Lighting Refit - Halogen or Florescent?

[Bonnie Gilmore Chuck Rus]

Near the top of a long list of electrical upgrades is more light in our sometimes dim cabin. (Teak is beautiful, but dark.) Maintaining a traditional look is important, so we have considered changing out the round brass/glass fixtures with the same in halogen, but have concerns about heat and efficiency. Florescent has been recommended as cool and economical, but we've also heard about interference with SSB and VHF. We're interested in your lighting solutions, and also any real experience with the interference issue. We're willing to spend some bucks to get it right, but only want to do this once!

Bonnie Gilmore & Chuck Rust



bgilmore@ci.santa-rosa.ca.us

[Catherine Monaghan]

Bonnie and Chuck,

You don't have to replace the fixtures at all, just change the bulbs!

Have you seen the new LEDs available from Davis Instruments? I saw them at Sail Expo in Atlantic City and was impressed. They are available in white, amber and red with either single or double contact bayonets. They produce approximately the same light as a 10-watt incandescent lamp at 12 times less current consumption drawing only 0.068 amps (68 milliamps) at 12-volts.

Replace just one bulb in one of your dome lights and see if you like it. The bulbs are somewhat expensive but they are guaranteed for 100,000 hours.

They're available from West Marine or directly from Davis Instruments.

Get more info from <a href="http://www.davisnet.com/marine/category ... T=7">Davis Instruments'website</a>.

catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

Near the top of a long list of electrical upgrades is more light in our sometimes dim cabin. (Teak is beautiful, but dark.) Maintaining a traditional look is important, so we have considered changing out the round brass/glass fixtures with the same in halogen, but have concerns about heat and efficiency. Florescent has been recommended as cool and economical, but we've also heard about interference with SSB and VHF. We're interested in your lighting solutions, and also any real experience with the interference issue. We're willing to spend some bucks to get it right, but only want to do this once!

Bonnie Gilmore & Chuck Rust

catherine_monaghan@merck.com

[Edd]

Near the top of a long list of electrical upgrades is more light in our sometimes dim cabin. (Teak is beautiful, but dark.) Maintaining a traditional look is important, so we have considered changing out the round brass/glass fixtures with the same in halogen, but have concerns about heat and efficiency. Florescent has been recommended as cool and economical, but we've also heard about interference with SSB and VHF. We're interested in your lighting solutions, and also any real experience with the interference issue. We're willing to spend some bucks to get it right, but only want to do this once!

To some lighting is science ......to others art....and then there's the in-between. Go for the in-between. Phillips, GE, and other lighting companies have "experts" readily available to assist you. Employ them.

Bonnie Gilmore & Chuck Rust

Erogers711@AOL.com

[John]

Bonnie and Chuck,

You don't have to replace the fixtures at all, just change the bulbs!

Have you seen the new LEDs available from Davis Instruments? I saw them at Sail Expo in Atlantic City and was impressed. They are available in white, amber and red with either single or double contact bayonets. They produce approximately the same light as a 10-watt incandescent lamp at 12 times less current consumption drawing only 0.068 amps (68 milliamps) at 12-volts.

Replace just one bulb in one of your dome lights and see if you like it. The bulbs are somewhat expensive but they are guaranteed for 100,000 hours.

They're available from West Marine or directly from Davis Instruments.

Get more info from <a href="http://www.davisnet.com/marine/category ... T=7">Davis Instruments'website</a>.

catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

Near the top of a long list of electrical upgrades is more light in our sometimes dim cabin. (Teak is beautiful, but dark.) Maintaining a traditional look is important, so we have considered changing out the round brass/glass fixtures with the same in halogen, but have concerns about heat and efficiency. Florescent has been recommended as cool and economical, but we've also heard about interference with SSB and VHF. We're interested in your lighting solutions, and also any real experience with the interference issue. We're willing to spend some bucks to get it right, but only want to do this once!

Bonnie Gilmore & Chuck Rust

I agree with Catherine's comments. I would replace the bulbs with a halogen or LED bulb and see how you like them before you make any decisions one way or the other. From what I've seen over the years there is a yellowing problem with the plastic lens (shade) on most florescent fixtures as they age, they also become very brittle. It's usually very difficult to get replacements. I like the halogens but they indeed are warmer. I have two halogens on board and the rest of the lighting is the standard tungsten bulb fixtures. In my situation I have the dome lights as you describe supplemented by brass bulkhead lights throughout the cabin. It gives you the option of "low level" or a "high level" lighting choice.

[Tom]

Near the top of a long list of electrical upgrades is more light in our sometimes dim cabin. (Teak is beautiful, but dark.) Maintaining a traditional look is important, so we have considered changing out the round brass/glass fixtures with the same in halogen, but have concerns about heat and efficiency. Florescent has been recommended as cool and economical, but we've also heard about interference with SSB and VHF. We're interested in your lighting solutions, and also any real experience with the interference issue. We're willing to spend some bucks to get it right, but only want to do this once!

I switched my overhead light to flourescent. Don't like it. It's sickly lighting. Everything looks like it's in ultraviolet light rather than warm and cozy. Also that far away from the table it's inadequate to read. It's great under the counter in the galley though. I was thinking about switching to halogen but after reading this I think I'll try the LEDs. Flourescents don't last long at all, when you crash off a wave the lenses fall off and as they get older they buzz, and the transformers and starters don't hold up like the 120 volt ones at home. An overhead flourescent will give you less light than the old one did or so it seemed to me.

Bonnie Gilmore & Chuck Rust

TomCambria@mindspring.com