LEDs again (I know, yawn)

ChattingLil

ChattingLil

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one by one, all the bulbs are failing in our cabins. Unfortunately, although the light fittings all look the same from the outside, so far every single one is different inside!

I would obvioulsy like to replace old bulbs with LEDs but I am struggling to know the difference between the various bayonets. Some are pygmy size, some are tiny, some have one contact point, some have two contact points, some have those things that stick out the side at the same level and some are offset. gaah. Does anyone know of a website that shows the various fittings so that I can identify them?

ALSO

what is the difference between this:
http://www.clasohlson.com/uk/LED-Festoon-Bulb/Pr364529000?gclid=CKW2wYGnprsCFWmWtAodTEMAQw
at £7.99

and something like this:
http://www.eachbuyer.com/2x-led-fes...utm_source=google&utm_medium=CSE&utm_content=[Car+Accessories]&utm_campaign=[PLA]England%28EN%29&gclid=CMyA-a2pprsCFS3JtAodjHMAfg
at mere pence...

??
 
ChattingLil said:
one by one, all the bulbs are failing in our cabins. Unfortunately, although the light fittings all look the same from the outside, so far every single one is different inside!

I would obvioulsy like to replace old bulbs with LEDs but I am struggling to know the difference between the various bayonets. Some are pygmy size, some are tiny, some have one contact point, some have two contact points, some have those things that stick out the side at the same level and some are offset. gaah. Does anyone know of a website that shows the various fittings so that I can identify them?

ALSO

what is the difference between this:
http://www.clasohlson.com/uk/LED-Festoon-Bulb/Pr364529000?gclid=CKW2wYGnprsCFWmWtAodTEMAQw
at £7.99

and something like this:
http://www.eachbuyer.com/2x-led-fes...utm_source=google&utm_medium=CSE&utm_content=[Car+Accessories]&utm_campaign=[PLA]England%28EN%29&gclid=CMyA-a2pprsCFS3JtAodjHMAfg
at mere pence...

??
Click to expand...

I've bought all my LEDs from boatlamps.co.uk and the website is very easy to identify which one you need. It also explains why the relatively expensive LEDs are better than the cheap ones. Whether you believe that explanation is entirely up to you.

If you want to try out the cheap ones, I would suggest using them only in the places that are easy to change bulbs, and buy a few spares just in case. For things like the masthead, put your trust in the more expensive ones. Even "expensive" is really not all that expensive.
 
I used LED replacements from www.searolf.com and their site does show different fittings. They also sell convertors for different bulb types.

For a reading lamp the MR16 base 48SMD is brilliant (warm white) and I replaced my halogen bulbs with G4-16SMD (warm white). Do be careful about enthusiastic claims for light output! I found that when someone says 'equivalent to 20W halogen' it was usually closer to 10W equivalent.

Not sure about the detail, but I think there was a thread on here not too long ago about some low cost LEDs not having voltage regulaton, and also some others that interfered with radios etc.
 
Probably no help but when I replaced the 'festoon' bulbs in our cabin lights I just removed the 2 bulbs and fitted a G4 module held in with one of those terminal blocks. That way you get loads more LEDs for your money. And the good quality G4 modules can handle 24v without going 'phut'. So should last forever.

Only problem is that the cabin is now rather too bright for night sailing at night!
 
I bought some cheap ones - they didn't last. Better to go for those which are suitable for marine use - and unreliable voltages. My current ones handle 9-30 volts. Two things we did were
*Check the colour temperature carefully - dont go for anything above 3000K as it'll be like an old style fluorescent
*We went for bulbs with all the LEDs forward facing to maximise light. It meant removing the wiring to our light fittings (which we kept) and fitting new bulb-holders -- excellent result!
Finally, I was very sceptical about the "4watt = 50wat halogen" claims. I didn't buy unless I could see light output in lumens.
 
When LED bulbs are sold for marine use they seem often to be offered as low EMI versions. I want some G4's for my saloon and cabins. Do I need to worry about EMI or will the ones from say LEDHut suffice? The nearest bulb would be about 1.0m from the course computer and 1.5m from the fluxgate?
 
If you buy cheap units, as linked by nigelmercier, they don't emit EMI as their regulation is purely resistive. I've bought from the same supplier to replace fluorescents and to date have had no failures, even though they're used at higher voltage on shore power. The problem is they are too bright - but I have a dimmer, yet to be installed!!
 
Ian_Rob said:
When LED bulbs are sold for marine use they seem often to be offered as low EMI versions. I want some G4's for my saloon and cabins. Do I need to worry about EMI or will the ones from say LEDHut suffice? The nearest bulb would be about 1.0m from the course computer and 1.5m from the fluxgate?
Click to expand...

+1 for LEDhut. I've got 6 of their G4s and their light delivery is excellent. Use the higher light in saloon and the lower in cabins but you could use the lower throughout. Got some good deals on light strings for the boat and you can track delivery to within a minute of actual arrival
 
Last edited:
Steve Clayton said:
+1 for LEDhut. I've got 6 of their G4s and their light delivery is excellent. Use the higher light in saloon and the lower in cabins but you could use the lower throughout. Got some good deals on light strings for the boat and you can track delivery to within a minute of actual arrival
Click to expand...

plus another for LED HUT. Do not use UltraLed.
 
Laurie said:
plus another for LED HUT. Do not use UltraLed.
Click to expand...

Just took a brief look at the Led Hut website, it returned nothing against the search "festoon", which is what the OP was asking about.

