LED lighting

Ok time to get a little more specific having had another look at the problem.

The boat is 29 years old, the wiring is in pretty good nick BUT naturally over the years stuff appears to have been removed, added and changed.
The current 6 gang main switch panel is woefully inadequate.
The radar for example works by using a switch labelled Deck light!

So I'm coming to the conclusion that I need to re-design the wiring layout so I've got half a chance of knowing what does what, especially as I want to change from florescent to led lighting, update some pretty aged nav electronics, new hifi, a dsc radio with command mic etc.

In terms of lighting I want normal cabin lights to light six areas,
two double qtr berths,
Galley,
nav table,
main saloon
heads & wet gear area (up front)
I also want to be able to switch to red lighting for these areas as we will be doing a reasonable amount of night sailing.

There appear to be a number of lighting solutions but far fewer suitable switches.

I did hear of led systems that will do both red and white light are these any good or am I better off with two separate systems.
 
I rewired my boat completely and changed to LED red and white fittings, but I made them myself and fitted them to the existing fittings. Pretty easy and very cheap to make then just epoxy the vero board into the fitting.

I have each light with its own 2 way switch (on-off-on) on the fitting itself, all the interior lighting is powered up from one switch on the fuse panel, then switched on to white or red individually depending on what you want. That way if watchkeeping you can just have the light above the kettle or chart table on when making a brew and not disturb the off watch. I wouldn't connect it up to the navlights because you can't then turn it off if you are sleeping in watches and night sailing.

Ross
 
Javelin said:
Ok time to get a little more specific having had another look at the problem.

The boat is 29 years old, the wiring is in pretty good nick BUT naturally over the years stuff appears to have been removed, added and changed.
The current 6 gang main switch panel is woefully inadequate.
The radar for example works by using a switch labelled Deck light!

So I'm coming to the conclusion that I need to re-design the wiring layout so I've got half a chance of knowing what does what, especially as I want to change from florescent to led lighting, update some pretty aged nav electronics, new hifi, a dsc radio with command mic etc.

In terms of lighting I want normal cabin lights to light six areas,
two double qtr berths,
Galley,
nav table,
main saloon
heads & wet gear area (up front)
I also want to be able to switch to red lighting for these areas as we will be doing a reasonable amount of night sailing.

There appear to be a number of lighting solutions but far fewer suitable switches.

I did hear of led systems that will do both red and white light are these any good or am I better off with two separate systems.
Click to expand...

Hi, I would love the opportunity to make a bespoke distribution board for you as my first customer and a launch all for the cost of the components only - e.g. fuse boxes, switches, cables, etc.

If you would be happy for me to photograph it as I built it. Or photograph it once it was installed.

I don't have a lot to do at the moment except try to launch into this kind of thing.

Southwold is great, a bit of a trek for me, but it is possible I could make it all and post it (just talking the distribution panel here), not a whole boat's wiring loom obviously.

Maybe I could make the journey to finish the job and spend a day or two sightseeing after I've finished.

You would dictate the design. I can do carbon fibre look alike for modern boats, nice varnished wood for other types of boat, even pyrography - burn a picture of your boat onto the board and LEDs light up when you turn nav lights on etc.

Anyway, offer is there - I love to work - and have some great designs for a distribution panels - would not cost a lot in parts and would be my model piece.

You'd just have to measure up where the board was to fit, send me a few photos, tell me what you want to run, if cable is all good and thick enough and not corroded, switching to LEDs will not overload it, so old wiring loom could stay in place.

Fuses boxes that show an LED when fuse blows are great and for those not upgrading, I have fuses that illuminate when they blow which are great in a car's fusebox - all for 60p a fuse or 40p a fuse to this forum.
 
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