Interior LED light upgrade

[DaveK]

I have plenty of "console lights" on the rig but they are all incandescent and limited in their ability to be directed. Being incandescent, they naturally draw much more power than an LED. Recently, I was able to locate the perfect light for long trips. Hella, has introduced a marine grade LED with a 16 inch flexible arm.

The arm seems very stable and stays where it's positioned. The light is VERY bright and best of all it can be easily positioned for almost any in-cab need. It can be used by the passenger without part of the light shining in the drivers face. Stows easily, easy to mount and flat black.

IMG_0099 (Medium).JPG (73.75 KiB) Viewed 3390 times

Stowed:

IMG_0095 (Medium).JPG (81.53 KiB) Viewed 3391 times

In Use:

IMG_0098 (Medium).JPG (73.77 KiB) Viewed 3391 times

[sdnative]

Very nice. I am going to get one of those soon, but I thought the LED version wasn't out yet? How is the LED when reading maps, papers, etc? The halogen seems more of a softer fuller light, and easier on the eyes. Then again, I dont have much experience with the new generation LEDs.

Is that a ICOM 7000? or 706?

[DaveK]

Very nice. I am going to get one of those soon, but I thought the LED version wasn't out yet? How is the LED when reading maps, papers, etc? The halogen seems more of a softer fuller light, and easier on the eyes. Then again, I dont have much experience with the new generation LEDs.

Is that a ICOM 7000? or 706?

LEDs, for the most part part, produce a very white light compared to most lights, including incandescent. It does seem to take some time to adjust to the difference, but that seems to be because we have become accustomed to the incandescent lights for so long. For me, I now prefer the white lights mostly because they are so much brighter. I certainly doesn't hurt that they use a fraction of the power that the other lights use. Also, the white light seems to highlight and expose the details of maps, papers and the like, better.

Its an Icom IC7000.

[cruiserlarry]

From a strictly technical point of view, the color temperature of the white LED lights is closer to natural sunlight, and more in tune with the sensitivity of the human eye. So, depending on the quality and output of the particular LED lamp, it should help highlight details better as your eye adjusts to the color. Halogen lights tend to have more "depth" to them, so they can be better for illuminating objects at greater distances. Most LED systems (by that I mean systems affordable to the majority of us folks) don't work long distance well yet - but those lights are improving, too. For inside the cab of a vehicle, LEDs work very well, IMO...

Thanks for the review, DaveK...

[OLLIE]

Damn... another mod to consider.

[BlueFJ]

Damn... another mod to consider.

Never friggin' ends, huh?