# LED Bulb Comparison !!!



## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

Hi All,

I went ahead a acquired five different high output interior 12v LED bulbs for comparison.

I wanted to capture the actual beam width and the light color as best I could. I brought the bulbs home and set them up in my garage to shine on the back of the white garage door. I placed the test fixture 25" from the door and use a Deep Cycle battery at a 13.2V float stage charge to power them.

In order to capture every bulb with everything being equal I used a Nikon D-200 DSLR on a tripod with no flash and the garage was pitch black except for the one bulb being photographed. I even re-shot each and every bulb as new ones came in the mail so they were always shot within minutes of each other and at the same level of darkness in the garage. In between shoots I also moved the fixture and camera so I wanted every bulb to be in the exact same position to be fair. The camera was set to manual mode and every picture was taken remotely and on the same exact setting, so all could be as equal as possible. The camera settings were: 1s f/10.0 at 24.0mm iso200

Please note that a camera sees color temperatures differently than the naked eye and tends to skew everything to a warmer glow. The yellow/oragie tints are actually nice and warm and the whitest bulb, the Dr. LED, is almost blue in the real world.
  
None of the photos, where light was captured, was post processed or run through any photo editing software. This is how they came out of the camera.

I chose these settings because it gave a clearer delineation of where the effective light spread stopped and petered into darkness.

Current Draw is as follows:

20W Halogen = 1.745 amps
10W Halogen =.87 amps
Sensibulb = .194 amps
MarineBeam 6 bulb = .158 amps
MarineBeam 10 bulb = .188 amps
Dr. LED = .138 amps
Superbrite LED = .141 amps
 
To put it in perspective one 10W Halogen bulb uses 4.48 times (448% more) electricity than does one Sensibulb and one 20W halogen uses 8.9 times (899% more) electricity than the Sensibulb which was the highest drawing of the LED's tested.

*This is the Dr. LED G4 / MR-11 it had the narrowest beam width and the coldest bluish color. It was also the least bright with the lowest current draw at .138 amps. At $28.99 I think the MarineBeam bulb is a better value and if you compare price, with beam width and light output, it can't really compare to the Sensibulb in warmness or beam width:*








*
This is the SuperBrite LED's **MR-11 WHP6**. It's a six SMD bulb and a decent knock off to the Marinebeam MR-11-6 below. To the naked eye looks virtually identical but the lighting & current draw tell a different story. It has a cold blueish tint and is slightly less bright than the MarineBeam MR-11-6. At $14.95 it is a decent value but certainly not the best color representation.* *Another clue that it is not the same exact bulb as the Marinebeam is the current draw. This bulb drew .141 amps and the Marinebeam drew .158 amps.*








*This is the MarineBeam G4 / MR-11-6 it uses 6 SMD LED's and had a much wider beam width than the Dr. LED and about the same as the Superbrite LED bulb but was noticeably warmer in color output. Though the Sensibulb was considerably warmer and more natural looking this was the second most natural looking and fairly close to an incandescent bulbs color. It was brighter and warmer than the Dr. LED bulb and the Superbrite LED and at $24.99 it is a lot cheaper than the Sensibulb. It's a good choice for a price conscious user & it consumes .158 amps :*








*
This is the MarineBeam G4/MR-11-10. Like the G4/MR-11-6 it uses SMD LED's but instead of six it uses ten. It was brighter but notably colder than it's smaller sibling bulb. At $27.99 it is a lot cheaper than the Sensibulb and a good choice for a price conscious user who needs more light output than the G4/MR-11-6 type bulbs can give.. I was not impressed with the color rendering of this bulb and it is tending towards colder rather than warmer especially when compared to the other MarineBeam bulb. It consumes .188 amps :*








*
This is the Sensibulb and it fits both horizontal and vertical fixtures it had the widest beam width, even hitting & wrapping up onto the ceiling. It also had the warmest most incandescent like light output and was definitely the brightest of the tree bulbs but also the most expensive at $39.95 ea. It was significantly brighter than the Dr. LED bulb but also drew the most current of the three LED's at .194 amps (note the reflection off the ceiling and keep in mind this bulb was only 24" from the door):*









*I have also included this G4 10W Halogen bulb photo for comparison. It draws .88 amps or 448% more than the Sensibulb:*








*
Here's a G4 20W Halogen bulb it draws 1.745 amps or 899% more than the Sensibulb. In terms of light output the Sensibulb falls in between the 20 watt and the 10 watt halogens..*








*
These are the bulbs tested:

From L to R: Sensibulb, Marinebeam G4/MR-11-10, Marinebeam G4/MR-11-6, SuperBrite LED MR-11 WHP6, Doctor LED Mr-11

Front Row: 10 Watt G4 Halogen, 20 Watt G4 Halogen*








*Test Fixture:*
*







*









*Lumens:*

The question of lumens comes up a lot so here it is straight from Practical Sailor. The lower the color temp the warmer the bulb. The Sensibulb is still the widest and brightest.

