LED Bulb Review / Comparison !

[SoonerSailor]

A relative red deficiency in white LEDs of reasonable efficiency has always been an Achilles heel of LED lighting. This deficiency of red means that the color rendering index (CRI) of white LEDs has been much poorer than good incandescent lights. One way around that was to add a red LED to run with the white LED, but this is not ideal for many reasons.

There are some newer LEDs with much better CRI. Compare the fairly new Nichia 083 High CRI LED with a typical Cree XR-E (one of the highest efficiency whitle power LEDs available):


This is just a quick and dirty spectrum plot by Don McLeish, but it gives you an idea. Keeping in mind you can get a perceptually "warm" looking light from a white LED without it having a good CRI, I don't know how the Sensibulb compares here, though it does have a pleasing output.

[Hud3]

Acoustic,

Great thread! Thanks for taking the time to put it together for us.

(And, I always enjoy looking at pro-quality photos on your website!)

[CSY Man]

Speaking of LEDs:

Does anybody know of a web site, or other source for getting the right LED bulb for your fixture:

I am trying to find an LED bulb for this one:



and this one:



They are both Aqua Signal, but to find an LED bulb is like pulling teeth.
Tried this chart, Fixture Bulb Cross Reference Chart
but not much luck.
Since we have LED dealers visiting the board and following this thread:
The first one to unlock the secret of which bulb goes where will get my business...

[theonecalledtom]

Great post Acoustic! Just wish you'd put it up a week ago. Not finding anything similar and after our first experience [not liking] with the 10 bulb marinebeam bulb I splashed out $100 on a range of other types a few days back.

Not that sensei bulb though which, based on the difference between that and the marinebeam, looks the only one worth considering.

My conclusion so far is that I'd prefer to upgrade some of our lights with more expensive bulbs leaving the rest as halogens than upgrade all to a lower quality. First the galley, then the sitting area and finally the v-birth (we also have small battery powered LED reading lights that work pretty well).

[bstreep]

We refit our boat with LEDs - homemade fixtures using high output LEDs. We had a number of fluorescent fixtures that needed new bulbs AND ballasts. It just made sense. Now we can SEE and we don't worry about leaving lights on - they last 50,000 hours.

[James S]

Acoustic
Excelent...thanks for taking the time to help us all sort through these choices.

[hellosailor]

The Sensibulb sure looks impressive, but I see a lot of other components on the board. Have you checked to see if it puts out RFI to a nearby VHF or other equipment?

Sylvania are working on generic replacement LED headlights for cars now--obviously someone has bigger brighter LEDs than the ones we are getting access to.<G>

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

The Sensibulb sure looks impressive, but I see a lot of other components on the board. Have you checked to see if it puts out RFI to a nearby VHF or other equipment?

Sylvania are working on generic replacement LED headlights for cars now--obviously someone has bigger brighter LEDs than the ones we are getting access to.<G>

Here's what the manufacturer says..

Originally Posted by Sensibulb

Please know, the Sensibulb™ features advanced EMI filtration that completely eliminates all marine radio interference found in other LED products

That is what SCAD the manufacturer says but I have also tested it and find no interference what so ever...

[Martinini]

If you have a fixture like the one in the attached picture---West Marine has a plastic LED fixture for $19.99 that you can take the Led panel out of and place in the exsisting fixture by simply removing the old bulb fixture and attaching the wires from the LED panel to the ones in the exsisting fixture and gluing panel in place. A little off topic but works! Also anything that helps reduce power consumption on a Liveaboard is a good thing. The less I have to run my engine or generator the better.

[Pelagic]

Terrific job Acoustic and very “illuminating” ….. (Somebody had to say it)

Definitely time to make the switch

Does Sensibulb work ok with 24v lighting?

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Does Sensibulb work ok with 24v lighting?

Yes!

• Size: 1.00" x 1.00" x 5/8"
• Weight: 0.015 oz (10g)
• Typical Current Usage: 0.16 Amps(warm) - 0.2 Amps(cold)
• Voltage Range: 10-32 Volts DC
• Typical Operating Temperature: 140°-150°F
• Radio Interference: 0.00
• Ultra Violet Emissions: 0.00

[Southern Star]

Acoustic, that was an incredible effort - thanks so much for sharing it with us. The savings in amp/hrs combined with the reported durability (and your considerate efforts at getting site members a discount) made the decision pretty easy for me.
Kudos mate!

Brad

[schoonerdog]

I've supplimented this good thread with reseach from practical sailor. I've listed their recommended bulbs and noted efficiency in a new column on a lumens per watt catagory. Again, sensibulb is the clear winner.

[Maine Sail]

I really appreciate that effort. I was a little disappointed in the PS review and thought they would have been a little more in-depth but still the Sensibulb is, as I see it, still the winner..

[Soft Air]

Acoustic thanks to you the real winners here are all of us