LED Lights

[seahouse]

March, 2011 - While LED’s are still in their infancy, the technology is presently in the “tweak” stage, being tuned for improved colour output, heat dissipation, surface-mount circuiting, and economical manufacture. The time when we willfully replace incandescents in our houses (and autos) with them is closer than you might think.

I can’t locate my Practical Sailor library at this point, but I seem to remember reading that most LED’s that are DIY (as we are discussing here) do not pass Coast Guard standards, but there are a few on the market that do, they are assembled or sub-assembled units, and they are pricey. (I recall in the $250 range).

IIRC the standards are for such characteristics as intensity/brightness, colour spectrum, voltage range tolerance, cooling provision, water resistance, and durability/ lifespan.

Thought I’d post that for anyone who might be concerned with maintaining those standards. I think you are unlikely to get nabbed, but, really, the standards are for you anyway, not the Coast Guard.

- Brian.

[Québec 1]

Finally found a few pictures of the excellent LED'S I installed on my boat this summer! I got them at batteries plus and they are sold primarily to
RVers and people with cottages who are not on the grid.





Q1

[Divecoz]

I like the idea and have changed most my lights to LED.. In Time all will be.. 2 miles ?? Whos going to check? How will the check?
Big Issue is, how they are Voltage regulated.. Then of coarse Quality Control / Assurance..
I really like the LED / Tube lights.. and I am considering adding a 2 or 3 of those.. I will buy one and play with it .. IF it works and draws as they claim, I may buy 2 or 3 or 4 of them ...
For Now I have as well a few of those cheap.... LED AAA Hockey Pucks scattered around.. 2 years on one set of AAA's and going strong..
I have real/quality... LEDs mounted and hard wired in our favorite reading areas.. Anchor light is LED and saves me a lot of juice..

A freind who has a get-away Place off the grid, bought a dozen of the best Solar Yard Lights he could find for a reasonable price..
He built little 90 degree brackets here and there through out his place and thats what he lights the place with..
Every morning he takes them all outside and sets them into a board set up for solar charging.. I asked him what do you do, if they dont work or run short ? He pulled out a Kitchen drawer and showed me a Costco 50 pack of AA batteries..

[rtrinkle]

We just replaced the entire light fixture in the cabin. Both lights... Used The $20 fixtures from West Marine. They work great, and can switch from red to white lights.

[rtrinkle]

Its all about the cones and rods in the eyes. A white light will kill your natural vision at night. Pirates new about it long ago when they didn't have red lights, that's why they used the eye patch... To allow them to maintain night vision with one eye, especially when goig below decks before electricity was used below decks.

After you experience a white light in the dark, it will take your eyes about 30 minutes to regain your night vision.

[vizwhiz]

COOL!!! I get to wear an eye patch and I have a valid excuse!!!

[hoaglandr]

How about amber?

I just installed a small amber LED fixture I found on sale at Gander Mountain in my cockpit. Wasn't really looking for a light to install there but it fit in the 2" hole left when I moved my depth finder to the pedestal. It backed up to my new DC panel and I had one circuit left so it seemed like a no-brainer. Now the admiral has a "porch light".

Russell

[Divecoz]

YOU THERE!! In The Back of the class!! Yes You!!! Take that Damn eye patch off ..sheath your Cutlass and settle down!!!!

COOL!!! I get to wear an eye patch and I have a valid excuse!!!

[rtrinkle]

Arrr,,,,I have mine eye patch hangin from the main sheet...

"Myth Busters" actually did a show on this "myth" why pirates wear eye patch.

I do it every morning when I go to kitchen in the dark morning and start the coffee before work. When I open the fridge, I close one eye, and I can still see in the dark with the eye I cllosed. My eyes are very sensitive to light, so I don't turn any lights on in the morning,, even shower in the dark....