Light Emitting Diodes or LEDs make the ideal marine lighting systems. In the marine environment, LEDs standup to vibration much better than the alternatives. These also use much less energy, stay cool to the touch, last far longer than incandescent bulbs, and are less vulnerable to water damage. LEDs are used for much more than backlighting electronic devices (although they work great for this). LEDs easily illuminate rooms, streets, and boat cabins.
LED lighting for boats is suitable for interiors, exteriors, underwater, engine rooms, cockpits, navigation lighting, and for every imaginable purpose. LED marine applications go from trailer to dock to boat.
Ensure You Use Marine Quality LEDS
Most people are aware of the LED lighting advantages. The improvement can be as high as 90% more energy efficient and last 25 to 50 times longer than incandescent lights. However, the marine environment is unforgiving.
Lamp fixtures are exposed to high humidity, salt, and constant UV rays from the sun. This makes quality marine LED lights essential. The wrong products contain corrosive metals coated with low-quality alloys. In a short time, the fixture will deteriorate and rust. Not only will the lighting become unreliable but also unsightly stains may scar your vessel. Seals will fail, and ultimately the electronics will fail.
Whether you are converting to marine LED lights or upgrading an existing system, the cost can be significant. You want the most from your investment with long-lasting products delivering the promised performance. Our highly knowledgeable and reliable staff at Imagine Marine matches your needs with the best products to shine a light on your unique ideas.
LEDs are Used Everywhere on Boats
Individual LEDs are about the size of a speck of pepper making them very versatile for use anywhere. Clusters of LEDs connected together and used with reflectors, diffusers, and lenses, provide more light, for less energy, than incandescent bulbs.
LEDs produce almost any color of light desired. Within the white light spectrum, LED light ranges from warm white to cool white to daylight. Other colors are multiple shades of reds, oranges, violets, turquoise, greens, blues, and more.
What are your unique lighting requirements? Have you considered using transom lights to attract baitfish? Other uses might be on gunwales as courtesy lights and inside rod and tackle boxes. In bait-tanks LEDs are both low profile and resist corrosion from the wet and salty enclosed space. When you need illumination in a difficult place, LED lighting for boats is the best solution.
The Difference Can Be Seen
Now you know the advantages of LED lighting for boats. Don’t forget to pay attention to the IP ratings. IP stands for Ingress Protection. This has more meaning than the term “waterproof” because the IP standard includes a scaled rating. The two standards you want to consider are IP67 and IP68.
The IP67 rating indicates no harmful quantity of moisture will penetrate the device. However, it does not account for conditions of pressure and time. IP68 is suitable for continuous immersion in water. Both protect against mists and spray.
For some applications such as navigation lighting, it’s important to meet Coast Guard requirements. Also look at the CE certification. This is important to assure no electromagnetic interference with other electronics such as your radio equipment and fish-finder screen.
LED lighting for boats is a bright idea. At Imagine Marine we pride ourselves on being reliable, approachable, and knowledgeable. We’ll treat your boat with respect, so you walk away with a beautiful product at the end of the day.