Mag Light "LED"upgrade

C-WEED · Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:36 pm Post subject: Mag Light "LED"upgrade

I have owned my three "D" cell mag light for close to 25 years. It has traveled the world and seen some ruff duty. This light goes with me everywhere. Aside from being kind of heavy it has held up well. It was high tech back when I bought it...

The Krypton bulb seems to zap a set of batteries fairly quickly. I use the intermittin short burst of on-off almost all the time. Like when looking for snakes in the yard. (15 copperheads last year) This is hard on the light bulb service-life as is vibration.

The other night as I touched the switch it did that familure flash and went dead. Bulb burned. I only use the spare bulb in the base for emergencies so I waited to go shopping. I have seen an upgrade LED replacement bulb at Lowes hardware. The $19 price made me choke (and seemed like a mistake) as two Krypton bulbs are just $2.17. I wondered what one tiny LED could do when all these new little lights have multible LED's and aren't all that great for long range.

Lowes has a satisfaction guarantee so I figured if I wasn't satisfied I could return it. Nothing to lose but time...

I dropped in the LED and was amazed! The light is VERY clean and WHITE. White like the light of a projector. The distance the beam throws is incredible and that is with the old set of batteries. The illumination off reflective surfaces is tremendous. The Krypton bulb illumination seems dingy yellow in comparison.

When the beam is focused for distance the light is sharp and clear with a pencil beam that looks like a Jedi Light Saber. With the krypton bulb there was always a shaded area in the middle of the beam. The LED light stays crystal clear when the beam is spread for area illumination as well.

The package says the LED is 3 watt. Not sure how that translates to battery life. But battery life should be better than the standard bulb. And the anti-vibration of the LED should last much longer than the standard Krypton bulb.

The LED is available for "C" cell lights also.

Well worth checking out. Thumbs Up

thataway · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 12:03 am Post subject:

Thanks for the information--I'll have to try one. I have tried really great LED lights and think that they are the way to go. Have LED for the dinghy both red green and white.

SeaSpray · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:56 pm Post subject:

Bob,

What type of LED nav lights did you get? I have an LED anchor light seems bright and I will try out at Lake Powell. I have been thinking about getting the red/green nav lights.

Steve

thataway · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:04 pm Post subject:

We have the Aqua Signal 23 series for the dinghy. They seem bright enough--but again these are dinghy lights--and should appease the local water cops. The batteries seem to last much longer than the tungsten filiment bulb--but I don't have any data. There is one which has a base which glues on the inflatable for the bi color bow light, and a clamp for the transom for the stern 360 degree white light.

ffheap · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 12:22 pm Post subject:

Hi Folks,

Speaking of LED lights,

I just purchased two LED Brass Swivel cabin lights. One for over my table and one for over the galley. I found them in Boaters' World pp 484. They come in stainless, brass, and white. I purchased them because they draw something like .5 Amps of power. My electrical system has two starting batterys. I don't want to push it in using to much power on lights when the engine is not running. I also have a few battery operated LED lights to stick under the deck in the sleeping area to read with. I am also thinking of getting a LED anchor light so I can run it all night if needed.

The only problem is that I ordered them a month ago, and only one has come in so far. I think Boater's World put them in the catalog to see if they would go. The first orders start the manufacturing process.

They will be mounted on round teak blocks, one half inch larger than the light base. Should look great and be a great addition to the boat. I have been using battery operated camping lights up to now.

Getting there.

Fred

thataway · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 6:06 pm Post subject:

We ahve been considering the LED anchoring light--but unfortunately the ones we have seen do not fit the angles of the C Dory base. It would be easy to modify the current filiment bulb or bend one of the LED tubes--but they are relitatively expensive--and at this point don't seem worth the costs.

Valkyrie · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:47 pm Post subject:

Fred,

I ordered the same light and sent them back- cheap stuff made in China and resemble an anemic lightning bug with a dead battery! I believe they had 12 LEDs, but they were pathetic and, in my opinion, unuseable.

Instead, I spent the money and got four lights from www.sailboatstuff.com. I have two 9 LED units in the cabin and two 6 LED units in the v-berth. Pictures are in our album.

Nick
"Valkyrie"

johnf · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 12:20 am Post subject:

Got me so excited with the LED bulb for the mag lite...went out and bought one at Lowes tonight. Was like a little kid in the garage with the lights out!!

Highly recommend it....very bright for a 3 D cell flashlight!

Thanks C-WEED!

John CoolSmile

kimshack · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 3:51 pm Post subject:

When I got my boat last year, I found the bulb in the Anchor light was bad, so I replaced it with an LED Bulb, which had 10 or so LEDs. It works great, and I didn't have to replace the Anchor light pole. So don't know if you could use something like that on the Dories. They are kinda spendy at $40 for a bulb.