Mood Lighting

jfm said:
Hmmm. I don't agree all that. The dimmers are very tolerant of differing LED strip lengths normally. You just need to be inside the dimmer's rating, which is generally easy, and if not you just add an amplifier downstream of the dimmer. All these dimmers and amplifiers are a few £ only on eBay. Your proposed potentiometer method is very crude. The correct dimmers are switching transistors and they turn the LEDs on/off thousands of times a second, way faster than the eye can see. To dim they just turn the LEDs off for a few more microseconds in each cycle and turn them on for less time (pulse width modulation) , which is wholly different from using a potentiometer. I wouldn't use a potentiometer at all in this sort of project when proper dimmers are available for a few pounds
Click to expand...
Yep sure the pot is very crude and was more of an experiment.. but it does work for adjusting to a one-off light level, once you get the right resistance. I found the strips to be too harsh so dropping down a fraction was fine.
In fairness, I think it depends on what we mean by led strip length.. I ve tried your ebay linked remote dimmers with short lengths, as in under seat 30-50cm, and the dim range is no use. But take 1.5 metre plus and it gets better. Go longer, even better. So, yes , dimmers are available for a few pounds, but they don't work with short lengths- I ve tried !
And OP did say under seat...I was experimenting down the edge of seats, and here it proved a bit critical. Take a run underneath a run of seats, and yes, not much of an issue.
So, I suggest you will need at least 1.5m led strip length for these dimmers to work within a useful dimmer range. Maybe it depends on quite what mood your are in, he he ..
 
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Ok fair enough. I must admit I don't have less than about 1.5m (= 90 LEDs or so) on one of those dimmers. I don't see why it should make a difference but if it does then so be it

Are you putting the pot in series with the LED strip, or in parallel = shorted across the output from the dimmer?
 
jfm said:
Ok fair enough. I must admit I don't have less than about 1.5m (= 90 LEDs or so) on one of those dimmers. I don't see why it should make a difference but if it does then so be it

Are you putting the pot in series with the LED strip, or in parallel = shorted across the output from the dimmer?
Click to expand...
In series.I cant recall how many ohms for a short run, but small, but then as I mentioned I was merely trying to reduce to a bit of underseat mood lighting rather than enjoy hospital operating room illumination ! I did use one of those dimmers on a longer run, but found I have no need to vary once set and anyway the flashing sequences wouldn't match the glitter ball ;)
 
jimmy_the_builder said:
Is the led strip lighting bright enough, undimmed, to use as utility lighting in the engine room?
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I think that really depends on how much illumination you are after, Jimmy. I'd say it will show you where the engine blocks are in the dark ! But unless sited very close, not enough to do any tinkering. Bit like a poor torch.
As an aside, the normal strips seems cool enough, but the waterproof ones get damn hot-like too hot to touch.
I'll try to look up these connectors. Another point is fixing. I dare say you can get this will genuine 3M super adhesive backing, but I suggest a bead of silicon is going to work better.
 
jrudge said:
yes - get the bright white one. They sell two densities of LEDs per metre - get the higher density one.

They are plenty bright enough for an ER.
Click to expand...

Plus 1, have a mate that works in the commercial signage industry, picked up about 5 feet of strip lighting and installed in the engine bay, looks like Blackpool illuminations lol.

Will be installing on the new boat
 
gjgm said:
I think that really depends on how much illumination you are after, Jimmy. I'd say it will show you where the engine blocks are in the dark ! But unless sited very close, not enough to do any tinkering. Bit like a poor torch.
As an aside, the normal strips seems cool enough, but the waterproof ones get damn hot-like too hot to touch.
I'll try to look up these connectors. Another point is fixing. I dare say you can get this will genuine 3M super adhesive backing, but I suggest a bead of silicon is going to work better.
Click to expand...

As long as you clean the surface with alcohol wipes the 3 m pads will work fine
 
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+1 for the engineroom. I've got led strips in an aluminium profile all over the engine bay. dot of Tec7 on the back to fix.
Will have to cut them of if they fail but so far so good.
 
lanerboy said:
i have bought a load of these now

http://marinestore.co.uk/Hella_Easy...t_with_Chrome_Plated_Cap___Mulit_Voltage.html ,

what cable should i use to install them
Click to expand...

Just use the same gauge as the light fittings.

Pop along to an electrical whole sale company and buy the required length and colour and a good number of suitable connectors.

Are you wiring the new lights to the Existing deck light circuit? If so you will need to ensure that this is done correctly.

Alternatively you will need to wire in a new circuit and switch
 
Good choice

They're 50mA each, so 20 of them is one amp. Therefore 1mm sq tinned marine cable will be perfectly fine unless you are fitting a lot of these.

I've bought plenty of cable from this seller and found him/her very reliable and it good quality. If you're buying a reel of cable you might as well buy the 1.5mm then it is more useful for other jobs. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-5mm-21-...766?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item53feb91436

The lights have just short wire tails so you'll need to buy some butt splice crimps, ideally the heatshrink ones. - probably the blue size http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heatshrin...t=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item257e6fe2e4
 
Thanks all

I have bought some 1mm cable in white from my local Newey and Eyre electrical wholesaler on the ind est £16 + vat for 50m roll, cheers JFM I have lots of those blue connectors at work so put some in a bag also got some very small self stick trunking to rum all the cable in once inside the lockers etc to keep it tidy.

Also bought 3 of these I can hide away just in case I need them, looks big in the picture but actually only about 15mm diameter

round_rocker_switch_large_zpssmfialjg.jpg
 
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jfm said:
Ok fair enough. I must admit I don't have less than about 1.5m (= 90 LEDs or so) on one of those dimmers. I don't see why it should make a difference but if it does then so be it
Click to expand...

Depends on the type of trigger and its rating.
I have Lutron Rania dimmers at home, rated for 50w up to 250 or 400 watts (incandescent)
The triacs require a load on them to trigger, but so far mine are working ok down to about 14 watts of led on them (these were developed before LED technology was what it is now)
Lutron actually sell a ballast load specifically for them for use with LED. Which to my mind sort of takes away the energy efficient bit....
 
Ah, ok, if someone is using triac dimmers for dc led then they will get worse performance than with a proper led dimmer. The triac dimmer chops on/ off at 50hz obviously and with a ramping current and voltage. A proper led dimmer has a clock to switch on and off and so is much faster than 50 hz, and has a square waveform. Triacs really belong with ac dimming and are a bit compromise ish with led.
 
Yes John I got them yesterday and have fitted them all today I will try and take pics tomorrow, oh the dimmer you told me about works a treat I am well chuffed with it :encouragement:

Fitted 7 blue in the cockpit and 3 white down the steps into the saloon

cheers shawn
 
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