Here's the technical color temp and lumen data from the Practical Sailor test:

*Sensibulb (Daylight)*= 150 *lumens* / 60" beam width / 2990 color temp

*Sensibulb (Soft Light)*= 130 *lumens* / 58" beam width / 2650 color temp 
*
Cruising solutions MR 11 6P* = 72 *lumens* / 48" beam width / 3300 color temp

*Cruising solutions MR 16 9P*[/b]= 108 *lumens* / 44" beam width / 3300 color temp

*Dr. LED MR-11*= 35 *lumens* / 25" beam width / 3850 color temp

P.S. If you mention to the folks at Sailors Solutions that you read about the Sensibulb here, Nick, one of the owners, has agreed to give 10% off..


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## ckgreenman (Aug 22, 2008)

Cool. Thanks for the comparison. I'm curious though, on the Superbright, is that their "warm white" series or the cool white?


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

YOU are a Maineiac!! Thank god for long winters!!  Nice work "Hal"!!


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## Sapperwhite (Oct 21, 2006)

nice, thanks for doing the foot work again.


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## poopdeckpappy (Jul 25, 2006)

Nice job Maine

BTW, I'm sure that's NOT where the toilet brush goes


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## TxLnghrn (Apr 22, 2008)

Maine,
As usual, your free time and hyper anal-retentiveness (or is it anal retentiveness) has worked for the benefit of thousands. Thanks again for all your efforts.
Michael


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Another classic from THE MAN! Good one - thanks.


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## Sapperwhite (Oct 21, 2006)

poopdeckpappy said:


> Nice job Maine
> 
> BTW, I'm sure that's NOT where the toilet brush goes


I can't believe you noticed the toilet brush but not the ball gag....


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## catamount (Sep 8, 2002)

Maine Sail said:


> 20W Halogen = 1.745 amps
> 10W Halogen =.87 milliamps
> Sensibulb = .194 milliamps
> MarineBeam 6 bulb = .158 milliamps
> ...


All these milliamps should be amps. For example, a 10W bulb should draw about half the current of a 20W bulb, or about 0.87 amps, which is 870 milliamps.


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

Main SAil, first of all, I thank you very much for the nice test. (you are like the DECO od Sailnet!!)

If I may ask a question, please, you said those are for interior lights, right?

How do they fix on the ceiling light fixtures I have on my boat? Or you need to buy a special fixture? I ask because I see they have a weird shape.

I want to replace all my external lights to LED lights this year. (nav, presence, mast top etc). I know they make them also for the outside. Do you have any photos of the exteranl LED lights, so I can see and compare with what I have?

I need to get to my mast top to remove the bulbs, then come down, then buy, then climb again to get them in.

IF yo have photos, that will help me.

Photos bellow show my ceiling fixtures, so you see them.

The salon ones are 10W halogen, built into the ceiling liner, the aft cabin are normal 12 V light bulbs, but are outside.

Can I get those led lights for both models?

















THANK YOU for the time and effort putting these intesresting things together..I do really appreciate. Kudos.

Alex


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

ckgreenman said:


> Cool. Thanks for the comparison. I'm curious though, on the Superbright, is that their "warm white" series or the cool white?


All the bulbs ordered were ordered in warm white so yes the Superbrite is a warm white.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

poopdeckpappy said:


> Nice job Maine
> 
> BTW, I'm sure that's NOT where the toilet brush goes


Actually it's my wheel cleaning brush for the car.. Good Catch!


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## Idiens (Jan 9, 2007)

Giu,

It is worth reading Nigel Calder's recent article on LED lighting:

Professional BoatBuilder - October/November 2008

Under the title "The Maturation".


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

catamount said:


> All these milliamps should be amps. For example, a 10W bulb should draw about half the current of a 20W bulb, or about 0.87 amps, which is 870 milliamps.


Thanks for the catch. I had my meter on the milliamp setting to capture the third digit and had milliamps on the brain..



Idiens said:


> Giu,
> 
> It is worth reading Nigel Calder's recent article on LED lighting:
> 
> ...


Yes I read it via the on-line subscription. I like one of his last comments.



