# Boat LED Lighting Installation Long Beach | Nav Lights | Long Beach Marine Electric

> Boat LED lighting installation in Long Beach: navigation lights to COLREGs Rule 22, underwater lights and cabin LED retrofits that cut DC load. Call today.

URL: https://longbeachmarineelectric.com/boat-lighting-installation/

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# Boat LED Lighting Installation in Long Beach

Navigation lights that meet COLREGs, underwater and deck lighting, and cabin LED retrofits that cut your battery load, wired with the right drop and the right fixtures.

[Call (562) 374-7233](tel:+15623747233) [Get a Free Estimate](/contact/)

-   COLREGs Rule 22 visibility ranges
-   USCG-approved navigation fixtures
-   3% voltage drop on nav light circuits
-   LED retrofits cut DC load
-   Sealed, potted underwater lights
-   Free estimate within 24 hours

Last updated: October 6, 2026

[Long Beach Marine Electric](/) connects boat owners with licensed, insured marine electricians for boat LED lighting installation: navigation lights that meet the visibility rules, LED retrofits of cabin and deck lighting, underwater lights, and spreader and cockpit lights. Navigation lights are a legal and safety requirement and sit on critical circuits under ABYC E-11. Cabin LED retrofits are the cheapest way to cut the load on a house battery bank.

## What happens on the first visit

1.  Check of every navigation light on its proper switch: sidelights, stern, masthead and anchor light, and on sailboats the tricolor and steaming light.
2.  Voltage at each navigation fixture under load. Dim nav lights are usually a wiring drop, not a bad bulb.
3.  Survey of cabin, cockpit, deck and spreader lights for LED conversion, including fixture compatibility.
4.  For underwater lights: hull material, mounting location and whether the install needs a haul-out.
5.  A written plan and a fixed price.

## Navigation lights: what the rules require

COLREGs Rule 22 sets minimum visibility ranges. For boats **under 12 meters (about 39 feet)**: masthead light 2 nautical miles, sidelights 1 nm, stern light 2 nm, all-round light 2 nm. For boats **12 to 20 meters**: masthead 3 nm, sidelights 2 nm, stern and all-round 2 nm. Those ranges come from fixtures certified to meet them, which is why replacement navigation lights should be USCG-approved for the rated range and not generic LED pods.

Nav lights are critical circuits under ABYC E-11, with a 3% maximum voltage drop. A light that's dim at night from a corroded connection may not be legal, or visible.

## LED retrofits and your battery bank

Incandescent cabin fixtures typically draw about 1 to 2 amps each, while LED replacements draw a fraction of that for similar light. On a boat that anchors out, converting a dozen cabin and cockpit lights can save more battery capacity overnight than any other single change. That matters whether you have a lead-acid bank or a new [lithium system](/lithium-battery-conversion/). Quality marine LEDs with proper drivers also avoid the flicker and radio interference cheap bulbs can cause on VHF.

## Underwater and deck lighting

Underwater lights are mounted through or onto the transom below the waterline, which usually means a haul-out, and they need correctly sized, fused circuits because they can draw significant current. Deck, spreader and cockpit lighting can almost always be installed at the slip.

## Insurance, warranty and who pays

Lighting work is owner-paid. Navigation-light repairs are often quick, an hour or two at the slip. Cabin LED retrofits are priced per fixture plus labor. You get a fixed written price before work starts.

## What's included

-   Navigation light check on every switch
-   Voltage-drop test at each nav fixture
-   USCG-approved nav light replacement
-   Anchor and steaming light repair
-   Cabin and cockpit LED retrofits
-   Deck and spreader lights
-   Underwater light installation
-   Switch panel labeling

## DIY vs cheap fix vs proper lighting work

DIY

Cheap operator

Proper marine work

Nav fixtures

Generic LED bulb swap

Uncertified fixture

USCG-approved for the rated range

Wiring

Existing corroded run

Spliced

Drop ≤3%, sealed connections

Cabin LEDs

Cheapest bulbs

Flicker, VHF noise

Marine drivers, no interference

Testing

In daylight

One light at a time

Every light on its switch, voltage measured

Result

Possibly not legal

Dim at night

Visible to Rule 22 ranges

## