LED lights for cabin and navigation.

A forum for discussing boat or trailer repairs or modifications that you have made or are considering.
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BOAT
Admiral
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Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:12 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Oceanside, CA MACMJ213 2013 ETEC60

Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by BOAT »

Excellent post RussMT
Image
Your getting pretty good at this webpost Forum stuff.

First off,
I really wish all of you could come to Oceanside Small Craft Harbor sometime - one thing I can tell you: "This Ain't Miami"
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There are no big cigarette boats or loud boom bass drug boats or pimped out skippers with gold chains - it's all pretty much people like me - middle to lower middle class boat owners; Older folks with older boats and everyone has oil and grease on their hands from working in the bilge. There is no room in this tiny harbor to even turn one of those big cigarette boats around. Just the sound of those huge engines alone would bring all 300 people out on deck to see what the heck was going on. (There are less than 20 slip piers in the whole harbor!) . The place looks more like Cape Cod than California:
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Now, up in Long Beach where we shove off to get to Catalina you get that stuff in spades. I'm talking world famous basketball and football stars you all know idle right past you in huge 50 foot cigar racers so loud at idle you can't yell to each other. Yup, at night to guys pull up at the docks across from the guest slips (those boats don't fit in guest slips) and they play Sade on huge stereos with LED light shows. I have seen that bling up north or down in San Diego, but your not gonna see that in Oceanside.
I wish, then I could ask one of them my LED questions - but - I'm okay because I have Disco Russ! Thanks to Russ I think I understand how to use these LED things. I'm gonna buy that one he posted today and it's little remote too!
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1st Sail
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Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by 1st Sail »

bought these: https://www.fisheriessupply.com/lunasea ... 189w-21-00

I replaced the OEM deck mount connector (last year). FYI BWYachts has a chrome plated/ brass 4pin which would have been my choice if available at the time.

Put a single throw double pole switch in the cabin header above the mirror. Up for the anchor light, middle for off, down for mast head.

4-Pin Polarized Electrical Connector - Plastic
Sku# 49433
Item ID SDL 426234-1
Mfg# 426234-1
Polarized Electrical Connector - Plastic
Other Details

These are very bright, clean color, 4100k color temp. (checked them with a Nikon color meter), low current draw.
9 LED Festoon Bulb
Sku# 383525
Item ID LUN LLB-189W-21-00
Mfg# LLB-189W-21-00
42mm Festoon 9 LED, Warm White
Other Details Color - Warm White
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kurz
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Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Zürich, Switzerland, Europe

Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by kurz »

oh thanks, I worried if it will match with the angle as it is not round. Ok than, will work...
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Russ
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Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by Russ »

BOAT wrote:First off,
I really wish all of you could come to Oceanside Small Craft Harbor sometime - one thing I can tell you: "This Ain't Miami"
Alright BOAT, you sold it. Next time I'm in SoCal I'm looking you up and going sailing in Oceanside.

--Russ
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Highlander
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Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by Highlander »

I was Just down in San Fran sailing for 5 days with Geoff & Leon on Leon,s 38ft Catalina , I coulda jumped on another flight from there if u had invited me ! :P

J 8)
green
Engineer
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Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Carolina Beach / Durham, NC (Jordan Lake)

Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by green »

Revisiting this old thread. If you were replacing your interior incandescents with LEDs today, which type would you get?

Same question for navigation lights.
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Jimmyt
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Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by Jimmyt »

For the interior lights, I went to the auto parts store and bought the sylvania LED equivalent automotive bulbs. Got the brightest, whitest bulbs they had (Admiral likes 5000k bulbs).

For the nav lights, you need to get nav LEDs. A bit pricey, but I am under the impression that the nav lights need to have the right color, so don't just use something that fits the fixture.

Had to re-wire two of my interior fixtures when I changed over due to the polarity being wrong from the factory.
Jimmyt
P-Cub-Boo
2013 26M, Etec 60, roller Genoa, roller main
Cruising Waters: Mobile Bay, Western Shore, Fowl River
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Russ
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Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by Russ »

I visited Amazon for LED replacements. Also found some fixtures were not wired polarity correct. ALL interior are now LEDs.

Nav...Did the same. One tip. Make sure you buy WARM WHITE LEDs. I bought some white LEDs and they made my nav light pink and turquoise. Not right. Warm white is what you need.

LEDs save me TONS of electrons.
--Russ
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Stickinthemud57
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Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by Stickinthemud57 »

+1 on the warm white, particularly for any cabin lights. Strictly a personal preference, but I find the 5000k (AKA daylight balance) a little harsh for my taste, not as "inviting" methinks.
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
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dlandersson
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Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by dlandersson »

Very nice pics 8)
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windypatrick
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Location: Puerto Vallarta, MX

Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by windypatrick »

https://macgregorsailors.com/mods/index ... em&id=1750

I did this mod several years ago, it has held up well. Sourced parts have likely changed, Maybe it will give you ideas.
leefrankpierce
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Location: Dallas Ft-Worth Texas

Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by leefrankpierce »

Someone mentioned that they had used LED's that were not polarity sensitive.
They have 2 leds, one in each polarity/direction that makes it seem not polarity sensitive.
26X in Dallas Fort-Worth area Texas
Slip at Eagle Mountain Lake
:macx:
green
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Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Carolina Beach / Durham, NC (Jordan Lake)

Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by green »

Closing the loop on the cabin lights. I purchased these LEDs and like the light color. No issues with polarity on my boat.

Bayshe 3W 12V BA15S S8 SC Bayonet...

adudinsk
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Location: Belle River Ontario

Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by adudinsk »

replaced all nav lights with LEDs 42mm bi pins...
SUPER bright compared to original bulbs

I also replaced all interior ones with LED.. again.. MUCH more light! (These were not bi pins)
And no heat..


Bought them on Wish .com for about $2 each.
I also installed a LED strip light RGB-W with controller inside along the under edge of the window walls.
Used waterproof strips (2 x 5m) the peel and stick is not great.. will fail FAST.. so I used a TINY TINY bit of hardware store silicone.. so it can be removed.
Everyone liked it.. now many other (non-Mac) sailors are doing it too.

AD
KonstantinAtHouston
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Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Houston, TX

Re: LED lights for cabin and navigation.

Post by KonstantinAtHouston »

green wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 10:09 am Closing the loop on the cabin lights. I purchased these LEDs and like the light color. No issues with polarity on my boat.

Bayshe 3W 12V BA15S S8 SC Bayonet...

I've bought very similar LEDs for in-cabin lights, happy with the result, no polarity issues either. 2002 M26X.
Slow learner: born in '59 and still 15...
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