From Calder article in Professional Boatbuilder said:


> In skimming through marine chat sites on the internet, I've noticed a number of unhappy boat owners who've had LED lights fail within _hours_ of putting them into service-and others who've enjoyed years of service with no failures at all. It's clearly important to buy from reputable companies.


You can't get high quality, high output, constant current type LED's at incandescent prices even though some feel they can.... It's unfortunate that some have had such a bad time with LED's and hopefully this info will help.

The Sensibulb clearly has some of the most in-depth circuitry of the lot and has no RFI interference that I have noted.

Essentially you are paying for the quality of the bulb itself and circuitry. The Sensibulb uses Japanese made LED's (this is the same bulb Nikon uses in it's very expensive medical imaging equipment) that cost about six times what the Marinebeam Seoul Semiconductor Korean made bulbs do. The Superbrites appear to be a Chinese made knock off of the Seoul Semi bulbs or a cheaper BIN from Seoul Semi....


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

I bought a couple of the Sensibulbs. As Maine Sail has said, wonderful warm light. The kind you are use to seeing at home. I have no problem reading with the Sensibulb also. I think that is an important point.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

GUI—

If the bulbs are the two-prong Halogen G4 bulbs, yes, the Sensibulbs should fit. They also make adapters to fit the Sensibulbs to other types of bulb fixtures, including one for dual contact bayonet mount. Without knowing who makes your lighting fixtures, it is hard to say whether the sensibulbs will fit all of them.

BTW, for the navigation lighting, it would help if you said what models of navigation light fixtures you have. I know that the Aquasignal 25 and 40 series fixtures have replacement LED bulbs available for them.


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

Dog..that is my problem...I don´t know exactly, they came with the boat..

That´s why I need to get there, see the fixture, bring the bulbs and buy accordingly.

I will search for what I know I have, or think I have, and post here so some of you can help me and in December when I fo to the US I can buy them, ok please?


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## Idiens (Jan 9, 2007)

One thing to watch with the G4 halogen fitting is that some lamps fit them in sideways, instead of axially. It looks like Maine Sails examples are all intended for axial fittings.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

Idiens said:


> One thing to watch with the G4 halogen fitting is that some lamps fit them in sideways, instead of axially. It looks like Maine Sails examples are all intended for axial fittings.


Yes, other than the Sensibulb which will do both a horizontal and vertical fixture, they are all vertical bulbs. I decided to test all of one type though the Marinebeam and Superbrites are also made in a horizontal type bulb in the same configurations..


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## Idiens (Jan 9, 2007)

Maine Sail said:


> Yes, other than the Sensibulb which will do both a horizontal and vertical fixture, they are all vertical bulbs. I decided to test all of one type though the Marinebeam and Superbrites are also made in a horizontal type bulb in the same configurations..


Thanks. I think my G4 lamps with side fitting would have difficulty accepting the size of the LED envelope.

BTW - In your picture of the lights, one seems to be missing. The list is of six, but only five shown.


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

OK, help now, please.

My spreader lights ar here:

The forward deck mast light is here

Stern light here

Red Green Nav lights by Hella here (I have seen these, they look like a glass tube with two conical metal extremities).

My interior lights on the ones outside the liner ans embeded say use G4 10 W bulbs (whatever that means)

I think the masthead light )we call it presence light, only used when anchored) is from Hella.

That is it...can you please recommend bulbs for these? Thanks


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## ckgreenman (Aug 22, 2008)

Giulietta said:


> OK, help now, please.
> 
> My spreader lights ar here:
> 
> ...


Looks like your forward mast light and nav lights use a festoon bulb (glass tube with metal ends). The stern light uses a bayonet base, 2 conductor bulb. #1142 I think. The interior lights are the same type as shown in Mainesail's post, and I have no clue on the spreader lights.

I know Superbright makes festoon bulbs, 1142, and G4 replacements.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

Idiens said:


> Thanks. I think my G4 lamps with side fitting would have difficulty accepting the size of the LED envelope.
> 
> BTW - In your picture of the lights, one seems to be missing. The list is of six, but only five shown.


Actually there are five listed and five shown:

*#1 Sensibulb
#2 Marinebeam G4/MR-11-10
#3 Marinebeam G4/MR-11-6
#4 SuperBrite LED MR-11 WHP6
#5 Doctor LED MR-11*

When I get home I can measure the width of the bulbs PC board. If you take the Superbrite & Marinebeam bulbs/PC board out of the MR-11 glass fixture that is actual the width of the non MR-11 horizontal bulbs..


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## SEMIJim (Jun 9, 2007)

Maine Sail said:


> Essentially you are paying for the quality of the bulb itself and circuitry. The Sensibulb uses Japanese made LED's (this is the same bulb Nikon uses in it's very expensive medical imaging equipment) that cost about six times what the Marinebeam Seoul Semiconductor Korean made bulbs do.


I'm not sure that if by "bulbs" you mean "emitters," but just in case: SSC LEDs/emitters aren't necessarily inferior. Like any other LED emitter: They need to be driven and heat-sinked properly. Over-drive and/or under-heat-sink them and they'll die.

LEDs are semi-conductors. Heat is a semi-conductor's enemy. To get LEDs to emit a bright light they must unfortunately be driven to the point that they generate self-destructive heat. The only way to save them is for there to be adequate heat-sinking to draw the heat away. You can buy relatively inexpensive LED flashlights these days that *way* out-perform a "traditional" flashlight--even a high-end one from such as MagLight, but you can not obtain a LED replacement bulb for "old tech" flashlights that will make them perform as well, because there's no way to design a drop-in replacement bulb with the heat-sinking necessary top allow you to drive the emitter hard enough to make it perform well.

This should tell you something about the likely longevity of (most?) replacement navigation "bulbs." 

Jim


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## soulesailor (Nov 18, 2007)

So...what are ya gonna do with all the extra bulbs


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## Melrna (Apr 6, 2004)

OK I believe you all missed the pallets full of ammonium nitrate. I hope the FBI doesn't see this photo. I wonder if there is a Ryder truck parked outside the garage door!


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

Giulietta said:


> Dog..that is my problem...I don´t know exactly, they came with the boat..
> 
> That´s why I need to get there, see the fixture, bring the bulbs and buy accordingly.
> 
> I will search for what I know I have, or think I have, and post here so some of you can help me and in December when I fo to the US I can buy them, ok please?


I too am converting to exterior and interior LEDs not just for power draw (although this is important), but for heat issues. I have very nice 10 W Halogen reading lamps over the aft cabin bed, but they get very warm indeed. As I am moving the bed aft and athwartships, I will likely just run off an existing bulkhead "area" light fixture of the "brass ring" type using an old 12VDC "auto" light and power two reading lamp LEDs from there.

This is one of the generally unheralded advantages of LED fixtures: they draw so little that you can easily "extend" existing wiring circuits with smaller gauge wires, which is both cheaper and easier to secure and to properly run through conduit.

Thanks to Maine/Hal once again for being a better _Practical Sailor_ than _Practical Sailor_.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

The interior lights are G4 Halogens, so they're not a problem.

The Spreader lights are a sealed bulb unit, so you can't do much about them.

The others may or may not be able to use replacement bulbs like the ones from DR. LED.

Personally, I'd swap the fixtures out with Aquasignal Series 25 or 40 ones, depending on the size of the boat, and use the DR. LED bulbs made for them. It's one of the least expensive ways to get all LED navigation lighting.



Giulietta said:


> OK, help now, please.
> 
> My spreader lights ar here:
> 
> ...


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## jeffield (Aug 16, 2007)

*Spreader Lights from Marinebeam.com*

We will have your spreader lights in 2 weeks. Look for the announcement on the marinebeam website. It is a sealed beam unit with 120 LEDs and is plug-n-play with most spreader lights.

We will also have a replacement spreader light with the same form factor, but >9W and >600 Lumens. In final testing now. I can't post pic here because of silly posting restrictions, but can send a pic to those interested.

I can also help with the tube lights (must be a Jeanneau or Bene?)

For the rest of your bulbs, see the marinebeam website.

For a white paper/idiots guide to everything LEDs, download our pdf.

Cheers,

Jeff
Marinebeam.com


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Hey GUI-

He called your boat a Bendytoy... or Jeanneau, which is much the same thing...they're both French... 



jeffield said:


> We will have your spreader lights in 2 weeks. Look for the announcement on the marinebeam website. It is a sealed beam unit with 120 LEDs and is plug-n-play with most spreader lights.
> 
> We will also have a replacement spreader light with the same form factor, but >9W and >600 Lumens. In final testing now. I can't post pic here because of silly posting restrictions, but can send a pic to those interested.
> 
> ...


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## ckgreenman (Aug 22, 2008)

sailingdog said:


> Hey GUI-
> 
> He called your boat a Bendytoy... or Jeanneau, which is much the same thing...they're both French...


Ouch. Wait until Alex reads that one. There will be hell to pay


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## LoTech (Sep 10, 2008)

Is there a fixture as good as the bulb? 

I'm looking for one that can hold 1 red Sensibulb PAIR, and one white Sensibulb PAIR. And can be switched to either or both, with a dimmer.

The switches in the dome lights I've used become corroded after a couple of years and stop working. I would like to find a reliable fixture sealed and switched like a diver's flashlight.


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## labatt (Jul 31, 2006)

We literally installed a sensibulb 10 minutes ago, and all I can say is - wow! It's incredible. The brightness is wonderful, wide (i.e. not like a spotlight) and very similar to our 20w incandescent bulbs. We've had a problem with LED replacements due to the patterns on our glass lenses on our fixtures, but the new Sensibulbs don't have the same issue.


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

Thanks for the recommendation. Sensibulbs _still _aren't cheap, and maybe there are better LED lights for particular applications, but they seem very consistently to score well with those seeking a "warm and natural" light source for general illumination.

The recent Practical Sailor had a good write-up on the current crop (pun intended) of LED lights. I am interested in the Alpenglow fixture and light, because I have been very pleased with their florescent red/white fixture in my pilot house. I have CF fixtures in the sea berths and regular florescent 12 inch lights in the galley and the head, old-school incandescents and halogen reading lights in the aft cabin, and honking big 25w Aquasignal nav lights on deck and mast.

I want LED spots there, in the workshop and in the aft cabin, because right now, I have too many types of unpopular lights aboard. I also want LED nav lights everywhere, as I think they are great for longevity and low draw.


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## night0wl (Mar 20, 2006)

Mainesail - hate to drag up an old thread - but do you have any info on the newer generation of bulbs from Marinebeam? Specifically the SP-G4-12 and the SP-G4-15 "light hammer"


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

night0wl said:


> Mainesail - hate to drag up an old thread - but do you have any info on the newer generation of bulbs from Marinebeam? Specifically the SP-G4-12 and the SP-G4-15 "light hammer"


I have not purchased any of the new "light hammers" to test and compare but I have seen them in use. IMO, without testing them under the same conditions mind you, nearly as bright as the Sensibulb but not as wide and also color is still a little ways off Sensibulbs warm.. They were installed on a boat with Sensibulbs overhead and the light hammers in small form factor reading lights. It would still be a top choice though if I could not fit a Sensibulb in the fixture. Jeff at Marine Beam is a good guy and sells top a quality LED products.

Remember the Sensibulb is only $1.00 more than the $35.00 Light Hammer, if you ask Nick for the 10% discount. Also SCAD/Sensibulb sells their own comparable version of the "Light Hammer" for $32.99 through Defender. These are still no Sensibulb but if you have teeny tiny lights it's all you may be able to fit and IMHO they are the best product thus far in small form.

I did however just purchase three of the latest iteration of the Sensibulb and all I can say is HOLY SH*T !!!!!!

You GET what you pay for with the Sensibulb. The newest generation I just bought uses only ONE emitter and are about35-40%, yes 35-40%!!, brighter than the ones I previously tested which BTW were the brightest marine LED's tested by PS at the time. Light Hammer = 100 Lumens for $35.00 even a four generation old Sensibulb WW = 130 lumens for $36.00, the new ones are 35-40% brighter, perhaps 175-180 lumens and still $36.00. The new Sensibulb emitters are also US Made in California, and assembled/made in the US, if that matters. The light coming out of that pencil tip sized emitter is simply mind blowing.

I did do some more testing on radio noise, with a Ham friends help, and found the Marine Beam bulbs to be nearly as quiet as the Sensibulb. Dr. LED, Superbrite and just about every LED bulb created havoc with radio interference some a LOT worse than others..

The new *Sensibulb*, that just began shipping last week,are significantly brighter than the ones I tested back in December 2008. When I plugged them in I was STUNNED and that's not easy to do.

According to Nick, one of the owners of Sensibulb/SCAD, they have had four output upgrades since I ordered my last bulbs in 2008. This most recent change is a major change from the two emitter design to a single emitter design. To say the least these guys stay on top of the technology and don't rest on just having a "good" product as they want to sell the "best" product.

While many other LED's have remained unchanged in technology, output and color temp and dropped the price accordingly, as their technology became like a dinosaur saddle, the Sensibulb price has remained the same but the technology is and has always been totally cutting edge and the "latest and greatest".

I honestly did not think it could get much better than the ones I have been using but it has. I bought one of the first Sensibulbs to ever hit the market at the first boat show they displayed at. That bulb is still going strong and has LOTS of use on it.

