LED Question for Moe (or anyone else knowledgable!)

[Moe]

Let's see what Jack reports of his experience with these re: "moonlight" and the 90 degree spread. It sounds like a lot to me.

I've actually considered using some bike accessories on the boat, especially the Rumble Road stereo for cockpit speakers. Maybe if you could find something in stainless it would work if you could get it sealed up. Powdercoat would be my second choice, but it and chrome on most bike products aren't over better suited base metal like bronze used in marine applications.

I wouldn't be surprised if most of the marine spreader lights use the same 35W sealed beam as that used in motorcycle running lights. I haven't found an LED replacement for those... yet.

[goddardw]

http://www.superlumination.com/ has a varity of LEDs and fixtures that are 12 vdc ready. I've changed all the lights on my 83 Mac 25 to these LEDs The five cabin lights fixtures total 0.160 amps!

[mssydnie]

Great discussion. Can somebody who replaced their std bulbs with the LED bulbs tell us exactly which bulb they used so I can order some...both for running lights and interior lights.

[Moe]

To be able to have the LEDs pointing downward in the cabin lights, several have used the www.SuperbrightLEDs.com printed circuit board lights. I'd



I wouldn't try to use them in the factory nav lights. An LED replacement in the Aqua Signal 20 lights used on the older Xs would point straight up. You could put one of Superbright's festoon bulbs in the Hella Marine nav lights used on the newer Xs and Ms, but I don't recommend it. Your nav lights are required to have an angle of 225 degrees forward (both the red/green and masthead light) and 135 degrees at the stern. The festoon bulbs have the LEDs pointing in the same direction and their angle of light is MUCH less than that required at only 30 degrees (15 on either side) to their half brightness points. Plus I doubt one to fit would come anywhere close to the required 2 mile visibility, even on-axis.

[Jack O'Brien]

Moe, et.al.:

IIRC when I bought the 2-LED lamp it was called a "companionway" lamp. I don't know if it is the same as the white Hella in the WM catalog that I posted above, but it looks like it.

Yes, it gives enough "moonlight" to see the deck if it is dark. Maybe = to about a quarter moon. Not as strong as half moon but certainly useable. I would not want it stronger. It obviates the need for a flashlight for seeing the deck when going forward to the anchor but is not strong enough to see the rode and furler well enough, especially in the shadow of my body. By lighting the deck it helps the powerboat idiots running thru the Key West anchorage full speed at night help see my boat as they are probably not looking up for mast-top anchor lights.

Not sure about the 90-degree spread. I have it mounted parallel to the starboard spreader about a foot from the mast. It illuminates an area from mid-cockpit to in front of the windows (which might be 90-degrees) and, I think, the full width of the deck. I have never thought I needed one on the port spreader. It is bright enough that it slightly illuminates the v-berth through the tinted windows if otherwise dark inside. I have turned it off when I did not like it shining in my eyes as I lay on the v-berth.

[ken]

One of the folks on the Potter-19 has some pictures of the LEDs he installed in his boat, you can se how they compare to the std. bulbs.

http://www.casteyanqui.com/harriedpotte ... index.html

Ken

[Moe]

Thanks for the detailed description, Jack! It sounds like they cover aft a bit more than they do forward. I guess that could be the way they were mounted, but Hella also offers similar lights to these for steps, with the LEDs point downward 30 degrees that could be used to do that as well.

Having just that amount of light sounds very useful.

[midget]

Which is brighter, Moe, an LED with a 4cd or an LED with a 6500 mcd?

[Moe]

A millicandela (mcd) is one one-thousandth of a candela (cd), so the 6,500 mcd light is 6.5 cd. There's an explanation on the Superbrights site.

[Jack O'Brien]

Moe:

My LED light is half-ass mounted in some old foam from a coozie cup and nylon tie-strapped to the spreader. It can slide in and out and also rotate forward and aft. I sometimes need to adjust it with the boathook. Nylon tie straps rot in the sunlight and need replacing at least once a year here in Floridah.

[Moe]

Thanks, Jack. That's good to know.

[midget]

Yes it is good to know Jack since I just mounted my halyard silencers with ty-wraps I'll read the write up Moe. Thanks

[Jack O'Brien]

Midget:

I had a pair of those plastic halyard silencers on my spreaders for ? about a year with the nylon tie straps that came with them. The straps rotted. I will remount with wire or something as they work quite well. They will probably also rot before too long. I believe I have seen metal wall hooks that could work similarily and could be bolted or screwed to the spreaders.

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

To silence your halyards, take the mains'l halyard shackle aft to a stanchion base. Bungy the other part to it, pulling it away from the mast and spreaders.
Take your heads'l halyard shackle to the bow pulpit. Bungy the other part to it, pulling it away from the mast . . .

[Frank C]

With main halyard led thru blocks & stoppers, it needs unreaving to reach an aft stanchion.
I just hook each halyard to its closest shroud with a bungee??