Upgrading the Cabin Lighting

Upgrading Eximius' Cabin Lighting

We have a variety of lights in the Cabin, the result of units being replaced by a smorgasbord of fittings. During our New Year's Eve Cruise, the Galley Lamp failed and has to be replaced.

I prefer that they are common fittings so that replacement is easy.

• Galley: 12" LED Strip  - 1 white, 1 red (Both New - replacing broken florescent) 
• Table Reading light: LED lamp White - Blue night lite option. (New - replacing weak LED)
• Nav Table: Red LED lamp (original)
• Port Settee: 12" LED Strip - 1 white, 1 red (Both New - replacing original)
• Stbd Settee: 12" LED Strip - 1 white, 1 red (Both New - replacing original)
• Port Side: 8' LED Strip White - Installed over a year ago.
• Deck nite lites: Low Power LED lamps (Installed about a year ago, white - to be painted with thin, Red, Nail Polish)

Later, when upgrading the V-Berth & Aft Cabins, we'll use the same types of fittings.

Here's what the new fittings look like.

The 12" LED Strips are Self Adhesive (3M VHB tape) from Amazon. they come in packs of 4 all the same color.

In each lighting set, will be 1 strip of white, 1 strip of red and 1 dual switch. I went with the simplicity of dual switches rather than On-Off-On switches.

The 'Sets' will be used at the Galley, V-Berth and Aft Berth and the Bathroom

These switches are small enough to fit on the Wooden battens in the Cabin, Aft Cabin and V-Berth.

One switch will operate the White LED Strips, the other will operate the Red LED Strips.

See the wiring diagram below.

These Reading lights do not require switches, they have a built in Touch Sensitive feature.

This does mean that they consume power when turned off, not much, but any 'always on' lamps will eventually drain an uncharged battery.

Our normal practice is to turn off all systems at the Electrical Control Panel, including the Cabin Lighting circuit, so this will not be a problem.

The 'Touch Sensor' is the thin ring near the top of the lamp (where the finger is pointing)

1st touch turns the Blue rings on, 

2nd touch turns the Reading lamp on Blue rings off

3rd touch turns Reading lamp off.

The Reading Lights will be used in the main cabin(2) and the Aft Cabin, the V-Berth is not really a reading area.

All of the new lamps will utilize the existing wiring, but the switches to lamp wiring will be new.

Amazon Links

• White LED Strips
• Red LED Strips
• Suface Mount Switches
• LED Reading lamp

Wiring Diagrams

Pics of Completed Installations

Red Light On

White Light On