The new ones are about equal to or brighter than a 20W halogen and the color is still very pleasing. While not cheap they are about the best you can buy and also have no radio interference I could find something that plagues other LED bulbs. With LED's I have found that you do get what you pay for, trust me I have a work shop full of JUNK... I own three different generations of the Sensibulb, as well as many other LED bulbs, and the Sensibulb is just an amazing product. Yes, you may pay more, but you actually get more.

I have no vested interest in the Sensibulb company but am willing to pay the premium as I have found no equal or substitute at any price but Marine Beam is making strides..

The new bulb has only one teeny tiny LED emitter as opposed to the two of the last model but is still the brightest LED interior bulb I have seen. The Sensibulb was the brightest LED Practical Sailor tested and this one is a full 35-40% better in output than those. I have seen 10 emitter bulbs not even half as bright as this new Sensibulb so DO NOT get fooled by more emitters, means more light. If the technology keeps going at this pace we will soon see LED car headlights and LED's lighting baseball stadiums.

Oh and the two pesky things that bugged me about my 2008 bulbs was the dinky little wires and the rather wimpy G4 clip that held the bulb in place. They have now beefed up the wires and made the clip a LOT more robust.

Two thumbs up to Nick Cancro and the crew at SCAD for keeping on top of things and listening to customer feedback!!!
*
June 2010 Sensibulb (even Sensibulb does not have a photo of the new ones):*









*2008 Sensibulb:*


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Damn...look at the size of the heatsink on that new Sensibulb... that's one of the reasons they tend to have better lifespans than competing products...good heat dissipation.


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## funjohnson (Aug 20, 2008)

Maine sail-

Do you know if the wires can be clipped from the back of the sensibulb or do they need the mount to work? I have a really tight light that will work if I'm able to hardwire in, but if I keep the mount and have to use the adapter, the dome will not fit back on. I understand that the warranty will not be in place, but that doesn't matter too much to me.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

funjohnson said:


> Maine sail-
> 
> Do you know if the wires can be clipped from the back of the sensibulb or do they need the mount to work? I have a really tight light that will work if I'm able to hardwire in, but if I keep the mount and have to use the adapter, the dome will not fit back on. I understand that the warranty will not be in place, but that doesn't matter too much to me.


Sure the wire could be clipped. The PC board shows which wire is POS / NEG. Blue is GND and Red is POS..

It does not need the G4 socket to work but they are expensive so please be careful as the leads are only about 1 1/4" long...


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## rhaley (Jun 18, 2007)

FWIW, the new emitter looks to be the Philips Rebel, which is one of the two best parts on the market for lumens/watt. Kudos to Sensibulb for keeping up with the technology, and now that I see how they are following the industry, I can guess what LEDs will be used next!


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## rhaley (Jun 18, 2007)

sailingdog said:


> Damn...look at the size of the heatsink on that new Sensibulb... that's one of the reasons they tend to have better lifespans than competing products...good heat dissipation.


One of the other major reasons is they use high power LEDs that were designed to be driven as illuminators. These LEDs have dedicated thermal pads to shed the heat to that massive heat sink, and will last a LONG time when utilized in a good design (as the Sensibulb seems to be).


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## SVCarolena (Oct 5, 2007)

funjohnson said:


> Maine sail-
> 
> Do you know if the wires can be clipped from the back of the sensibulb or do they need the mount to work? I have a really tight light that will work if I'm able to hardwire in, but if I keep the mount and have to use the adapter, the dome will not fit back on. I understand that the warranty will not be in place, but that doesn't matter too much to me.


Would something like the Sensibulb Mini work? Sensibulb™ Mini™ | Technologies LLC I've not seen one in person, but given the quality of the the regular bulb, I would have high hopes. Speaking of the regular Sensibulb, I've installed four in our boat, one each of red and white in the galley and head dome lights. MS is absolutely right, these things are great - and I'm talking about what is now the last generation. No doubt in my mind that I'll be buying more as we slowly convert our reading lights. Now if they would only come out with bulbs to fit my nav lights.


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## funjohnson (Aug 20, 2008)

SVCarolena said:


> Would something like the Sensibulb Mini work?


Thank you, and I'm sure the mini would work, but I already have the bulb for the location over the galley and would like to not purchase a different bulb (I'm cheap).

I also bought two IMTRA Marine LED towers for a set of lights on my bulkhead, but the shade around the light fixture really changes the color of these to a yellow. With the shade off, the lights look great and really throw some lumens... it's just the shade that makes them look real yellow. Unfortunately, I cant get around using the shade and will be stuck with the yellow traffic like look.


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## F4d3d (Jun 4, 2010)

@Maine Sail - Thanks for the great work on the LED comparison.

