Interior lighting

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mike cunningham
Posts: 489
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 11:21 am
Location: Jacqueline, F30 #3, Discovery Bay, California

Interior lighting

Post by mike cunningham »

I noted a while ago here that I had made a boo boo with my handhold install and headliner replacement project. Specifically, I covered my main cabin light mounting location with a handhold base. After getting the bits installed I was so proud of myself... until I realized "where the hell is the light?" . Next thought, no big deal, I'll think of something.

I am making progress. I had been unhappy with a gooseneck reading light in the main cabin due to the rusty/ratty steel gooseneck. Long ago I had repurposed a 12 VDC desk lamp for the boat to replace one of those fake brass light fixtures which was once again becoming tarnished and ugly. Unfortunately the new light was mounted below a main cabin opening port. Some seawater leaked through the port, got on the light and rusted the gooseneck pretty badly. Looked terrible.
So what to do?

I had purchased a tabletop USB rechargeable lamp from Amazon. Link below for ref (I get no comp, these are just examples).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JF ... UTF8&psc=1

I grabbed the lamp from the house and installed it (temporarily - 18 months ago) in the main cabin hatch area. I quickly realized such a lamp is perfect for a main cabin light, it is USB rechargeable and it lasts for days. Since I have a number of USB ports on the boat it is really easy to do the charging when needed.

So I wondered if I could find something like this for the bulkhead where the reading light was mounted. I found this unit

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PZ ... UTF8&psc=1

I just installed it and WOW! it is perfect for a cabin lamp. Very bright, very attractive IMO (matches the interior birch slats), continuously dimmable, finger tap on/off, long lasting, rechargeable and can be removed from the mount easily and used as a flashlight if necessary. Mount is solid as a rock. The negatives are a magnetic mount so you need to be mindful where you install to avoid compass or sensor issues and it is not waterproof so I won't be using this outside.

But as I did the install, I realized I could consider removing some of the 12 VDC light wiring which is getting very very old on my boat. I am thinking of converting the v berth lighting and the other main cabin wall lamp so I can remove a web of old 12 VDC wiring up there.

I thought I would share this as, I imagine, many of us are experience wiring issues or old "ugly lamp" issues and may be wondering about alternatives. I would not be surprised if manufacturers change the color, add "marine" to the name and triple the price. In the meantime, you can do a fantastic upgrade on the cheap.
Mike Cunningham
Freedom 30 (Mull) Hull #3
Build date...June, 1986 . Freedom Yachts USA, sloop, shoal keel
Gun Mount and pole retrofitted (purchased from a Hoyt Freedom 32)
Yanmar 2gm20F , 1600 hrs fixed two blade prop
e-rud and ocean racing equipment

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