LED replacement for sodium light

[Ventana]

Lots of boats in this area use sodium lights for running at night. Wondering if anyone has experience using a specific LED unit as a replacement. I have used several different light bars and flood lights, but all are either considerably weaker than the sodiums or have color/beam issues that make them unusable in rain/snow/fog. Light descriptions seem to be a popular place for folks to practice their exaggeration skills, so I have given up on searching manufacturers sites.

 

[EngNate]

They just haven't got LEDs to the intensity of HID lamps yet. I've seen these put on fishing boats and work fairly well. When comparing lights use Lumens (total light output), and consider beam angle.

https://www.lunasealighting.com/pro...ea-led-flood-light-hazardous-certified-avail/

 

[rslifkin]

Getting as much light from LEDs isn't the problem, the issue is form factor. Especially with LEDs needing to be kept cooler than HID, you end up with a size problem. 10,000 lumens worth of LED uses a little less power than the equivalent in HID, but it's going to be a bigger light assembly.

 

[IRENE]

Also interested in recommendations.

We have been using a Rigid Q Series spot, rated at 12672 lumens and 8.8amps 12VDC. I clamp it to the bow railing, as one of the previous owners installed a 12VDC receptacle there. Due to the bow mount, there is no light on the boat to hinder vision.

https://www.rigidindustries.com/q-series-q-series.html

I sent the light to Rigid this week to be converted to a flood. They told me the spot was something like 15 degrees and the flood is something like 65. The cost was negligible, and I expect it will be an improvement.

I do not have any experience with sodium lights on the water.

I plan to install LED flood lights on the mast under our radar bracket at some point in the future. I am still debating 110VAC vs. 12VDC, number of lights, and mounting options.

 

[Andy G]

We have just replaced our old sealed beam spreaders (2) each drawing 50watts. They didn't give off much light but they kept us warm on a cold night.

 

[Ventana]

They just haven't got LEDs to the intensity of HID lamps yet. I've seen these put on fishing boats and work fairly well. When comparing lights use Lumens (total light output), and consider beam angle.

https://www.lunasealighting.com/pro...ea-led-flood-light-hazardous-certified-avail/

I have used several Lunasea Lighting products. They seem to be good quality, and put out a lot of light for low power draw. Unfortunately they don't do well with lens design, the light is scattered and doesn’t reach very far, great for flood lights on deck but not for distances ahead of the boat.

 

[Ventana]

Also interested in recommendations.

We have been using a Rigid Q Series spot, rated at 12672 lumens and 8.8amps 12VDC. I clamp it to the bow railing, as one of the previous owners installed a 12VDC receptacle there. Due to the bow mount, there is no light on the boat to hinder vision.

https://www.rigidindustries.com/q-series-q-series.html

I sent the light to Rigid this week to be converted to a flood. They told me the spot was something like 15 degrees and the flood is something like 65. The cost was negligible, and I expect it will be an improvement.

I do not have any experience with sodium lights on the water.

I plan to install LED flood lights on the mast under our radar bracket at some point in the future. I am still debating 110VAC vs. 12VDC, number of lights, and mounting options.

I have a Rigid SR series bar now. It is a combination spot/flood that puts out about 16,000 lumen. When we brought our boat north in November I wanted the option to run at night if we had a weather window. It worked OK with enough light to see most logs in time to dodge them. The biggest issue is reflected light, we had it zip tied to the bow pulpit, and still got back scatter from the end of the pulpit and off the anchors.
I would like something that would work mounted overhead to the mast like the sodium lights to keep it out of the way. Even if I switched to a similar Rigid bar that was all spot it may have too much scatter for what I want. Now Rigid offers theirs in a yellow lens version, I’m wondering if that would help in the rain and snow.
It would be nice to test out a bunch of them, but at $600 each for a bar like mine that ain’t gonna happen.