Small 12-volt LED courtesy light fixtures offer many options for boat owners: You can use them as so-called "courtesy lights" to illuminate steps and other trip hazards common on boats, they can serve as night lights, and they can just look decorative.
Unlike their larger, bright 12-volt LED cousins — intended as reading lights or cabin dome lights — 12-volt LED courtesy lights for boats make no pretence about being bright enough for reading or navigation. Instead, they include very low-power LEDs that provide just enough illumination to be obvious in the dark.
Marine LED 12-volt courtesy lights come in a range of colors to suit any interior or exterior, including white, red, blue and amber. Many boaters prefer red or amber for night lights, since those colors won't affect night vision as much, but the blue and white 12-volt LED lights also are popular.
12V LED Courtesy Lights for Boats Draw Almost Nothing, Last Years
Most 12-volt LED courtesy lights draw far less than 1 watt — in fact, most draw only about one-third of a watt, or 0.03 amps. For practical purposes, most boat owners will not even notice this draw, since it would take more than 30 such LED courtesy lights to equal one non-LED reading light.
Another benefit: Marine LED 12-volt courtesy lights last for years, and many are completely waterproof and shockproof, meaning they can be installed outside without risking corrosion or other issues.
Several Manufacturers Make Small 12-Volt Marine Courtesy Lights
A variety of different marine lighting manufacturers make small 12-volt marine courtesy lights intended for use on boats as night lights, accent lighting and to warn of trip and other safety hazards.
For example, Imtra Marine Products' Plymouth A Step-Down Courtesy Light has a life expectancy of more than 50,000 hours, or more than 2,000 full 24-hour days or about 4,200 overnights. The Plymouth A includes four white, red or blue LEDs that draw less than 0.1 amps, and comes with a choice of stainless steel, white or satin nickel case. It retails for about $36.
Another option, Aqua Signal Corp.'s Nassau two-LED courtesy light, comes in three colors — white, red and amber — with a shock-resistant black housing. It also draws less than 0.1 amps, and a package of two Nassau lights retails for about $22.
Installation of 12V Courtesy Lights for Boats Will Involve Switch
None of the 12-volt LED courtesy lights on the marine market come with an integral switch, so boat owners seeking to install new lights will have to factor in a new switch, plus the associated wiring.
However, many boat owners likely are looking for marine LED courtesy lights to replace older models that draw more and don't last as long. In that case, installation should be straightforward.
Small 12-volt LED courtesy lights for boats should last years or even decades, especially in cabins but also on deck if they're waterproof. Boat owners who elect to make the switch to these newer LED lights rarely regret it, since the lights themselves are relatively inexpensive and the electricity draw is negligible.
Further reading on 12-volt marine LED lights:
Bright 12-Volt LED Lights for Boat Cabins Light Enough for Reading
LED Lights for Boats Save Power, Last Longer
Boat Navigation Lights: New LED Options Offer Power Savings
Boat Navigation Lights: Replacing Old Bulbs with LEDs
Jane Anderson - Jane M. Anderson spends as much time as possible on the water, working and sailing on boats. She grew up sailing Sunfish and Rhodes 19s on ...
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