CHEAP LED nav lights?

From the picture, I am assuming that these are white LEDs, for substitution into a car, perhaps. The problem is that a white LED light is not the same colour across the spectrum as from a tungsten light.

As a result of this, after passing through a coloured filter (ie red or green) the resulting colour will not be the same from an LED light source as obtained from an incandescent bulb. So the green may not look the same colour as it should be.

This is one reason why the "proper" LED nav lights ae expensive - getting the right colour is not trivial. The other reason is the usual one -low demand, yotty = high margins.
 
Ultraleds have similar which they claim have been approved for tricolour use.
The main concern was use of coloured LED's in place of incandescents in nav lights... I don't see how white lights through a colour lens or gel would be a problem as long as they are bright enough.
 
I have been toying with this one for a while and have pretty much decided that to be really sure of the installation I would need to use seperate LED units. The replacement bulbs are good, but the most clear light seems to be achieved by dedicated LEDs for each of the three colours.
 
The bulbs as shown in the pic usually have a voltage regulator in them. You can just see a green cicruit board in the linked pic in between the LEDs. They don't fluctuate their brightness with the varying voltages found in boat electrical systems.

I'm not saying they are suitable in other respects, just that brightness fluctuation is not a problem.
 
Seems to me that LED nav lights have to be the best for power consumption and long term reliability, however there are a couple of points to consider. If a full spec LED navlight such as the Lopo, Aquasignal, Hella etc does fail you would presumably have to replace the whole unit not just the bulb, very expensive and a problem if cruising a long way from supplier. Also I have heard that one particular manufacturers led bulb in a mast head unit does interfere with low power VHF signals.
So my current plan is to use the the Mast Bay 15D in conventional Aquasignal lamps but not at the masthead apart from the anchor light.
http://www.keysaver.nl/
http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/product_info....dd2d520f0a7ccbb
 
Was it the (UTRI) Ultra Mast TRi Colour Led Light BAY15D (4w = 28W) 11-28V unit? or the cheaper U114248WW (1142) 15mm Baynet 48 Warm White Leds With Voltage Reg ?
 
I agree with these with many of these comments. The issue of electrical interference is real as these wide voltage use bulbs incorporate a high frequency voltage converter to achieve high efficiency and are unlikely to have been designed with this in mind. Because these bulbs draw a very low current there is a greater chance of a bad contact between the bulb and bulb holder causing problems. Unlike an LED bulb it is possible the heat from a conventional bulb will help prevent condensation derived corrosion to the fitting. This particular bulb may be OK in individual single colour lights but not tricolours or combined Pt/Sbd lights where sector angles are important. I have a feeling realistically priced alternatives will become more available over the next year or so, the first of any type of product will be improved upon.
 
The radio interference issue is real. After trialling LED bulbs in my car sidelights and rear/stop lights (yes, technically illegal I know - but they kept blowing & this has fixed it) I put ultraled all-round 'white' light LED bulbs in my cabin lighting. With them switched on, my FM radio reception is almost nil. Probably not a good sign.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Was it the (UTRI) Ultra Mast TRi Colour Led Light BAY15D (4w = 28W) 11-28V unit? or the cheaper U114248WW (1142) 15mm Baynet 48 Warm White Leds With Voltage Reg ?

[/ QUOTE ] I tried the cheaper one, the only physically compatible one they had at that time ...
1142tower.jpg


I don't think it was "warm white" either, maybe that would be better for the red segment. Order description was "Ultraleds Light Tower 20 Wide Angle Leds (1142 Hella BaY15d)"
 
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