LEDs versus Halogen...

[ancora]

I bought 6 LED lamps and installed four of them in my salon fixtures to compare them to the existing Halogen lamps. The Halogens are much brighter than the LEDs. Once again, David beats Goliath.

 

[Pau Hana]

I bought 6 LED lamps and installed four of them in my salon fixtures to compare them to the existing Halogen lamps. The Halogens are much brighter than the LEDs. Once again, David beats Goliath.

Indeed- except in the energy usage, longevity, and heat departments

 

[rwidman]

.......... Once again, David beats Goliath.

Not really. You didn't consider the brightness of the LEDs when you bought them. That's a little like saying a 100 watt incandescent lamp is better than a 60 watt incandescent lamp.

Buy an LED lamp that is as bright as the halogen lamp you're comparing it to and it will win easily in lower heat, lower power consumption and longer life.

 

[Carolena]

We replaced all of those halogen bulbs in our boat with the leds that are mounted on a disc so all the light faces downward. The LEDs we used are just as bright as the halogens they replaced.

 

[rwidman]

We replaced all of those halogen bulbs in our boat with the leds that are mounted on a disc so all the light faces downward. The LEDs we used are just as bright as the halogens they replaced.

Yes, pointing the light where you want it helps a lot.

 

[fryedaze]

I went through the same experiment. The first LED I bought didnt match the Halogen. So I bought the biggest one I could. Goliath finally won.
G4 5 9 13 18 24 26 68 Pure Warm White 1210 5050 LED Light Bulb Lamp 12V DC | eBay

 

[Bay Pelican]

Just completed the same switch. Unfortunately, my LEDs are too bright. Should have gone down one level.

 

[Poach]

We replaced all of those halogen bulbs in our boat with the leds that are mounted on a disc so all the light faces downward. The LEDs we used are just as bright as the halogens they replaced.

We just purchased one of these disc LED lights to try in our boat and it seems to be just as bright as the old 12v incandescent we took out. What surprised me is the price--$15 for one bulb. I did find a deal on a whole new fixture which included a bulb--a choice of either LED or haolgen-- for $34 total. As the 20 year old light fixtures' brass has become tarnished beyond recovery, we may go that route. Has anyone found a good price on LED bulbs?

 

[Pau Hana]

We just purchased one of these disc LED lights to try in our boat and it seems to be just as bright as the old 12v incandescent we took out. What surprised me is the price--$15 for one bulb. I did find a deal on a whole new fixture which included a bulb--a choice of either LED or haolgen-- for $34 total. As the 20 year old light fixtures' brass has become tarnished beyond recovery, we may go that route. Has anyone found a good price on LED bulbs?

More info, please......

 

[fryedaze]

We just purchased one of these disc LED lights to try in our boat and it seems to be just as bright as the old 12v incandescent we took out. What surprised me is the price--$15 for one bulb. I did find a deal on a whole new fixture which included a bulb--a choice of either LED or haolgen-- for $34 total. As the 20 year old light fixtures' brass has become tarnished beyond recovery, we may go that route. Has anyone found a good price on LED bulbs?

Poach, check this site out. Dome Lights

 

[Poach]

More info, please......

Nice to hear from you. Anyway, we bought the IMTRA replacement bulb from Boat Electric for $15. We didn't shop price--just wanted to see how one works as we need 12 of whatever we decide on.

As for cost of fixture and bulb, and this just an example--I can't find the one I looked at the other day Go to Amazon and look for
Gold Stars GW21501-06 RV Reading Light MR16 Base LED Bulb 12v Chrome

You can buy a set of 6 for $115.

 

[shufti]

Has anyone found a good price on LED bulbs?

I think I paid around $1.50AUS each for a batch of 20 on ebay. Might be cheap Chinese (and relatively crappy? - I'm no expert) but for a buck and a half each, I can afford to experiment and even replace one/two per trip if needed. None have died so far. My only mistake was not reading the listing properly and getting cool rather than warm white (bugger).