I also take issue with the second part of Laurie's post, perhaps he has had a bad experience of Ultra Leds, but I have had nothing but good experience over the past 10 years (and the ones I bought 10 years ago for the tricolour and white at the masthead of my previous boat were still working fine this summer).

Before buying led replacement bulbs (the simplest way to go as it involves no new light fittings and no modification of existing fittings), check the actual bulb size with a ruler. Many marine fittings use 42mm dome festoon bulbs, which neither of the 2 in the OP will fit. Then check the rating (Watts) of the original bulbs. A reasonably efficient led replacement of 1/10 that rating should give slightly less light than a halogen bulb and sllightly more than a tungsten bulb. Lastly, decide whether you want "cool white" or "warm white" the latter makes a closer match to normal tungsten bulbs.

Our current boat, a Moody 425, has 5 deckhead light fittings in the saloon / galley area, each with two 10W 42mm festoon dome bulbs. To solve the cool/warm question, we first bought two of each and put them in two fittings. The bulbs arrived the day after order, 2 years ago and are still working fine. The warm white matched the colour of the old bulbs, but are a bit brighter, the cool white, subjectively, seem brighter but not so cosy, so we left the cool white over the cooker and ordered warm white for the rest. Again, delivery the following day.

From this: http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/264-42mm-6-wa-smt-leds-festoon-1w-11w-output-warm-white.html

you will see that these units are good for 10 - 30V, so will deal comfortably with battery overvoltage caused by smart alternator controllers (rarely over 15V.) The claimed current draw has been confirmed by measurement and I have no problem with the claim of 1W=11W in that with two identical fittings, side by side, one with 2 of these led replacement bulbs, the other with 2 normal 10W bulbs, the led one is clearly giving more light. Just waiting now for the stock of normal bulbs to run down and we will do the same in other cabins.

So impressed was I with service from Ultra Leds, that I went back to them this autumn when building a new kitchen. Their help desk were very patient in answering my questions as I worked up the design so that I was able to place my order with confidence. We now have it all in commission with led strip around the plinth and led striplights both inside and under the wall cupboards, finishes the project beautifully at less than 1/10 of the price a kitchen shop wanted to supply similar kit. So again, Ultra Leds have come up trumps for me.

I would add that I have no connection with Ultrleds, other than as a satisfied customer as described here.
 
PeterWright said:
Just took a brief look at the Led Hut website, it returned nothing against the search "festoon", which is what the OP was asking about.

I also take issue with the second part of Laurie's post, perhaps he has had a bad experience of Ultra Leds, but I have had nothing but good experience over the past 10 years (and the ones I bought 10 years ago for the tricolour and white at the masthead of my previous boat were still working fine this summer).

Before buying led replacement bulbs (the simplest way to go as it involves no new light fittings and no modification of existing fittings), check the actual bulb size with a ruler. Many marine fittings use 42mm dome festoon bulbs, which neither of the 2 in the OP will fit. Then check the rating (Watts) of the original bulbs. A reasonably efficient led replacement of 1/10 that rating should give slightly less light than a halogen bulb and sllightly more than a tungsten bulb. Lastly, decide whether you want "cool white" or "warm white" the latter makes a closer match to normal tungsten bulbs.

Our current boat, a Moody 425, has 5 deckhead light fittings in the saloon / galley area, each with two 10W 42mm festoon dome bulbs. To solve the cool/warm question, we first bought two of each and put them in two fittings. The bulbs arrived the day after order, 2 years ago and are still working fine. The warm white matched the colour of the old bulbs, but are a bit brighter, the cool white, subjectively, seem brighter but not so cosy, so we left the cool white over the cooker and ordered warm white for the rest. Again, delivery the following day.

From this: http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/264-42mm-6-wa-smt-leds-festoon-1w-11w-output-warm-white.html

you will see that these units are good for 10 - 30V, so will deal comfortably with battery overvoltage caused by smart alternator controllers (rarely over 15V.) The claimed current draw has been confirmed by measurement and I have no problem with the claim of 1W=11W in that with two identical fittings, side by side, one with 2 of these led replacement bulbs, the other with 2 normal 10W bulbs, the led one is clearly giving more light. Just waiting now for the stock of normal bulbs to run down and we will do the same in other cabins.

So impressed was I with service from Ultra Leds, that I went back to them this autumn when building a new kitchen. Their help desk were very patient in answering my questions as I worked up the design so that I was able to place my order with confidence. We now have it all in commission with led strip around the plinth and led striplights both inside and under the wall cupboards, finishes the project beautifully at less than 1/10 of the price a kitchen shop wanted to supply similar kit. So again, Ultra Leds have come up trumps for me.

I would add that I have no connection with Ultrleds, other than as a satisfied customer as described here.
Click to expand...

Hi,
I'm happy that you have been pleased with UltraLeds, that is good.

However, many, of which I am but one, have not had good experience dealing with this company, and this has been extensively discussed on another thread, so I wont go through it again here.
I was just endorsing the findings of another with LedHut through my own experience, and the same with UltraLed, indeed as you have done. This is what makes these threads so valuable?
 
Hi Laurie,

I read that previous thread before we bought the led replacement bulbs for Wild Thyme and remember thinking that it read like a forum feeding frenzy, where many commented vehemently on the experience of a few. But then my view was undoubtedly coloured by my own earlier experience. In the end, if a led bulb in the saloon fails early, I guess I've only lost 3 quid. And, as I said, they do sell what the OP is looking for whereas Led Hut don't, as far as I can see.

Hi Nigel,

Agreed. I feel more comfortable with a properly regulated unit, as it will cope better with the voltage fluctuations from an alternator charged battery and we do have a Sterling smart controller on the alternator...
 
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