Incandescent vs LED. Straight Swap ?

[Jon magowan]

My mast is coming down in a few weeks for some work. I thought I should take the opportunity to swap all the incandescent bulbs (anchor, steaming and deck light) for their LED equivalent.

It should just be a straight swap, right ?

Is there anything I should be aware of ?

 

[rogerthebodger]

Some years ago I changed all my nav lights to LED.

I use cool white in the anchor, stern and steaming lights and the Tri and bi colour with warm white

All look the correct colour through the colour lensed and the cool white give extended brightness thus range

 

[noelex]

Some LED "bulbs" are polarity sensitive unlike incandescent bulbs.

Also keep in mind that the navigation lights will no longer be certified and may not met the legal requirements re cut off etc.

 

[neil_s]

No point in changing the steaming light!

 

[Sandy]

It should just be a straight swap, right ?

Yes

Is there anything I should be aware of ?

No

Boatlamps - Marine LED bulbs and replacement lamps for all boats is the place to go.​

 

[Ian_Rob]

When I changed the the anchor light bulb I went for a dusk to dawn bulb from Boatlamps which has a certainly usefulness in saving electricity….

 

[[199490]]

Some LED "bulbs" are polarity sensitive unlike incandescent bulbs.

Also keep in mind that the navigation lights will no longer be certified and may not met the legal requirements re cut off etc.

That’s an interesting point, you get the same issue with cars where it is not permitted to fit LED bulbs in headlights unless it can be shown to have the same beam pattern in cars older than a certain age ( it was banned completely up until last year). You can replace the complete assembly but not just the bulb. I recently bought these for the Spitfire Pair of LED Headlights H4 Hi/Lo Beam Conversion 9-32V Cool White or Wa. I also have a set of the Angel Eyes style but not convinced they suit it.

 

[rotrax]

Some LED "bulbs" are polarity sensitive unlike incandescent bulbs.

Also keep in mind that the navigation lights will no longer be certified and may not met the legal requirements re cut off etc.

Some of the thirty year old plus plasic lenses I see on boats woul probably not pass the legal requirement either. As there is no MOT, what should one do?

If I can see a red, green or white during darkness, my instinct is to keep clear anyway. A few degrees is unlikely to have much effect. My LED Nav Lamp bulbs, by purely empirical measurement, walking back as far as possible and spotting when they cut off, was about the same as the incandesant bulbs. Certainly good enough for me as a practical sailor involved in mostly coastal cruising.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Some of the thirty year old plus plasic lenses I see on boats woul probably not pass the legal requirement either. As there is no MOT, what should one do?

If I can see a red, green or white during darkness, my instinct is to keep clear anyway. A few degrees is unlikely to have much effect. My LED Nav Lamp bulbs, by purely empirical measurement, walking back as far as possible and spotting when they cut off, was about the same as the incandesant bulbs. Certainly good enough for me as a practical sailor involved in mostly coastal cruising.

As incandescent bulb in my Bi colour nav light extends the colour past the strict angle due to refraction in the lens.

The only way to reduce the angle is to fit cover boards to limit light refraction even with certified angles of display.

We do have tugs in our port displaying nav lights when steaming in the aft direction

 

[lustyd]

Also keep in mind that the navigation lights will no longer be certified and may not met the legal requirements re cut off etc.

The same is true if you replace with an aftermarket filament bulb which I’m sure many people have done.

 

[Jon magowan]

No point in changing the steaming light!

I’m scratching my head. I know I’m going to regret asking this, but why not ?

 

[RunAgroundHard]

I’m scratching my head. I know I’m going to regret asking this, but why not ?

Motoring, therefore alternator charging, therefore the higher incandescent current draw is not really noticed. However, why carry two different types of lamp. Just stock LEDs and therefore change the steaming light bulb to LED..

 

[rogerthebodger]

Motoring, therefore alternator charging, therefore the higher incandescent current draw is not really noticed. However, why carry two different types of lamp. Just stock LEDs and therefore change the steaming light bulb to LED..

I changed mine due to the extra brightness and longer life of LED

 

[Refueler]

Two technical reasons about LED's that are part of the "Also keep in mind that the navigation lights will no longer be certified and may not met the legal requirements re cut off etc."

1. The white 'light' may not in combination with the coloured lens be of correct colour.
2. The LED light elements may not distribute light in same plane as the incandescent ... when striking the lens - can cause deflection of the light. Note that the lens usually has ridges to work with the lamps.

But lets be honest - the likely hood of anyone being taken to task on this is highly unlikely ... plus we are not like a heavy ship that can hold a course and lights angle stay reasonable constant in anothers view ... so your lights will be swinging around anyway ...

 

[lustyd]

All the imagined reasons LED may not be compliant but the simple fact is that those of us who have done the swap know ours is the easiest boat to spot in an anchorage at night.
The only reason your lights aren’t compliant is because it’s not the OEM bulb that gained compliance. As I said above, the manual states third party incandescent bulbs also lose that certification even if they are identical. That’s how compliance works.

 

[Refueler]

I said PART of the reason ...

 

[pandos]

Some that are polarity sensitive may not work unless you swap the wiring...

I put a tricolour lamp from Boatlamps into my bi colour deck level light and it seems super. Very well defined colour and I suspect substantially better range...and of course less energy used..

 

[noelex]

But lets be honest - the likely hood of anyone being taken to task on this is highly unlikely

I think the only risk would be if there was a serious accident/collision at night particularly one involving the loss of life.

 

[Refueler]

I think the only risk would be if there was a serious accident/collision at night particularly one involving the loss of life.

And you really think using an LED instead of filament bulb is going to be considered a contributory factor ??

 

[neil_s]

I’m scratching my head. I know I’m going to regret asking this, but why not ?

The motor will be running to keep your battery charged!