Help sourcing 12V LED cabin lights?

Well at least Marilyn Monroe got a tour of Air Force One and to sing Happy Birthday.

Here is something similar:

https://m.aliexpress.com/s/item/32815974383.html?spm=a2g0n.search-cache.0.0.75f8df8dNyuyEX#autostay

The 6w model is exactly the size you are looking for and if you need many I am sure you can find cheaper by buying in bulk.

OldToby said:

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This is the light I ordered, thinking it would operate on 12V DC. Alas, it requires 16V.

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Are you sure it NEEDS 16V. That is an odd voltage. I have LED that operate on from 10-30V DC. I have seen ones that range from 8-19V. Lots of others are some other voltage range that would cover both a 12VDC & a 24VDC system.
They may have meant it will operate on up to 16V which is the typical range needed for operation on a so called 12Vdc system which can range from 12.0 up to 15V.

Post the actual website address and maybe there is something there that is a bit more specific.

OldToby said:

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This is the light I ordered, thinking it would operate on 12V DC. Alas, it requires 16V.

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Dc to DC converters are available on eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/i/291626461269?chn=ps

Added expense, less energy efficient and another point of failure.

Unless you want dimmable anyway.

Otherwise best to find lights designed to put out their best output in the 12-13V range but will tolerate 10-15V+.

Samples first, then in bulk.

Heard good things about Narva out of Australia

Try ebay

I tried to find the light you posted but the closest is 85-245AC, not DC.

As asked post the actual address to the light you bought, not a screen shot. Maybe it is ok but need to see what they say about voltage range.

Superbrightleds.com

I don't mean to sound rude, but if you can't find a suitable LED fixture, you are just not doing the work, there is a million options out there.

The fact there are so many choices makes sourcing the right ones harder not easier.

The whole point of an online forum is for us to seek help from the community hive mind. Ideally people have real experience with links to specific SKUs that fit the bill, but sometimes it takes time for that to surface.

For people to snarkily imply we're stupid or lazy for asking is not helpful.

High Wire said:

I have fixtures throughout the boat that take 1156 single contact bayonett bulbs. I bought a bunch of cheap LED replacements that were not as bright as the original incandescent. Then I bought a set of these for $16.
Wow what a difference!!! Easily twice as bright as the incandescent bulbs. Maybe 3X the cheap LEDs. No need to replace the fixtures.

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It took me a few tries before I settled on a bulb I liked from Amazon, too. The first few attempts were too dim, too harsh, the wrong color tone, etc.

CAUTION: I found some that were bright enough, and the right color, but one of them overheated. Filled the whole cabin with the acrid smell of burnt components and left a burn mark on the (thankfully) metal reflector inside the fixture. I'm sure the boat would have burned to the waterline if I hadn't been there to turn it off. Checking around, I found two others from the same batch with burnt spots on them.

Not surprisingly, they were no longer available. The seller replaced them with a different model that was OK, but not quite as bright. I tried another batch. This time I'm pretty happy with them. But I have a box full of "tried and replaced" LED bulbs.

Moral of the story: don't expect the first batch of LED bulbs you buy to be your last. Better yet, buy one or two of each of a few different types before you invest in more. And never, never leave them on unattended until you're sure of the quality.

MVDarlin said:

Try ebay

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Be careful with Ebay sources. I’ve bought them for house, cars and boats. Had a lot of failures. On my third set of Ebay lights in my kitchen at home in under a year.

Mkeller said:

Be careful with Ebay sources. I’ve bought them for house, cars and boats. Had a lot of failures. On my third set of Ebay lights in my kitchen at home in under a year.

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Never mind the sources, be careful with eBay! They removed the seller before he shipped my order. But eBay had already put the payment through PayPal. eBay refused to refund me, and sent me to PayPal. PayPal said I had to contact the seller (who, remember, no longer existed) or they couldn't help me for 30 days, after which I could submit a claim. I waited the 30 days, but then could not get anyone to answer the phone at PayPal.

The dispute is now going through my credit card company.

Never again!

All of which makes dealing with someone like Marinebeam much cheaper in the end when you factor in time spent and total cost of ownership.

Looks like OLD TOBY has given up on us.

Put these in the bridge a couple of years ago, worked fine. They were $30 but now 40+

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XAEAHC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

CaptTom said:

Never mind the sources, be careful with eBay! They removed the seller before he shipped my order. But eBay had already put the payment through PayPal. eBay refused to refund me, and sent me to PayPal. PayPal said I had to contact the seller (who, remember, no longer existed) or they couldn't help me for 30 days, after which I could submit a claim. I waited the 30 days, but then could not get anyone to answer the phone at PayPal.

The dispute is now going through my credit card company.

Never again!

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Gees, I use Ebay all the time for numerous purchases. All purchases paid using PayPal via direct payment from my checking account. And yes, I had troubles with sellers a couple of times but never ever got stiffed. Many years ago PayPal would not stand behind a purchase that didn’t arrive. They claimed they would refund my payment AFTER they collected it from the seller.

I gave up and forgot about it until a couple of years later I was notified of a class action suit against PayPal which I joined. My purchase price for the item was about $115. About 6 months after joining the class action suit I received a check for $175 from PayPal. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PAYPAL PROBLEMS since the class action. Further, never had trouble contacting either Ebay or PayPal by phone.

I do over a thousand eBay transactions per year as a buyer. Maybe four problems, all refunded within weeks whether the seller cooperated or not.

Basically a 100% NQAMBG, both eBay and PayPal take the buyer's side even when they are the scammer (please don't abuse this!).

As a vendor, eBay is my very last choice of platform, for exactly the same reason.