Halogen ceiling spots: 2009 Princess 54

Scubaboy79

Member
Joined
13 Dec 2014
Messages
121
Visit site
Hi - quick question. Where do you buy replacement halogen spotlights for your boat? I’m guessing these need to be 24v as they run off the 24v circuit? Amazon doesn’t have much for 24v….
 

Hurricane

Well-known member
Joined
11 Nov 2005
Messages
9,385
Location
Sant Carles de la Ràpita
Visit site
I think you will find that the original ones were made by Cantalupi
We have a similar aged Princess and our are.
We have them everywhere.
See here
Home – Classic - Cantalupi Lighting
IMO, Cantalupi lights are an example of how good the marine industry is at "ripping us off".
Expensive and aren't very good either - the little springs break off

Why not have a look at some cheaper domestic alternatives.
Yes, you will need 24v but that is just the bulb.
Maybe take this opportunity of changing them to LED and save power/heat etc.
There isn't anything magic in the technology.
They are just a hole cut in the ceiling so any make will do - just find something that fits with the appropriate connector to fit LEDs
Lots of people on here will be able to point you to suitable LED bulbs units that will fit.

When the boat was new, they were fitted externally on my radar arch.
Rusted through within a year or so.
I contacted Cantalupi and asked them for an external unit - maybe in Stainless Steel - I even offered to pay to upgrade them even though they were under warranty.
They said that the units are perfectly good for outside use - I couldn't think how to answer that comment.
So, I accepted the replacements that they sent me and kept them for spares for the internal ones (being the same unit).
And I then bought a cheap alternative fitting from Amazon and some coloured LED units - I think I also fitted a 24v to 12v converter.
That was about 10 years ago - my cheap ones are still going strong.
 

Scubaboy79

Member
Joined
13 Dec 2014
Messages
121
Visit site
Thanks everyone. Switching to LED definitely on the list, but where do people buy the 24v halogen spots (the bulb itself) in the meantime?
 

MapisM

Well-known member
Joined
11 Mar 2002
Messages
20,324
Visit site
Bulbs go in the garden, lamps go in light fittings !
I see your point in principle, but I had 66 (yes, sixty six!) halogen MR16 bulbs in my boat, when I bought her.
And I really struggled to find a half decent reason for replacing all those fittings, when LED bulbs with equivalent lumen and color temperature are easily available.

In fact (and I'm now talking to Scubaboy), I see no reason to buy any halogen bulbs.
If you don't want to bother with the full monty immediately, just replace the dead halogen bulbs with LEDs, and do the rest at your earliest convenience.
You might see some difference between a light with a halogen and one with an LED bulb, particularly if they are close each other.
But I'd rather live with that, at least temporarily, than with a silly 25W absorption to get the same light as a 3W LED.
 

dustywings

Active member
Joined
7 Aug 2011
Messages
438
Location
Home in Lymington boat in Mylor
Visit site
Changed all mine a couple of years ago really to save battery power for when at anchor. We have 78 lights including the cockpit! They were all 20w which I changed for 5w LEDs, I just changed the bulbs (which are actually slightly brighter) and not the light fittings.
I know you probably never have them all on at once but the total watts for the halogens were 1,560 compared to the LEDs which are just 390!
Not a cheap exercise though!
 

ashtead

Well-known member
Joined
17 Jun 2008
Messages
5,913
Location
Surrey and Gosport UK
Visit site
Take a gamble and buy one LED from your local chandlery and see if you like the light shade/brightness etc . Assuming you do many reliable on line suppliers . We have replaced in saloon and then working towards cabins. I just searched for boat lamps on forum search feature and went with supplier other had used with reliable results.
 

Scubaboy79

Member
Joined
13 Dec 2014
Messages
121
Visit site
Changed all mine a couple of years ago really to save battery power for when at anchor. We have 78 lights including the cockpit! They were all 20w which I changed for 5w LEDs, I just changed the bulbs (which are actually slightly brighter) and not the light fittings.
I know you probably never have them all on at once but the total watts for the halogens were 1,560 compared to the LEDs which are just 390!
Not a cheap exercise though!

