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Flourescent light fixture

2K views 14 replies 14 participants last post by  TQA 
#1 ·
Anyone know where I might find a overhead replacement fixture that looks like this? Best picture I could find in my files.
 

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#3 ·
Is there a reason to replace with another fluorescent fixture? I have been reading about the LED lights now available - use a lot less battery and have a decent "color" to the light. I know you want a good light over the galley, but are you sure the fluorescent is the best choice?
 
#7 · (Edited)
On the subject of quality of light, I recently bought new "warm white" 12" flourescent tubes from Amazon, for the remarkably reasonable price of $3.24 each, including shipping.

The light temperature is about the same as an incandescent, very pleasant.



I should really start a business selling these as "marine" tubes for $50 each.

BTW, when buying flourescent tubes AND LEDs, the term "warm white" is thrown around with abandon. However, the actual colour temp. is harder to lie about and is usually a fair measure of light quality. An incandescent is 2700F, and anything up to 3200F is pretty warm. I have LEDs that are 3150, and these tubes are 3000. The light from both is fine.

You see some LED products out there that are 5000F, which is very cold, still described as "warm white".
 
#6 ·
Considering the look of that fixture, you might want to take a look at Alpenglow Lights as a possible replacement. Alternately, if you are particularly attached to that fixture for some reason, you can send the fixture to Alpenglow and they can/will rewire it with their lights for a very reasonable cost. We installed two of their lights and have been very happy with the results and the performance of the lights.

FWIW
 
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#9 ·
I second that. I also replaced several of my incandescent fixtures with the Alpenglow fluorescent fixtures for a very reasonable cost. Then have both low and high settings, and you can get on with a red bulb for night sailing as well. Very good for the price.

I agree that LED use less juice and have come a long way in the last 2 years (I have 4 LED fixtures as well), but they are not very good for "room" coverage like that shown in the photo, and are still pretty steep in price for what you get.
 
#12 ·
I also am an Alpenglow fan...we have the salon one trimmed in teak with two white and two red brightness setting. The one fixture is really well made and the LED lights dont have that bright white hospotal color. The prisimed lenses make a big differentce. The LED are also much more energy efficient.

Dave
 
#14 ·
broke, are there no maker's marks or anything inside it? Is the builder of your boat still in business, or would other owners of the same perhaps know?

You might prefer to replace (the pair?) with LED or something else, but in the worst case you should be able to take any similar light with the same bulb type, and cannibalize the electronics module and move it over to repair your lamp in one fairly simple operation.
 
#15 ·
If the housing and translucent cover are OK why not buy a 12 volt flourescent wander light or [ better still LED ] from Walmart auto.

Gut your old fitting and transfer the innards from wander light. Cheaper than buying a new ballast.

You may find you need a RF choke if it is noisy on the VHF.
 
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