@Jeffield - Your idiot's guide was a good read, thanks. I'll look you up when I need some LED's in the future.


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## ckgreenman (Aug 22, 2008)

MS, I'm curious. You mentioned the new Sensibulb was about as bright as a 20W halogen. What's the power consumption?


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

ckgreenman said:


> MS, I'm curious. You mentioned the new Sensibulb was about as bright as a 20W halogen. What's the power consumption?


 The new Sensibulbs measure out at 0.22 amps vs. 1.75 amps for a 20W halogen or roughly 800% more energy consumed by the halogen than the Sensibulb for roughly the same light output....


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## PalmettoSailor (Mar 7, 2006)

I plan to replace a couple of the bulbs in my existing reading lamps just to save on the draw for long term use like reading, but the major shortcoming on my boat is general area lighting especially in the galley and Nav station.

I recently purchased a CFL fixture from AlpenGlow. I tested the fixture this weekend mounted on the boats centerline just forward of the companion way and what a great improvement. I chose the 2 level fixture with red LED night lighting. The CFL fixture provides reasonable lighting on the low setting for tasks like cooking and even illuminates the nav station and part of the saloon with enough light to read. On the high setting there is ample light for detailed work so many boat projects necessitate. I'm not sure what the draw is, but think its similar to one HID type light but provides much more useful light.

On the night setting it provides low amp draw red led lighting to allow crew to move around below with out destroying their night vision. Again there is high and low setting. I think the low setting would be adequate to fully night adjusted eyes but haven't had a chance to test that and its nice to have a higher intensity setting if you find you need it.

I think with a combination of sensibulbs for uses where the light is on for a long time coupled with my new overhead light for shorter duration lighting over the whole saloon is really going to make things much nicer on our boat.


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## JimsCAL (May 23, 2007)

Fluorescents are actually quite efficient. Not quite as good as an LED, but much better than a halogen or incandescent bulb. Nice thing about LEDs is that you can just replace the bulb, don't need to change the entire fixture.


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## PalmettoSailor (Mar 7, 2006)

JimsCAL said:


> Fluorescents are actually quite efficient. Not quite as good as an LED, but much better than a halogen or incandescent bulb. Nice thing about LEDs is that you can just replace the bulb, don't need to change the entire fixture.


In my case I needed a fixture as for some reason unknown to me Catalina did not install ANY overhead lighting in my C36. I think in the later MKII's they may have halogens in the overhead, but I have nothing but reading lights that are a bit above hip level when standing. The light is fine if you are sitting down reading but sux for everything else, so a rather large CFL fixture that pretty well lights the whole saloon is going to be a great addition and the red night lights are a nice fringe benefit.


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## Bene505 (Jul 31, 2008)

*Which Sensibulbs, the new ones or the old ones??? ($24 each for old ones)*

I found the older style SensiBulb for $24 each with free shipping. This is the version with 2 leds.

I'm thinking about getting at least 8 (for the salon) and maybe more. Our boat has 22 overhead fixtures, not sure I want to do all of them at the same time.

Question is... Are these the best one's to buy, or are the newer ones really ok from a light-temperature standpoint? Which is better, the new ones or the older ones?

Regards,
Brad


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## nickmerc (Nov 2, 2008)

I bought 2 new ones this year and am very happy with the color temperature. If you compare them side by side the new ones are cooler but separately I cannot tell the difference.
________
Live sex


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

Bene505 said:


> I found the older style SensiBulb for $24 each with free shipping. This is the version with 2 leds.
> 
> I'm thinking about getting at least 8 (for the salon) and maybe more. Our boat has 22 overhead fixtures, not sure I want to do all of them at the same time.
> 
> ...


Brad,

I wish I'd known I would have sold you the two bulb versions I had. I have converted my entire boat, except for two, over to the new style. Much brighter and the beam is wider. My boat was hit by lightning so I was able to get all new single emitter Sensibulbs and now actually prefer the newer ones. Side by side they seem colder but alone they are fine. The color is still good and passes the "wife test" which no other bulbs have been able to do except for the older Sensibulbs. I put the two old style ones I had up in the v-berth. For $24.00 grab the older style they are still great bulbs!!


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## Bene505 (Jul 31, 2008)

Thanks Mainesail,

Any idea where I can get the new ones? I want to see the price difference. (I searched and I see them selling the Sensibulb 2, but the picture next to the listing has the 2 bulb version.)

Regards,
Brad


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

Bene505 said:


> Thanks Mainesail,
> 
> Any idea where I can get the new ones? I want to see the price difference. (I searched and I see them selling the Sensibulb 2, but the picture next to the listing has the 2 bulb version.)
> 
> ...