 

[HenryD]

When I was ready to replace the Halogen bulbs that cost alot more over time, due to thier relative short life span, I bought a few different from a few different manufactures. The color of the LEDs make a big difference. A friend recently sent me to local big hardware store where they even had LEDs that would fit my G4 base fixtures. In the end, we found we really liked the IMTRA LEDs the best, and put them in most living spaces. I used the other test LEDs in the closets, lockers and spaces that it really didn't matter. We have some Bright White IMTRAs in the galley and heads. The warm IMTRAs in the saloon.

 

[dwhatty]

Dumb Q. Most of my wheelhouse overhead halogens are on a dimmer switch. Can LEDs be dimmed and, if so, do I need a different type of switch?

 

[drb1025]

I tried the cheap Chinese LEDs too. I've had a couple stop working and several regularly flicker. Very annoying. I recently tried four from IMTRA and they are much better, but more costly. I will replace most with IMTRA over the next few months. I wasted my $$ by starting with the lowest priced bulbs.

 

[rwidman]

There's a recent thread on this very subject that ended up in a big argument but basically it was about buying quality LED products with constant current drivers vs. the cheapest products with voltage dropping resistors.

My recommendation is to use the ones with constant current drivers but I'm not going to try to defend that recommendation again and endure all the insults.

There is a great deal of information on the subject on the Internet, most of it posted by people who know about this stuff. Do a search.

 

[psneeld]

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/...apie-ebay-chinese-question-re-cccv-12924.html

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s4/wiring-question-13149.html

Here's a couple past threads that highlight differences in LED lights.

Some have used the cheap lights for years with few failures and no "fires"...highly experienced contributers

Others have had some premature failures (then again some with the more expensive bulbs have reported failures too) and others relate and post links to people who have other issues with them.

The debate rages on desipte those that don't like to be shown where they could be mistaken or there's other possibilities out there than just one side, way, product whatever....just the nature of forum banter.

 

[FlyWright]

Dumb Q. Most of my wheelhouse overhead halogens are on a dimmer switch. Can LEDs be dimmed and, if so, do I need a different type of switch?

David, Some are dimmable, some are not. I just installed PAR38 LED spots in my 110V kitchen fixtures which are dimmable and warm white. They clearly stated "dimmable' on the packaging. In color and brightness, it's hard to tell the difference from the halogens they replace, even in a side-by-side comparison.

I can't answer to the 12V varieties since my boat's LED lights are on/off only.

Edit: The home LEDs are able to be dimmed with standard dimmer switches.

 

[hollywood8118]

On the last three boats I have installed mostly cheap LED bulbs... over 50 units so far.. I have had 2 failures... one total failure (a Dr LED from West) and 1 cheap Chinese bulb that flickers on a couple of the LED chips. LED's can put out more light (in lumens) than a lot of marine fixtures with halogen bulbs of the same lumens can take due to the heat output of halogen bulbs.

I just ordered a new fixture to replace the overhead lights in the Ocean Alexander that I think will be the best yet... 5" diameter, 7/16" deep, warm white, 280 lumen ( wow ) $ 25.00 for the entire fixture.. will report after install.
The O.A. is already all LED but I am always looking for the next best thing.
HOLLYWOOD

 

[FF]

Some auto grade bulbs will have 2 light outputs , running and signal.

The old SS lamps used on many US and TT boats have a two filament base .

AS most boats do not have conducting overheads these can lamps can be modified easily.

We have installed a lamp pull chain (drill extra hole) to use the smaller filament , and keep the stock switch (harder for a guest to find) , after grounding the outside of the bulb holder.

Although LED draw minor juice , the advantage of a dangling pull chain that needs no explaining is a help for guests.

If the light is left on , the running lamp was 1/4 the current draw of the brighter filament .

Would work with LED , tho the electric saving would not be as great.

 

[Carolena]

This is where we ordered from. Not the most expensive, not the cheapest, but very happy with quality.
LEDTrailerlights.com - LED lights for RVs, cargo / utility trailers, boat and watercraft trailers and trucks