LED cabin lighting upgrade
#1
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,879
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From: Southeast Michigan
So, my awesome family decided to get me some LED cabin lights for Christmas. I was super stoked, but when I got into the boat and pulled the first light, I realized the "industry standard" for the light bases changed in the twentysome years since the originals were installed. Upon looking around on the interwebs, all the LED versions I located had smaller bases by roughly a half inch when compared to the incandescents that were in the boat.
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I didn't want to see the edge of the holes and the circle imprint in the cabin carpet, so it was off to the hardware store. I could have delayed gratification and ordered stainless 3" discs (and I probably will), but in the meantime I wanted something that would mask the area covered by the original, larger light bases. Found these in satin nickel at Lowe's for $4/pr :
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Original on left, modified (i.e, drilled) version on right of package.
And here's how they will look mounted (and covering the same diameter as the original bases) :
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[/IMG]I didn't want to see the edge of the holes and the circle imprint in the cabin carpet, so it was off to the hardware store. I could have delayed gratification and ordered stainless 3" discs (and I probably will), but in the meantime I wanted something that would mask the area covered by the original, larger light bases. Found these in satin nickel at Lowe's for $4/pr :
[IMG]
[/IMG]Original on left, modified (i.e, drilled) version on right of package.
And here's how they will look mounted (and covering the same diameter as the original bases) :
[IMG]
[/IMG]
Last edited by Speedracer29; 12-27-2015 at 06:31 PM.
#3
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From: Southeast Michigan
#4
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From: Atlantic Southeast
I removed the horrible plastic incandescent reading lights from mine over the X-mas break and installed flush mount LED's. What a great updated look! I'll post pics. later.
#5
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From: cali/az
I was gettn car stuff at pep boys and they have a bunch of led blubs.. so when I got home I pulled some from boat and matched them up..
the inside lights and bulbs were from west marine.. it was not cheap at retail $$$ but I was able to get right away and not have issues with wrong ones..
the inside lights and bulbs were from west marine.. it was not cheap at retail $$$ but I was able to get right away and not have issues with wrong ones..
#6
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 89
From: Atlantic Southeast
I was gettn car stuff at pep boys and they have a bunch of led blubs.. so when I got home I pulled some from boat and matched them up..
the inside lights and bulbs were from west marine.. it was not cheap at retail $$$ but I was able to get right away and not have issues with wrong ones..
the inside lights and bulbs were from west marine.. it was not cheap at retail $$$ but I was able to get right away and not have issues with wrong ones..
#7
Why go to all that trouble. Just go to superbrightled.com and you can get all the led bulbs you want. I just replace the 1156 bulbs in my cabin with LEDs. They have all the cross over bulbs that you will want.
#8
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From: Southeast Michigan
I did the cabin lights because they were 20+ years old and showing their age. The rest of it will be crossover bulbs, as soon as superbrightleds gets the red 7mm bayonets and the Type 74s in stock at the same time. I already have a bunch of red 194s for the next set of gauges, but I'm dreading making the template for the new dash panel!







