Low voltage track suggestions for boat installation

[Tom Richmond]

Hi there.

I am looking for a lighting track system to install on a Dutch barge I am renovating.

Must be low voltage. The electrics on the boat will run directly from deep cycle leisure batteries.

Size is paramount, ideally track itself will be no more than 15mm wide, as I'd like to hide it in a routed recess of 21mm planed timber. Fittings should also be small. Ideally they will take mr11s, rather than anything with an inbuilt lamp, so that I can change lamps if needed.

But, biggest requirement of the system, is that fittings are individually switched! I want track to be always live, and switching to take place at the fixtures.

I have been looking at the following systems, but can't see that either have switched fixtures:

DISPLAY Track - Display Lighting Ltd - https://www.display-lighting.com/12v-track-light-systems/display-track/

Oval Track 12V Black 1m | Mr Resistor Lighting - http://www.mr-resistor.co.uk/item.aspx?i=3443

Thanks in advance!

 

[Tom Richmond]

Bump!

Happy New Year everyone, would be great if anyone has any advise on the above, even just a good website/catalogue...

 

[Richard Burns]

I think you will not find any individually switched track lights, it is not the intent of the fitting, however there may be some units that can fit to a track that can be switched, however they will be larger than the usual fittings. Possibly you could get a track where the fittings just twist out and then you could "plug in" fittings as desired, but this would put stress on the connections over time.
I woudl try and think of an alternative to your current plan.
Perhaps sections of LED strip (fairly cheap to replace) with recessed switches along the lengths.
Your driver would need to be able to supply just the one strip section if needed i.e. a low load driver.
Alternatively individual switched single spotlights may be an easy solution.

 

[Tom Richmond]

Thanks for your reply.

But, but, but... I have certainly seen mains track with switched fittings! I understand that it's not designed to work that way though.

Your other ideas are good, and I have been thinking along similar lines, but sadly they don't quite answer all the requirements. The thing about boats (I have lived on board a narrowboat for three years now - this new boat is an upgrade to house a growing family) is they are small, so everything has to earn it's place.

I definitely want to have spotlights from a design and functionality point of view, I would like to put them pretty much anywhere along the edge of the room, I can't afford the space to have additional lights that don't get used...

I think if there is not a proprietry system with switched units, then I have two options (thoughts welcome):

1) Get some suitably simple fittings and install my own switches (or get some suitable switched fittings and install a track connection?)

2) Run short sections of separately switched track, (as per LED strip suggestion above) and or consider a two or three circuit version.

Thanks again!

 

[westward10]

You can get single standalone fittings with rocker switches on their bases but I doubt you will find one for MR11 lamps.

 

[Richard Burns]

I think you can get small base individual spotlights for cabinet lighting or display lighting, but you would have to install your own switches.
If you are sticking with track then I would say that the lengths of track with separate switches for each length would be the closest you will get.
Any track light fitting with a switch will likely be fairly large even if you can find one.

 

[westward10]

The only track lights I have seen with switches on are old fittings and I would think they are there for maintenence purposes to save isolating the whole track and as Richard states they tend to be large fittings.

 

[Pete999]

Hi there.

I am looking for a lighting track system to install on a Dutch barge I am renovating.

Must be low voltage. The electrics on the boat will run directly from deep cycle leisure batteries.

Size is paramount, ideally track itself will be no more than 15mm wide, as I'd like to hide it in a routed recess of 21mm planed timber. Fittings should also be small. Ideally they will take mr11s, rather than anything with an inbuilt lamp, so that I can change lamps if needed.

But, biggest requirement of the system, is that fittings are individually switched! I want track to be always live, and switching to take place at the fixtures.

I have been looking at the following systems, but can't see that either have switched fixtures:

DISPLAY Track - Display Lighting Ltd - https://www.display-lighting.com/12v-track-light-systems/display-track/

Oval Track 12V Black 1m | Mr Resistor Lighting - http://www.mr-resistor.co.uk/item.aspx?i=3443

Thanks in advance!

Do you mean Extra Low Voltage as you are looking at 12v fittings?