Led spot lamp

[lynalldisocvery]

After having to come through some locks the other weekend in the dead on the night, im after a light for the bow of my boat, i need something with a tightish beam, would also like led for the low power consumption, but looking on the web and e bay theres so many choices its bewildering.

Most seem to list them as spot/work/pencil beam well they cant be all them surely?

I did think ahead and took a 55watt work lamp, which whilst okayish for the locks was rubbish for the rest of the trip as its a wide scattered beam.

Any ideas appreciated.

 

 

Lynall

[Ex- Member]

After having to come through some locks the other weekend in the dead on the night, im after a light for the bow of my boat, i need something with a tightish beam, would also like led for the low power consumption, but looking on the web and e bay theres so many choices its bewildering.

Most seem to list them as spot/work/pencil beam well they cant be all them surely?

I did think ahead and took a 55watt work lamp, which whilst okayish for the locks was rubbish for the rest of the trip as its a wide scattered beam.

Any ideas appreciated.

 

 

Lynall

 

You'll probably not find a powerful enough spotlight using just LED, you're probably better off buying a standard 12v spotlight for cars/lorries Lucas type. As you'll be running the engine when in use power use can easily be supplied.

 

I have a Chrome adjustable spotlight I intend to sell at sometime, about 5 inch came from a 1950's fire engine, it's an adjustable type though and protrudes through he roof with handle for adjustment. Probably not suitable for the bow.

 

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

After having to come through some locks the other weekend in the dead on the night, im after a light for the bow of my boat, i need something with a tightish beam, would also like led for the low power consumption, but looking on the web and e bay theres so many choices its bewildering.

Most seem to list them as spot/work/pencil beam well they cant be all them surely?

I did think ahead and took a 55watt work lamp, which whilst okayish for the locks was rubbish for the rest of the trip as its a wide scattered beam.

Any ideas appreciated.

 

 

Lynall

Why do you think you need a "tightish beam" If you poke that down a tunnel all you will do is dazzle oncoming boaters. A good wide beam to light the tunnel walls and roof is much better, pointed upwards slightly so that it doesn't through down the tunnel to much into the eyes of oncoming boaters.

[DuncanS]

I can supply LED spotlamps, in 24 & 27W all the way up to 72W (get a bit pricey though). The 24W pull 2 amps each and are five times brighter than 55W halogen lamps at half the power drain. Same as HERE, although I am happy to supply and post to any marina or other local place for you. The 24W are very thin at under an inch, with the 27W being the same housing, just 50% thicker again for the extra heatsink. They are solid aluminium and glass and really take a beating. I can happily pressure wash mine without them breaking. They are happy working on 9v-30v.

 

 

 

These are a pair of 24W's showing the beam and range. Yours for just under £30each, or around £55 for a pair (offhand).

Edited August 25, 2012 by DuncanS

[GoodGurl]

do you travel at night alot? if so then like Julynian said the engine will supply the power, i would just use my tunnel light.

[Ex- Member]

I can supply LED spotlamps, in 24 & 27W all the way up to 72W (get a bit pricey though). The 24W pull 2 amps each and are five times brighter than 55W halogen lamps at half the power drain. Same as HERE, although I am happy to supply and post to any marina or other local place for you. The 24W are very thin at under an inch, with the 27W being the same housing, just 50% thicker again for the extra heatsink. They are solid aluminium and glass and really take a beating. I can happily pressure wash mine without them breaking.

 

 

 

These are a pair of 24W's showing the beam and range. Yours for just under £30.

 

I stand corrected, nice lights! mmmmmmmm

 

 

 

[PhilR]

After having to come through some locks the other weekend in the dead on the night, im after a light for the bow of my boat, i need something with a tightish beam, would also like led for the low power consumption, but looking on the web and e bay theres so many choices its bewildering.

Most seem to list them as spot/work/pencil beam well they cant be all them surely?

I did think ahead and took a 55watt work lamp, which whilst okayish for the locks was rubbish for the rest of the trip as its a wide scattered beam.

Any ideas appreciated.

 

 

Lynall

 

A decent automotive fog lamp should have a wide flat beam without any scatter. That would probably be best for what you need. Forget LED bulbs and go for either halogen or tungsten. The 4 amp drain from a 50 watt bulb will be of no consequence when the engine is running.

Do you not have a tunnel light?

 

IMHO, the lamps suggested by DuncanS are probably not ideal for what you need, although they are probably very good for other applications.

 

A few years ago I bought a 2nd hand lamp from King's Lock Chandlery for £3. At the time I just wanted a cheap light for the stern so I could see our dog when he slipped off the counter (a regular event - and in tunnels too). The lamp turned out to be fantastic and much better than the tunnel lamp on the front. It still has the original bulb in it and is performing perfectly. I'll look for a makers mark tomorrow.

Edited August 25, 2012 by PhilR

[lynalldisocvery]

Thanks for the replies, i especially like Duncans led lamps.

 

Duncan is that your e bay shop?

 

Goodgurl no we have only travelled once at night so far, but i hate having something and not being able to use it, or it not being able to do the job, drives the wife mad!

 

In all honesty my biggest concern at the locks was one of us falling in and the other not noticing

 

 

Lynall

Edited August 26, 2012 by lynalldisocvery

[Ron T]

Thanks for the replies, i especially like Duncans led lamps.

 

Duncan is that your e bay shop?

 

Goodgurl no we have only travelled once at night so far, but i hate having something and not being able to use it, or it not being able to do the job, drives the wife mad!

 

In all honesty my biggest concern at the locks was one of us falling in and the other not noticing

 

 

Lynall

Lynall,you can buy two HID conversion kits[globes,wiring and ballast]for about $a50,GBP33?on ebay,very easy to convert your canal spotlight.I use 55w 6000k with a H1 globe in a spotlight and it leaves the 100w halogen for dead.6000k is the optimum as higher than that the light dosen't seem to penetrate as efficiantly.

[Phil Ambrose]

On our previous boat we moored in a dyke off the main river and had a large plot of land, when we let our dogs out last thing at night it was a job to keep track of them (one was blind as well) so I got a 1 watt LED from Litewave (isle of man) and fitted to the side of boat. It lit the whole plot up like day.

 

Phil

[ditchcrawler]

Thanks for the replies, i especially like Duncans led lamps.

 

Duncan is that your e bay shop?

 

Goodgurl no we have only travelled once at night so far, but i hate having something and not being able to use it, or it not being able to do the job, drives the wife mad!

 

In all honesty my biggest concern at the locks was one of us falling in and the other not noticing

 

 

Lynall

If you are going down rivers like the Thames and Trent with a light like you are talking about on the front you wont be very popular.

[lynalldisocvery]

If you are going down rivers like the Thames and Trent with a light like you are talking about on the front you wont be very popular.

 

 

Brian, im not after blinding anyone, but the locks we used had no light at all, just pure darkness, plus of course watching out for debris in the water.

Tbh on the trip back up we only saw one boat with its light on, i dont think there are to many liveaboards on the non tidal medway

 

 

 

Lynall