 2D. Solution from Bedazzled was to remove all the fittings for the fluro and fit a single sided muktielement flat LED with double sided sticky pads. Sounds Heath Ribinson but with the opal cover back on works well. Much cheaper than a new ceiling light fitting.

Thank you for that. Quite interesting. Did you find a saving on the power usage?

 

Sorry to ask questions. The previous owner replaced the 2D fittings with halogen (bright) two pin lamps. They must munch through the power quite considerably.

 

Martyn

[jelunga]

Thank you for that. Quite interesting. Did you find a saving on the power usage?

 

Sorry to ask questions. The previous owner replaced the 2D fittings with halogen (bright) two pin lamps. They must munch through the power quite considerably.

 

Martyn

Really significant power savings. Replaced two 50w halogens on kitchen with LEDs. Use about a 10th of the power if that.

[alan_fincher]

When I looked into this, althout "Bedazzled" or "Baddie the Pirate" may be very helpful to do business with, there is nothing special about the product that justified the much higher prices being charged.

 

You definitely want something that says it is supressed against interference, and also has a voltage regulator on board, ideally that can deal with a large range of voltages.

I didn't go for cheapest by any means but a forum member recommended UltraLEDs. These were about half the price of the canal based suppliers, but the features and spec looked identical - indeed they may be exactly the same product.

 

Haven't rechecked the numbers for this post, but it seems that have an extra 15% off right now, which will help, of course.