Multi colored LED project

Knot It

Knot It

Member
Oct 28, 2011
374
St. Louis, Mo
Boat Info
'01 340 Sundancer
Engines
T-7.4 Horizons w/ V Drives
Multi colored LED project - PICS ADDED IN POST #14

I have decided its time for an all LED light upgrade project and I wanted to get some multicolored lights in the cabin and cockpit. If any of you have any experience with the lights I bought, please let me know your thoughts. I hope they are bright enough and I chose the pure white or warm white as it seems lots of folks have problems seeing with the cool white.

I bought some multicolored g4's for the 3 lights over the galley cabinet from marinebeam.com; part # BP-G4-09-RWW. They are warm white and switchable to red as seen here: http://store.marinebeam.com/red-white-led-g4.html I also intend to use that same light in the large dual 12v/120v light in the cabin ceiling.

For the 120v candelabra bulbs, I bought these High Quality E27 E14 G9 5W 450-Lumen 27 SMD 5050 LED High Light AC 100V~120V [E14,Warm White] in the e14 base.

For the bathroon, I got these http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=281266331200.

I also bought some lower end g4 towers for the reading lights in the cabin from ebay. I though these would be ok as we don't really use them much.

For the cockpit, I went with the Lumitec Shadow dimmable w/r/b with the stainless steel bezel http://www.marinescreens.com/Interi...ished-Stainless-Steel-Bezel.html#.UwKvwDeYZlY.

I got 2 for the radar arch and 2 for the courtesy lights. Marine screens dot com has the lowest price I could find anywhere, and I searched for good while as they are not cheap. Everyone I have heard talking about them loves them so I hope I have the same results.

Next I need to get the masthead/anchor and stern light and think Ill go with marinebeam on those as well.
Does any one know if you can you put plug and play leds in the standard OEM cabin courtesy lights?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Sammy
 
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Well, I'm almost finished but have run into a problem with the bathroom fixture. I have put 4 different (2 sets) bulbs in the standard double light fixture and neither of them work. The 2 incandescent bulbs work fine but the leds...nothing. I'm using the standard BA15s 1141/1156 bulbs but neither set will even flicker. The led lights are not defective and test in other applications just fine. Has anyone had this problem? What did you do to remedy? I was gonna by the socket adapters from marinebeam.com to switch the bulbs to G4 but don't want to waste anymore money on this project.

I'll be posting some pictures when its complete. So far, the 4 Lumitec Shadows in the cockpit are awesome and very bright in the white mode. The red/white switchable from marinebem are great in the cabin too.
 
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I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures. I really want to replace the lights under the hardtop with the Lumitec switchable lights.
 
Knot It said:
Well, I'm almost finished but have run into a problem with the bathroom fixture. I have put 4 different (2 sets) bulbs in the standard double light fixture and neither of them work. The 2 incandescent bulbs work fine but the leds...nothing. I'm using the standard BA15s 1141/1156 bulbs but neither set will even flicker. The led lights are not defective and test in other applications just fine. Has anyone had this problem? What did you do to remedy? I was gonna by the socket adapters from marinebeam.com to switch the bulbs to G4 but don't want to waste anymore money on this project.

I'll be posting some pictures when its complete. So far, the 4 Lumitec Shadows in the cockpit are awesome and very bright in the white mode. The red/white switchable from marinebem are great in the cabin too.
Click to expand...

One thing to remember with LEDs is that they have a positive and a negative, and cannot be reversed. Electricity only runs through them in one direction (the definition of a diode). I would try switching the leads into the fixture and see if that helps. If it doesnt work, you got me.

Another thought is does the LED base make full contact?

Bryan
 
BryanOnTheBay said:
One thing to remember with LEDs is that they have a positive and a negative, and cannot be reversed. Electricity only runs through them in one direction (the definition of a diode). I would try switching the leads into the fixture and see if that helps. If it doesnt work, you got me.

Another thought is does the LED base make full contact?

Bryan
Click to expand...

What he said!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Todd
 
How do I go about switching the leads, are they not sodered in place in the fixture. I tried switching the bulbs around rotating them every way possible with no joy.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I437 using Tapatalk
 
Knot It said:
How do I go about switching the leads, are they not sodered in place in the fixture. I tried switching the bulbs around rotating them every way possible with no joy.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I437 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Pull the fixture down and switch them where they connect to the boat wiring. You may have to cut the connector, so be ready with new connectors. I would recommend testing the change before you make it permanent, i.e. twist the wires together and electrical tape for a quick check.

Bryan
 
Knot It said:
How do I go about switching the leads, are they not sodered in place in the fixture. I tried switching the bulbs around rotating them every way possible with no joy.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I437 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

There is only one contact on the bottom of BA15S so you aren't changing anything by rotating the bulb. There are two contacts on BA15D so that one is easy to get to work by how you install the bulb (went through that with BA15D led bulbs on my 300DA)
 
Oh you mean simply rewire it opposite what it is now, duh. sorry for asking such a stupid question I was thinking the wiring inside the fixture.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I437 using Tapatalk
 
BryanOnTheBay said:
One thing to remember with LEDs is that they have a positive and a negative, and cannot be reversed. Electricity only runs through them in one direction (the definition of a diode). I would try switching the leads into the fixture and see if that helps. If it doesnt work, you got me.

Another thought is does the LED base make full contact?

Bryan
Click to expand...

Well, I couldn't stand it so I left the office a little early to try switching the wiring and it fixed the problem. Lights work and look great. Thanks for your help. Here are a couple of pictures of the project so far. I'll get some good night ones this weekend which will include the cockpit white/red/blue Shadows.

First is of the bathroom lights fixed today:



Next is the big 120/ 12v light in the cabin cealing. The bulbs are noted in my original post. The flat round is a red/white switchable and the other is a regular white. I did end up going with the cool white and it is plenty bright:

Both lights on in the white mode:
now the 12V in the red mode:


The same switchable red/white above the Galley:




and where the magic happens

 
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They look great! Glad that you got the bathroom lights straightened out too!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Todd
 
Knot It said:
Well, I couldn't stand it so I left the office a little early to try switching the wiring and it fixed the problem. Lights work and look great. Thanks for your help. Here are a couple of pictures of the project so far. I'll get some good night ones this weekend which will include the cockpit white/red/blue Shadows.
Click to expand...

Wow, do I know that feeling when something isn't quite right on the boat. This winter has kept me from many projects there, but I am very glad this solved the problem. The lights look great!

I am planning the same project, but I have some others a bit higher on the priority list, like replacing the steering cable, and the manifolds and risers, and...:smt043

Bryan
 
They look great...but, how you will you decide to turn on the red or the white ones???? :grin:
 
Pietro said:
They look great...but, how you will you decide to turn on the red or the white ones???? :grin:
Click to expand...

When you first turn them on, they will be red. If you turn them off and then on within 3 seconds, they will go to white. If you wait longer, they will reset and start red again. That way, you don't go blind at night, but can still use the original switch. I am planning the same upgrade to my cockpit lights as well.
Bryan
 
They are G4 also so just plug the bulbs in. No wiring and they work off the existing switch. They will also fit the cabin directional reading light fixtures (like the ones in the v-birth in the above picture)
 
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