Dimmer to cockpit lights?

[Escapade]

Has any one had any experience adding a dimmer switch to thier cockpit lights? And or a amber lense or bulb to keep away bugs?

I thought about machining up a lense cover to put over them as one idea. The next was to find an amber bulb as another.

Looking for some suggestions guys / gals,

Thanks in advance.

Mike

 

[fwebster]

I had just the opposite problem. The standard Perko cockpit lighting on our boat was just not adequate. In searching for a solution I saw something that might help you, althought I did not need to go that route.

Cantilupi makes a line of lighting that will fit in the same geography as the standard lights (you may need to grind a little fiberglass). Several of their models are 2 color lights where you can get white and red for instrument operation at night. Those lights with amber bulbs may be an answer for you.....and they may have amber lights as well. It is a hard site to navigate but try here:


http://www.cantalupilighting.it/english/frames/all.html

 

[gyrospiro]

I put red led bulbs in the arch, use these lights when there are lot of bugs and use the other cockpit lights in the bug free zones.

i ordered from here
http://www.superbrightleds.com/specs/festoon.htm

 

[Escapade]

Frank-

We put four of those in a sunshade we made for Burger. They went on the underside of a Carbon Fiber retracable sun shade ( 20' x 12' )on her stern. The 24V gave off too much heat for a confined space. The boat name is "Mirgab" if you care to do a search. Those lights are premium quality best I've seen for off the shelf.
I'm doing some research on some LED lights. They have come a long way in design funtion and lense technology and do not give off any heat!

Mike

 

[Escapade]

Spiro-

Nice site I'll give them a try and let you know how we come out.

Mike

 

[fwebster]

Mike,

Perhaps their line has changed since we upgraded our lights, but we used 12V lights with 20W Halogen bulbs compared to the old 10W incandesant OEM lights and the change was remarkable. I'm with you though, Cantalupi may be imported, but they are the best quality marine lighting I've seen.

 

[boltman]

Which bulb

Gyro, Which bulb fit your lights' in the radar arch, I'm curiuos to know, I'd like to do that also. Cockpit lights are too bright. As yours were and they draw huge amounts of insects.

 

[Escapade]

Boltman- You switch those bulbs out you will loose your ability to guide planes in at night. What started this was my dock neightbor asking if we keep food warm with our arch lights.

I'm going to pull some bulbs out and find out which ones we can use as replacements and order them. Hoping Spiro can commenst on the brightness and P/N of his lights.

You realize that is adding Ambiance to Ambiance, sorry I had to write it.
Mike

 

[boltman]

Ambiance

Yes Mike you are so right, it all goes back to keepin her in the Mood, and I'm not talking the Boat. I do what it takes and she Loves that Boat... he he he
I'm hoping to find out what bulb can be used to replace them as well.

Mood enhancment, not a bad Idea is it?

 

[gyrospiro]

I cant remember which one, I think its the 4410R9 (don't quote me)
just take out current bulb and measure dimensions If you scroll down on page it shows dimensions of bulbs

the bulbs are nice but not as bright as oem.

if you want to get funky get the blacklight(uv) and some of those blacklight posters and a little oregano you could have one hell of a night!

 

[gyrospiro]

confirmed 4410R9 are the ones.
I first tried colored bulbs from autozone but they got to hot and the coloring melted off don't use these.

 

[boltman]

LED Lights, are awesome

Thanks for the lights code, I am ordering them today.
I know they will make " Ambiance" more alluring and Sexy. Well I don't want to bother you guys with the details....

 

[Escapade]

Spiro- The LED's worked well! I swapped and put the Amber color in our cockpit. What a difference. Not as bright as the OEM's but, a decent glow and wont ATTRACKED BUGS. Thanks for the info!
Mike

 

[thunderbird1]

boltman: How did the red bulbs work for you? I just ordered replacements for my arch/cockpit lighting.

 

[Bridog]

Would anyone know if these lights could work in a 300DA? Are all arch/cockpit lights the same type? Thanks, Brian

 

[gyrospiro]

YES, the 300da uses the same bulb 12v10wperko 70-0, as 340da and 320 da.

 

[Escapade]

I bet they will work. Pop an existing one out and check the site. You will find a LED replacement. We enjoyed ours this weekend.
Good luck.

 

[J Levine]

I replaced all of my cockpit and radar arch lights with the LED's and have been very happy with them. I did this not for lighting reasons but because I was just tired of constantly having to replace the bulbs after failure. I hope the LED's hold up better but quite honestly they are not much more expensive then the regular bulbs.

 

[Bridog]

YES, the 300da uses the same bulb 12v10wperko 70-0, as 340da and 320 da.

Thanks gyrospiro. I put them in last night (amber for the arch) and they work great. I'm thinking of changing the other bulbs in the cockpit area but they are a different type. Does anyone have the size info for those bulbs?

 

[gyrospiro]

page 6-11 of your manual shows the bulb types, same bulbs used for cockpit and arch unless they changed something.