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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

LED replacement bulbs

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jrchase11
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/25/2011 : 17:43:04

anyone try these to replace aqua signal series 25 bulbs???

http://store.marinebeam.com/44360defeled.html

JohnC
'87 SR/WK #5658
Fleming Island, FL

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2011 : 18:37:13

I am now using a version of that bulb with the 1156 bulb contacts, similar to many car tail-light bulbs. There is no glass housing on these lights.

The bulb has worked fine now for over a month. I hope it lasts for the same 3-year lifespan as my previous LED anchor light bulb, or longer.

Edited by - JohnP on 05/25/2011 19:16:00

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2011 : 18:46:46

replaced ours with a Bebi. http://www.bebi-electronics.com/

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panhead1948
Captain

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345 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2011 : 21:53:19

replaced my with bulbs from mastlight.com

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glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2011 : 04:18:16

From: [url="http://store.marinebeam.com/44360defeled.html"]MarineBeam.com[/url]:
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> While our bulbs in standard fixtures are easily visible at distances exceeding 3nm, and are the brightest replacement LED bulbs available, their use in navigational fixtures is strictly the decision of the end-user. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2011 : 05:28:37

I just replaced the running light lenses on our boat, bi-color and stern lights. Will do the anchor light at the next mast drop. Bought whole fixtures for about $20 each, which included festoon bulbs, so I now have back-up bulbs and bases (just changed out the lens/cover). Adding these LED's have more than doubled the cost of the project. Unless you really seriously need to conserve battery power, they appear to be a waste of money.

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Lee Panza
Captain

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USA
465 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2011 : 14:13:52

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jrchase11
 anyone try these to replace aqua signal series 25 bulbs???

http://store.marinebeam.com/44360defeled.html

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

These appear to be very similar to the ones from MastLight.com...

http://www.mastlight.com/Products/T10X44B3W.html

...except that they have twice as many LED's and cost apx. $5 more.

Neither one would be Coast Guard approved, as I understand, because the USCG approval is for a bulb and fixture combination. Even though the marinebeam bulb is advertised as "substantially brighter than the 10W incandescent it replaces" it still would not be technically compliant. Not that it matters, I guess; I can't imagine the Coasties going around inspecting anchor lights!

So which one to go with? Other than the requirement to have one, how important is an anchor light anyway? In a secluded anchorage, on a dark night, it could alert an incoming vessel that someone's already there, but if that's the only light you're showing they'll have a hard time judging how close they are to you. For collision avoidance they probably just need to see you when they're getting close enough to have to alter course, and the less intense MastLight unit should suffice (unless you anchor in a shipping lane!). OTOH, if you're one to worry, the brighter marinebeam unit might allow you to sleep more soundly. If you had any such concerns, however, you might invest in an LED deck light to leave on as well, although I'd hate to share a secluded anchorage with you if you did

Edited by - Lee Panza on 05/26/2011 14:22:35

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2011 : 20:44:40

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by glivs
 From: [url="http://store.marinebeam.com/44360defeled.html"]MarineBeam.com[/url]:
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> While our bulbs in standard fixtures are easily visible at distances exceeding 3nm, and are the brightest replacement LED bulbs available, their use in navigational fixtures is strictly the decision of the end-user. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

You will find similar statements from many BULB manufacturers. IIRC, USCG does not certify bulbs, so liability has to be borne somewhere. In this case it is the user.

Edited by - Prospector on 05/26/2011 20:45:04

glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2011 : 04:30:14

Actually I listed the quote as a selling point....3nm visibility. I assumed the liability issue was a given.

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Downbucket
Navigator

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USA
188 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2011 : 07:33:51

Has anyone replaced the cabin dome bulbs with LEDs? If yes, please provide information about the brand, size, cost, effectiveness etc. and where they were purchased.

Thanks.

Will

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3459 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2011 : 09:18:11

Will,

A couple of years ago, I purchased from CD festoon 6 or 9 LED configuration bulbs for replacing the main cabin bulbs. I forget how much they cost and they may have changed what they now offer for sale. The LEDs were not as bright as the original festoons but were/are okay. Recommend try and gather as much info as you can as to suitability of LED replacmeents for the cabin bulbs so that you will be satisfied with their brightness (ie. for reading, etc0. There are many LEDs to choose from and not that easy to make comparisons from what you read on the web. Any recommendations from others probably should help. If I were to do it over again, I would consider brighter LEDs. Ithink their is a place called Smart Solutions that offers an LED replacement called a Sensi-bulb. It is expensive (ie. $20-30) and believe it has only one or two LEDs on it but I saw them at the Annapolis Boat show and have read write-ups on it and it is bright ! But it is on a square card and requires adapters to hook up to a festoon style fixture.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2011 : 20:08:16

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Downbucket
 Has anyone replaced the cabin dome bulbs with LEDs? If yes, please provide information about the brand, size, cost, effectiveness etc. and where they were purchased.

Thanks.

Will
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

There was a long discussion on this last year, and a bunch of us took out light meters to get the straight goods on LED's vs. Incandescents. I don't believe anyone did any actual energy draw calcs though.

What hurt most for us was the colour of the light emitted by the LEDs. I find the light very harsh, and my eyes tire with it very quickly. As far as actual light, a car domelight LED replacement will work fine for you, and I had good success simply soldering a LED to the contact points of the original Catalina fixture.

Our LEDs have been in for about a year now, but I am still not convinced they were an upgrade. I am not happy with teh OEM fixtures, and swapping bulbs won't help that. I am looking at swapping out all the cabin lights for something a little more pleasing to me.

Edited by - on

Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2011 : 23:16:29

I'm very happy with these replacements from CD:

http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display& product_ID=1941& ParentCat=162

The light is not as harsh as other LED fixtures I've seen, but it is white and not nicely warm like an incandescent bulb.The fixture does a really good job diffusing the light around it and directing it underneath for reading. They're a little expensive, but I'm happy with them and they really light up the boat well. I only used the bezel on the aft quarter berth...all the others didn't need it. They only draw .12 amps so I light the whole boat (5 fixtures) for less than one original incandescent.

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