Replacement LED bulbs

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rapscallion

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I want to replace the 12V incandescent lamps (bulbs) in my boat's cabin reading lights, and I'm trying to find out what the equivalent LED replacements should be. I know the specs I need (BA15 dual contact 1142, 360 degrees with horizontal pins in warm white,) but I'm not sure how many LEDs the lamps should have to provide equivalent brightness to the existing incandescent lamps. They seem to come in various configurations of LEDs and lumens, but I don't know how many lumens an incandescent lamp puts out for comparison purposes. I'm sure lots of people have replaced their 12V incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs in their cabin lights. How many LEDs do the bulbs have and do they provide equivalent brightness to the previous incandescents?

Eventually I'll replace the fixtures with purpose-built LED lights, but I'm not looking to do that right now.
 
I have replaced many halogens or incandescentes with leds bought on Amazon. Mostly G4 bi pins but also mr16 and regular bayonet bases. Usually the description will give you the wattage equivalent. Make sure you search for warm white as cool white looks awful.

I prefer buying led bulbs than complete fixtures as when they fail you can just replace the bulb.yeah LEDs do fail despite what manufacturers want you to believe
 
Thanks Pascal. How many individual LEDs are on your lamps with bayonet bases?
 
While there are reasons for more or fewer individual LEDs, for the most part it has little to do with output. Mostly it has to do with cost of manufacture, and marketing.

In short, number of devices is the wrong measure. Be most concerned with light output, it's output pattern ( area of coverage and evenness of lighting ) and "color".
 
Copy that. I think my issue might be that the socket bases in my boat's reading lights are identical to many used in automotive applications such as tail lights and turn signals. So searches on Amazon reveal multiple variations of LED lamps using the same base configuration but with 10, 18, 24, 30 and sometime more LEDs on one lamp unit. A bulb with 10 LEDs has got to produce less lumens than a bulb with 30 LEDs. I don't want my reading lights to be super bright, but I also don't want them to be too dim. I'll try somewhere in the middle and see how it goes. Thanks for the comments.
 
https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/bayonet-bulbs/ They offer several. This first one to appear on my list may be a good choice, since it is a "5w equivalent"

There are other sources of course, but I have had pleasant results with this company.
 
Search for these on Amazon:
LEDwholesalers BA15s Single Contact Bayonet Base Water-Resistant 0.7W LED Bulb 12V AC/DC (6-Pack), Warm White, 1429WWx6
I installed them on my old boat and they were fantastic. Nice warm white bulbs that look like regular bulbs in exposed fixtures.
They gave off the same color and brightness as the halogens they replaced and I never had a problem with them in the 4 years I used them before I sold the boat.
 
Also watch for the size, some leds are bigger than incandescents and don't fit
 
I bought mine at superbrightleds.com. This was my 3rd purchase from them. Just put them in last week. I would make sure the light produces 300 to 500 lumens. Each one of the lights only use .2 to .3 amps. I agree with you with using the warm white inside the boat. I bought a cool white a couple of years ago for the galley and just replaced it with a warm white.
 
This should almost be a sticky for how to replace incandescent lamps with LEDs. Great info; most helpful. Thanks all!
 
I buy led bulbs that are allegedly guaranteed for thousands of hours. Had two fail after few hundred hours, took them back with receipt and they won't eve talk with me.
 
I've had expensive LED's fail. They include somewhat complex circuits that can fail.
 
Continuing changing market. I did the whole boat in 2015 with these which are now not available on Amazon. But so far after they are all still working.

I needed the old 1156 auto type.

Brightech - 2nd Generation BA15s LED Light Bulb Replacement - Cool White Color - Single Contact Bayonet Base - 10-30V DC - Replaces #1156 1141 1073 1093 1129

Niles
 
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