What sort of deck lighting have you? - Page 3

Dirk Diggler · 28 October 2007, 11:02

I've used these, a copy of a Hella light but much cheaper from C Quip!

Nos4r2 · 28 October 2007, 11:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

This one is a more focused/spotlight beam.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...&doy=28m10#PDF

and this one is a more of a flood light type beam

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...doy=28m10#spec

If yu can make more sense of the specs than me then you should be able to understand what voltage they are.

The reverse voltage maximum is 5v.

I've wired up two of these in series over a 9v battery and there's no visible change to the intesity of the light, that at least shows that they'll run at 4.5v's a piece. They are much cooler than they were too.

Ok, here goes (drawing on memory from A-level electronics a long time ago...)

All LEDs perform as diodes-ie they allow voltage across once the voltage supplied passes a certain level in the correct direction. There's then a breakdown voltage (around 9-12 volts) where the diode will fail. The Reverse voltage is the point where if current flow is reversed then the diode will allow current flow in that direction(but for what you want an LED for this is irrelevant).

Pretty much all LEDs will be operating quite happily at 3-4.5v.

What is usually sold as 12v,24v etc LEDs are actually a normal LED in a case with a resistor built in. The case specs determine the IP rating-ie how waterproof the case is when mounted properly to a panel.

Don't run LEDs in series-get the correct resistor and run them in parallel.

Any help?

<edit> The 2nd link you've given is for oval LEDs. It won't be easy to drill an oval hole

Nos4r2 · 28 October 2007, 11:51

I just had a look at the M&P catalogue-these any use? They are completely sealed units and they'll survive complete immersion.

http://www.mandp.co.uk/productInfo.aspx?catRef=541854

Hightower · 28 October 2007, 12:52

The oval ones aren't going to be a problem, amazing stuff is silkaflex, fills all those gaps and acts like an adhesive

£16 is quite a bit of money by the time you've fitted two to the transom boxes and a couple in the console, they also are a little too exposed in the transom and are bound to be broken at some stage. Whilst the individual ones can be silkaflexed in and shouldn't protrude much, if at all.

Nos4r2 · 28 October 2007, 13:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

£16 is quite a bit of money by the time you've fitted two to the transom boxes and a couple in the console, they also are a little too exposed in the transom and are bound to be broken at some stage. Whilst the individual ones can be silkaflexed in and shouldn't protrude much, if at all.

Still worth considering though. I've used single ones building bike dashboards before and the problem is never with the LED itself but the solder joints fall apart with corrosion quite fast even when sealed-or they fatigue and snap with movement. LED legs snap really easily with vibration. It's why the sealed units will win every time with me.

Hightower · 28 October 2007, 13:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Still worth considering though. I've used single ones building bike dashboards before and the problem is never with the LED itself but the solder joints fall apart with corrosion quite fast even when sealed-or they fatigue and snap with movement. LED legs snap really easily with vibration. It's why the sealed units will win every time with me.

could you not pre wire and seal the leds before putting them in the RIB?

Nos4r2 · 28 October 2007, 13:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

could you not pre wire and seal the leds before putting them in the RIB?

Depends how you do it-what you need is flex in the wires exiting the setup but for no movement in the internal components at all-even if it gets an impact.You can't have any solder protruding from the sealed area at all either or you'll get tin migration and the joint will go 'dry'-or the joint will fatigue with vibration.

Hightower · 28 October 2007, 14:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Depends how you do it-what you need is flex in the wires exiting the setup but for no movement in the internal components at all-even if it gets an impact.You can't have any solder protruding from the sealed area at all either or you'll get tin migration and the joint will go 'dry'-or the joint will fatigue with vibration.

I recon it would be another job for fibreglass resin! To encapsulate the area and keep it waterproof, you would also make a nice platform to mount the assembly in the boat.

jwalker · 29 October 2007, 00:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

This one is a more focused/spotlight beam.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...&doy=28m10#PDF

and this one is a more of a flood light type beam

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...doy=28m10#spec

Andy, from the Maplin specs you need about 680R resistors if you run the leds continuously. Blue, Grey, Brown. The fourth band colour is tolerance and doesn't matter.

If you over run them you will shorten their life and there's little gain anyway.

