JB: You may be mixing types of bulbs or I misunderstand the ones you are describing. The longer bulbs usually are AC, placed behind the wooden valance over the windows. They're known as showcase bulbs. You can get 120 v LED bulbs but you have to make sure they'll fit in the relatively narrow space available. They will be expensive, generally in the $50 and upwards range. And being AC, of course, you can only use them when hooked to shorepower because you have no genset.
The other bulb you may be describing is the DC, bayonet socket replacement for the 1156 automotive bulb used in the can style fixtures attached to the outside of the valance. I have a pair of those purchased about 5 years ago and use them generally only when we're on the hook because they draw very little on the battery. Downside is that they give off very little light, comparatively, and I'd need to turn on more fixtures to get reading light. I think each one of those things ran about $15 or $20. I don't have the current draw figures but I would guess that having 6 or 8 of them on at the same time still draws a little less than one filament bulb.
By the way, I was more impressed with the LED anchor light replacing the bulb type. Got it from an outfit called Stecktronics for about $100. It includes a very clever feature in its circuit board - the ability to display during night hours only, all the time, slow flashing, quick flashing or SOS. I have no idea whether it's visible at two miles as the regs call for but I don't care - I know it's visible for at least a few hundred yards and that is good enuf for me.
Meanwhile, LED bulbs are the hot "new" thing and another Google search should pay off. There are many vendors.
Joel Albert, Potomac MD
"Charlie B" - 1988 32' FBS
Twin 318's/FWC/16x15 nibral props
docked Deale, MD
