LED strip lights

[oldbilbo]

....available at some LIDL stores on Monday 3 June.

Any experience of these to offer? Usable, with modification, with 12v on board?

 

[William_H]

From China these
http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-5M-500CM-18W-Warm-White-3528-SMD-LED-Strip-Lights-300-Leds-p-27384
or these
http://www.banggood.com/Waterproof-...oration-Flexible-Led-Light-Strip-p-72772.html
The latter are 5050 type with 3 LED in each chip possibly more efficient and I think can be cut down to one or more lights.
The first type are single LED in each chip so can only be cut up into multiples of 3
As you can see vastly cheaper or more of them than the LIDL ones but do not have a transformer for 240v and do not have the metal housing. Each LED may be much lower pwered than LIDL not sure.
I have used some of the first type for cupboad illumination at home using a 12v transformer. Just brilliant. the strip being so long there are no shadows. The cupboards are walk in type normal door sized door frame. I lined the inside of the door frame with the self adhesive strip each side and top. You can see clearly under shelves etc. You just cut off as much as you want and solder wires to the pads.
Yes they are designed for cars 12v so no problem on the boat. Yes they do have resistive current limiting so will lose brightness as battery voltage falls and may be a concern at high battery voltage like 15v from high charge rate (engine or charger) I would risk it especially at the price. The LIDL ones would be the same. good luck olewill

 

[single]

Those Lidl ones are great if they need to be fitted in an area on view but I like the led strips William suggested, as long as they are fitted in a recess (unless you want the boat looking like a fairground!) I put them in the main saloon in the recess under port/stbd windows and they give loads of light.If you get RGB you can select red or blue etc for night sailing.

 

[concentrik]

I've had a number of these on board for nearly two years now. Wired direct to lighting circuits, I just cut off the PSU they supply and left the 12v plug on. They have been subjected to supply variations to 14.8v, sudden sags and alternator switching - no problems. The light is warm enough to be cosy. The touch sensor for on-off switching is consistent and reliable. They look good and I thoroughly recommend them.

 

[single]

I've had a number of these on board for nearly two years now. Wired direct to lighting circuits, I just cut off the PSU they supply and left the 12v plug on. They have been subjected to supply variations to 14.8v, sudden sags and alternator switching - no problems. The light is warm enough to be cosy. The touch sensor for on-off switching is consistent and reliable. They look good and I thoroughly recommend them.

Which? The Lidl ones?

 

[concentrik]

.

Which? The Lidl ones?

Yep, as referred to by the OP