If you buy from Sailors Solutions you will only get the new ones. They have been out of the old style for a long time. They are just slow to update the web site photos.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

This game seems to have come up a level or two, since MS first review. Any new intel? For example, the marinebeam direct plug replacement bulbs are simple to install (just plug them in) and much less expensive: $11 a pop, if you buy quantity.

G4 6-LED Side Pin Replacement

Any updated experiences? How about lifespan?

We have 44 fixtures with the old fashioned 2 pin halogens.  If we decide to replace them, we better get it right the first time! It's probably the heat that concerns me more than the power draw, they are never all on at once. But the lower power is a big plus.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

Related:

I just replaced my running lights with these; LED Navigation Lights

They are sealed, and have an 8 foot pigtail to run through the bow pulpit and pushpit tubing. The mounting fixture is well thought out. So far, I really like them.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

eherlihy said:


> Related:
> 
> I just replaced my running lights with these; LED Navigation Lights
> 
> They are sealed, and have an 8 foot pigtail to run through the bow pulpit and pushpit tubing. The mounting fixture is well thought out. So far, I really like them.


A good thought. My nav lights are more likely to corrode and become inop than actually burnout. I don't run at night all that often to really care about power consumption. Are they sealed well from the weather? Form the pics, I can't really tell how I would get them to attach to my current mounts.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

These are *exceptionally* well sealed. The 8' pigtail is not removable from the light.

The main reason that I did the upgrade was that my old Hella festoon bulb fixtures had shorted out one day in heavy rain. It took me a while to figure out why the breaker kept tripping.

I had to do some drilling to make the fixture fit on my existing stainless steel mounting plates, but it was not difficult. I wish that I had done the upgrade long ago.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

SEMIJim said:


> I'm not sure that if by "bulbs" you mean "emitters," but just in case: SSC LEDs/emitters aren't necessarily inferior. Like any other LED emitter: They need to be driven and heat-sinked properly. Over-drive and/or under-heat-sink them and they'll die.
> 
> LEDs are semi-conductors. Heat is a semi-conductor's enemy. To get LEDs to emit a bright light they must unfortunately be driven to the point that they generate self-destructive heat. The only way to save them is for there to be adequate heat-sinking to draw the heat away. You can buy relatively inexpensive LED flashlights these days that *way* out-perform a "traditional" flashlight--even a high-end one from such as MagLight, but you can not obtain a LED replacement bulb for "old tech" flashlights that will make them perform as well, because there's no way to design a drop-in replacement bulb with the heat-sinking necessary top allow you to drive the emitter hard enough to make it perform well.
> This should tell you something about the likely longevity of (most?) replacement navigation "bulbs."
> ...


I'd have to agree with you on this, Jim. I purchased the proper replacement LED bulbs for our Aqua Signal running lights, with disastrous results. Basically I threw away about a hundred dollars, as they lasted less than a year. Perhaps, if we'd washed the fixtures with fresh water after each sail, as a day sailor might, or each morning on a crossing, they might have held up.
I replaced the fixtures (which actually cost less than the LED bulbs for the Aqua Signal fixtures) with sealed fixtures designed for LEDs and have not had any problems since. How nice to have one's running lights come on when the switch is flipped, no matter how long it's been since they were last used


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

Maine Sail said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I went ahead a acquired five different high output interior 12v LED bulbs for comparison.
> 
> ...



Ever since LED bulbs have come on the market, I have been seeking a comprehensive comparison of the bulbs, without too much success. I want to thank you for the time, effort and money you spent on this post, as it has really laid things out so that even a dummy like me can understand it.
Thanks again.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

Bulbs have gotten better since 2008, when I originally posted this.....

Still though there are scammers and snake oil LED's out there. I recently trouble shot a "no-light" situation, they were eBay LED's and the emitters got so hot the solder melted and they fell out into the glass globe... Doh'... Owner could have bought MarineBeam LED's and come out ahead after paying me to figure out the "issue"....

I am still a fan of the Sensibulb, what I used to have on my own boat, but Jeff Field at MarineBeam is the one to beat. These days I buy most of my LED's from MarineBeam (so does IMTRA) top quality, proper circuits and a great company... He's got a lot more than just LED's these days too....


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## VallelyJ (Nov 21, 2008)

That's an exceptionally useful post, Mainsail. Thank you. Must have been a lot of work.
John V.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

The new DR.led light upgrades are much better now. I use the flat ones with about 12 led's they are brighter then the 20 watt bulbs the replace.
I also love lumitec for the replacement fixtures.


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