Efficient lighting for 24V systems

In almost all off-grid power systems - whether they be on yachts, narrowboats or caravans - lighting is one of the biggest drains of power from the batteries. It's therefore important to make sure it's as efficient and uses as little energy as possible - but without compromising light levels and making interiors dark and miserable.

Since the day that paraffin lamps went out of fashion, lighting has almost always been done with incandescent filament bulbs. Filament bulbs give a lovely warm light - but they produce far more heat than they do light. Typically, 80% or more of the energy going into the bulb is wasted. The more modern halogen bulbs operate at a higher filament temperature, which makes them more efficient - but still, most of the electricity is simply wasted.

Fluorescent lights are very considerably better at converting electricity into useful light, and we'd recommend them in almost all situations. A number of makes of fluorescent light are available in 24 volt versions, and you're bound to find one that suits the style of the space you are hoping to light. We sell the Labcraft lights, which are very good value and come in a variety of styles.

LED lights are the new kids on the block. Don't believe all the hype though - in fact, they are normally a bit less efficient than fluorescent lights, so for most applications it's not worth rushing out and changing over. They are also still expensive in sizes that give enough light to be useful for general lighting.

They do have some specialised uses though. Most LED lights have tightly focused beams, so they can make excellent 'spots' to light up a particular area. And if you need a coloured light, using appropriate LED lamps is going to be way better in energy efficiency terms than a coloured filter over a fluorescent or halogen lamp - navigation lights on a yacht are therefore a very good use for LED lamps.