Cabin Lights

The Alpenglow fluorescent is still a top-flight area light, and a good bet for a dome-light retrofit. Taylorbrites's new cold cathode lamp is a winner over the bunk, but new LED lights from Imtra and D.R. Smith are bright, not too cold, and easy on the power.

Area lights, top row, left to right: Perko incandescent; Guest halogen dome; Alpenglow fluorescent. Second row: West/ABI xenon 2x10 watt; West/ABI xenon 20-watt; Thin-Lite 2x7 watt fluorescent. Third row: West/ABI stainless LED dome light; Imtra/Cantalupi halogen "Chip;" Perko LED utility light; Imtra/Cantalupi LED utility light; D.R. Smith LED cluster "Montserrat."

Among all the energy demands aboard a modern boat—electronics, pressure-water systems, watermakers, autopilots, refrigeration, and so on—it's simple DC cabin lighting that's often the largest factor in overwhelming the storage batteries. Turn on three measly 20-watt incandescent lamps and leave them on from dusk until bed time—say, four hours —and you'll take 20 amp hours out of your system (3 x 20 watts = 60 watts; 60 watts / 12 volts = 5 amps; 5 amps x 4 hours = 20 amp hours.) That's comparable to running an anchor windlass, under a working load of 40 amps, continuously for half an hour. The same is true at home, of course,…