LED lights
Has anyone had experience with the relatively new LED (light emitting
diodes) white lights that are coming out on the market? Practical
Sailor a couple of issues ago evaluated flashlights and had an
intriguing article on an LED replacement bulb for some common running
lights. The gist of the flashlight review is they don't put out as
much light in a concentrated beam, but it is a more even light and
the
batteries last 5 to 10 times longer than conventional flashlights.
They will continue to put out useable light with batteries too
discharged to run regular flashlights. I've since purchased a 3-AA
flashlight with 3 LEDs and like it. Like a 2-AA mini mag light, it
hurts to look directly in the light, but the beam is more difused and
much wider. It's easy to read by the light at a distance up to six
feet or so, and it has a useable light for walking at 20-30 feet. It
can't be focused like a mini-mag, so doesn't have nearly the range. I
haven't seen a LED light that could be used to pick up channel
markers
at night. The running light replacement bulb used 15 or 18 LEDs and
incorporated circuitry to turn the lights off, and then turn them
back
on before the light fades from the bulbs. It saves a bit of power.
The
preliminary Practical Sailor evaluation was the bulb was not as
bright
as the normal 20 watt bulb it would replace, but it was brighter
than the 10-watt bulbs that are in many Coast Guard approved, 2-mile
visability running lights. The real eye opener is this bulb uses an
incredible 50 miliamps. Yes, 50. That means it could be on for 20
hours and burn only 1 amp. Except that is also has a sensor to
automatically turn it off in the daytime. Also, LEDs are rated to
burn
over 100,000 hours, or 10-11 years in constant use. Of course, all
this comes at a price -- this bulb costs $125! West Marine has begun
selling a clear anchor/interior LED light. It doesn't have the
power saving, on-off wizardry of the above bulb, and I think it has a
couple fewer LEDs. It's power rating is a profligate .074 milliamps,
or it would burn 12-13 hours on 1 amp. It also has the automatic
on-off sensor. (Their cost is $39 to $49.) A solar catalog I recently
received has a three-LED wall mounted "cabin" light, like the reading
lights you see for many boats. It's rated at .030 milliamps -- 33
hours from 1 amp. It's cost is $29. Based on the flashlight I have,
this light should have plenty of output for reading or chart table
work.
My main concern on extended cruising is power consumption for fans
and
lights. It would seem with the Hella fans (200 milliamp consumption)
and LED lights, the total power consumption could be a few amps a
day.
Even a small battery could provide a week's worth of power, and a
small solar panel could provide it indefinitely.
Has anyone else had much experience with these? I'm thinking of
putting three of the cabin lights in my revamped boat, and getting a
couple of the West anchor lights....
Gary Blankenship
Tallahassee, FL
diodes) white lights that are coming out on the market? Practical
Sailor a couple of issues ago evaluated flashlights and had an
intriguing article on an LED replacement bulb for some common running
lights. The gist of the flashlight review is they don't put out as
much light in a concentrated beam, but it is a more even light and
the
batteries last 5 to 10 times longer than conventional flashlights.
They will continue to put out useable light with batteries too
discharged to run regular flashlights. I've since purchased a 3-AA
flashlight with 3 LEDs and like it. Like a 2-AA mini mag light, it
hurts to look directly in the light, but the beam is more difused and
much wider. It's easy to read by the light at a distance up to six
feet or so, and it has a useable light for walking at 20-30 feet. It
can't be focused like a mini-mag, so doesn't have nearly the range. I
haven't seen a LED light that could be used to pick up channel
markers
at night. The running light replacement bulb used 15 or 18 LEDs and
incorporated circuitry to turn the lights off, and then turn them
back
on before the light fades from the bulbs. It saves a bit of power.
The
preliminary Practical Sailor evaluation was the bulb was not as
bright
as the normal 20 watt bulb it would replace, but it was brighter
than the 10-watt bulbs that are in many Coast Guard approved, 2-mile
visability running lights. The real eye opener is this bulb uses an
incredible 50 miliamps. Yes, 50. That means it could be on for 20
hours and burn only 1 amp. Except that is also has a sensor to
automatically turn it off in the daytime. Also, LEDs are rated to
burn
over 100,000 hours, or 10-11 years in constant use. Of course, all
this comes at a price -- this bulb costs $125! West Marine has begun
selling a clear anchor/interior LED light. It doesn't have the
power saving, on-off wizardry of the above bulb, and I think it has a
couple fewer LEDs. It's power rating is a profligate .074 milliamps,
or it would burn 12-13 hours on 1 amp. It also has the automatic
on-off sensor. (Their cost is $39 to $49.) A solar catalog I recently
received has a three-LED wall mounted "cabin" light, like the reading
lights you see for many boats. It's rated at .030 milliamps -- 33
hours from 1 amp. It's cost is $29. Based on the flashlight I have,
this light should have plenty of output for reading or chart table
work.
My main concern on extended cruising is power consumption for fans
and
lights. It would seem with the Hella fans (200 milliamp consumption)
and LED lights, the total power consumption could be a few amps a
day.
Even a small battery could provide a week's worth of power, and a
small solar panel could provide it indefinitely.
Has anyone else had much experience with these? I'm thinking of
putting three of the cabin lights in my revamped boat, and getting a
couple of the West anchor lights....
Gary Blankenship
Tallahassee, FL