High intensity leds can get a bit warm.

Hightower · 29 October 2007, 02:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwalker

Andy, from the Maplin specs you need about 680R resistors if you run the leds continuously. Blue, Grey, Brown. The fourth band colour is tolerance and doesn't matter.

If you over run them you will shorten their life and there's little gain anyway.

High intensity leds can get a bit warm.

Thats very kind of you Jeff, saved me researching the formular for changing the resirtance and altering the voltage

jwalker · 29 October 2007, 11:30

Andy, just a thought for you. I've no idea how you intend to wire your leds but if you are putting one resitor into the leg of each led then the wee ¼watt resitors which cost pennies will be fine but if you plan to run them in parallel with one resitor in the main lead, you'll need to ensure your resitor can carry the power. Eg. say you have 10 of your leds and one 680R resistor you'll be using about 3 watts. A 3 watt resistor, or better still, a 5 watt resistor is a fairly chunky thing and it will get warm.
You can put your leds in series and if you do your sums you can get away without a resistor but if one led fails then they will all go out.

jwalker · 29 October 2007, 11:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

...saved me researching the formular for changing the resirtance and altering the voltage

V=I x R therefore V ÷ I=R

Your voltage when the engine is running will be about 14v.
Your led specs said 30mA continuous running but they also said they derate as the temperature rises. Since neither of us know what the running temp will be, I reckoned about 20mA (0.02 amp) would be sensible.
So, 14 ÷ 0.02 = 700R. The nearest preferred value reistor is 680R. Voila.

gtflash · 31 October 2007, 15:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwalker

V=I x R therefore V ÷ I=R

Your voltage when the engine is running will be about 14v.
Your led specs said 30mA continuous running but they also said they derate as the temperature rises. Since neither of us know what the running temp will be, I reckoned about 20mA (0.02 amp) would be sensible.
So, 14 ÷ 0.02 = 700R. The nearest preferred value reistor is 680R. Voila.

whats that working out jw??

Biggles · 03 November 2007, 01:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

Whilst in Maplins today buying radio connectors, I thought I'd purchase some LEDs.

I bought 4 LEDs of different types 2 in red and two in blue. Whilst having a play with these tonight I have discovered how hot these little diodes get. Is this a factor to take into consideration when mounting them?

Whilst in Blasingsmoke (Basingstoke) this evening I was lucky ? enough to follow a Focus that had numerous LEDs at the rear. He had loads of blue ones around the rear window and two red ones, one in each number plate screw holder. Although it looked prattish I must say they were very bright. Enough that one of the red LEDs was bright enough to hide one of the number plate numbers. I managed to get a picture on my mobile phone which I should be able to post at the weekend.
The picture was got whilst I was walking round the Asda car park and said car was parking in the handicapped parking spots.

Erin · 25 November 2007, 18:45

If you want some pretty cool hull lights, then I think these might be the answer. Little bit pricey at £500+ but you'd certainly see where you're going. Xenon HID's are certainly the best car headlamps I've ever had.

http://http://www.hellamarine.com/?a...ID=154&pcid=22

Hightower · 26 November 2007, 09:12

You getting a pair for you boat Keith?

Erin · 26 November 2007, 10:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

You getting a pair for you boat Keith?

Nope. Just a pipe dream really. Wouldn't have the guts to cut two holes in my new hull anyway.

Hightower · 26 November 2007, 10:48

Yeh, know what you meen. Didn't want to cut a hole in the deck for a bilge pump/access to fitting an internal transducer.

Hightower · 07 May 2008, 23:31

I'm trying to work out what the best colour deck light would be.

I wanted red for the footwell of the console as this is a kind colour to the eye and doesn't cause too much night vision problems, however I thought that the red glow might be mistaken for the port side Nav light.

Any Ideas?

Channel Ribs · 08 May 2008, 07:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

... I thought that the red glow might be mistaken for the port side Nav light.

I use two red LED lights and do sometimes worry that they might be seen as nav lights, but I reckon that so long as they are mounted low down then it should be ok.

If a ship can see a clear green and an intermittent red glow I think they would assume they were looking at your stb side. From a colreg point of view, what you really do not want is rogue green lights coming off your boat - that could be bad.