Hmm, maybe as seems to be the received wisdom, I should start replacing now then as they start to go…..

@dustywings presumably you used 24v LEDs and just changed the lamps/bulbs and left all the other hardware? Where did you get your lamps/bulbs from?

Thanks everyone for the advice!
 

Scubaboy79

Member
Joined
13 Dec 2014
Messages
121
Visit site
I see your point in principle, but I had 66 (yes, sixty six!) halogen MR16 bulbs in my boat, when I bought her.
And I really struggled to find a half decent reason for replacing all those fittings, when LED bulbs with equivalent lumen and color temperature are easily available.

In fact (and I'm now talking to Scubaboy), I see no reason to buy any halogen bulbs.
If you don't want to bother with the full monty immediately, just replace the dead halogen bulbs with LEDs, and do the rest at your earliest convenience.
You might see some difference between a light with a halogen and one with an LED bulb, particularly if they are close each other.
But I'd rather live with that, at least temporarily, than with a silly 25W absorption to get the same light as a 3W LED.

Wise words…
 

Andy Bav

Active member
Joined
8 Jun 2013
Messages
770
Location
kent. Boat in Sant Carles
Visit site
If you do go down the LED route, look at voltages carefully, especially if you are a 24v boat.

I bought some off amazon.es that were "12 - 24v" but we are putting out, 25 - 26v.. Turns out that 24v was the maximum input, confirmed by a few bulbs going pop...

The data on amazon stated "ideal for boats and caravans"...

The ones we eventually used were rated 10 - 30v, and so far no issues...
 

Scubaboy79

Member
Joined
13 Dec 2014
Messages
121
Visit site
If you do go down the LED route, look at voltages carefully, especially if you are a 24v boat.

I bought some off amazon.es that were "12 - 24v" but we are putting out, 25 - 26v.. Turns out that 24v was the maximum input, confirmed by a few bulbs going pop...

The data on amazon stated "ideal for boats and caravans"...

The ones we eventually used were rated 10 - 30v, and so far no issues...

Good call. Having to figure out basics of electricity (watts v volts etc.) is making me wish I concentrated harder at school in physics….
 

petem

Well-known member
Joined
16 May 2001
Messages
18,644
Location
Cotswolds / Altea
www.fairlineownersclub.com
I think you will find that the original ones were made by Cantalupi
We have a similar aged Princess and our are.
We have them everywhere.
See here
Home – Classic - Cantalupi Lighting
IMO, Cantalupi lights are an example of how good the marine industry is at "ripping us off".
Expensive and aren't very good either - the little springs break off

Why not have a look at some cheaper domestic alternatives.
Yes, you will need 24v but that is just the bulb.
Maybe take this opportunity of changing them to LED and save power/heat etc.
There isn't anything magic in the technology.
They are just a hole cut in the ceiling so any make will do - just find something that fits with the appropriate connector to fit LEDs
Lots of people on here will be able to point you to suitable LED bulbs units that will fit.

When the boat was new, they were fitted externally on my radar arch.
Rusted through within a year or so.
I contacted Cantalupi and asked them for an external unit - maybe in Stainless Steel - I even offered to pay to upgrade them even though they were under warranty.
They said that the units are perfectly good for outside use - I couldn't think how to answer that comment.
So, I accepted the replacements that they sent me and kept them for spares for the internal ones (being the same unit).
And I then bought a cheap alternative fitting from Amazon and some coloured LED units - I think I also fitted a 24v to 12v converter.
That was about 10 years ago - my cheap ones are still going strong.
We have Cantalupis throughout on out 2003 boat. All of them are like new, even the ones in the radar arch.

If buying replacements, make sure that they are 316 stainless or they'll tarnish / rust.

IMP Products (Marine, Residential and Coachbuilding Products | IMP (improducts.co.uk) ) do a wide range and will have some that are visually identical to the Cantalupis.

As has been stated elsewhere, but LEDs with an inbuilt voltage regulator to cope with the 13.6v (or higher for 24v) that a boat will put out.
 
Top