Chart table light: Decent one at last

Talulah

Talulah

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Recently we replaced the flexible chart table light with a proper one at last!
Out with the old black flexible type that had a standard torch bulb in the end. I'm sure people on here know the type. Virtually useless.

We have replaced it with a Prebit LED flexible light from Calibra Marine.
http://www.prebit.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=149&Itemid=237&lang=en

They are not cheap but the lights are brilliant.
 
So impressed were we with the new Chart table light that we have fitted several more Prebit lights.
Under the cupboards in the Galley, above the saloon table and wall lights.
 
Talulah said:
So impressed were we with the new Chart table light that we have fitted several more Prebit lights.
Under the cupboards in the Galley, above the saloon table and wall lights.
Click to expand...

They look great, is there a UK dealer
 
I installed exactly the same Prebit chart table light 3 years ago; also purchased from Calibra. I agree it is excellent. As well as being switchable between white and red, it is also dimable, all on a single button in the middle of the light.
 
Talulah said:
They are not cheap but the lights are brilliant.
Click to expand...

+0.8. (0.2 withheld for understatement in the first part). I'd been looking for 3 years for an above chart table, surface mount led which does red and white and you don't have to go through white to get to red. Surely everyone must want one and there must be plenty of choice? Sadly no. Calibra have the prebit one which is the same as Talulah's but without the "stalk" but at boat shows (which they seem to attend) I always asked the price and walked away. At southampton this year I finally cracked (having found nothing else) with the help of a bit of a discount. Quality exceeds expectations. It remembers your last setting (red/white). Not so sure about the fade on/off which whilst lovely in domestic lighting is not so appropriate for the cart table. Main problem is that it's way too upmarket for my westerly. More suited to those fancy moodys.

Anyone else had the same problem searching for an appropriate above-chart-table LED and found a cheaper solution?
 
Anyone else had the same problem searching for an appropriate above-chart-table LED and found a cheaper solution?

Well, the person I crewed for for many years made a storage rack/tray for pencils and other chart-table odds and ends incorporating some small bulbs, ( red and white) and some miniature switches.

Probably when he made it the bulbs, holders and switches did not amount to more than a fiver.

It provided adequate chart table lighting

These days you'd make it with LEDS and would not cost any more.
 
Talulah said:
Out with the old black flexible type that had a standard torch bulb in the end. I'm sure people on here know the type. Virtually useless.
Click to expand...

I kept the one of those on Kindred Spirit when I replaced every other bulb on board with LEDs - the reason being that I planned to put a standard dimmer in line with it, which will only work with incandescents. I never did add the dimmer, but I have to say I never had any problem with the light.

What's so useless about them?

Pete
 
prv said:
I kept the one of those on Kindred Spirit when I replaced every other bulb on board with LEDs - the reason being that I planned to put a standard dimmer in line with it, which will only work with incandescents. I never did add the dimmer, but I have to say I never had any problem with the light.

What's so useless about them?

Pete
Click to expand...

I've just bought an Ikea LED desk gooseneck light for £10. It has a single 3W white LED and would be great on a chart table. Unfortunately it is not 12V, you'd need a 4V 750mA constant current circuit to drive it.
I'm sure these will get cheaper.

I also got some strips of LEDs to work as pelmet lights under a bookshelf, these are 12V and give a good spread of light. £11, with a transformer that will power more leds too.
I'm using these in my workshop, not on a boat.
 
I long ago gave up using chart table lights. If they were bright enough to read the whole chart they were certainly bright enough to destroy all hope of night vision.

I use a head torch, which does switch to red but I seldom use it. This covers the whole chart with the greatest of ease. Everything on the boat must have at least 2 uses. My head torch looks into hundreds of places.
 
Off the back of this thread I bought the same Prebit chart light except without the base, lovely bit of kit and very useable.

Going through Calibra Marine also led me to some Prebit LED ceiling lights. I've been searching for months and buying samples from the likes of Labcraft but its all been absolute rubbish. Cheap, plasticky, cold white light etc.

The lady at Calibra was extremely helpful with plenty of good advice, she sent me some samples on sale or return, great service.

And the lights are just what I hoped for, well built, robust, good finish, nice soft, warm light but still bright enough. The model I am going for can switch between red and white and also have a built in dimmer function on the push button. Also they can be networked together in groups so what you do to one, happens to the rest, you can also connect the "master" light to a remote switch which turns them all on or off.

It goes without saying they're not cheap but I think they're a reasonable price for the quality.
 
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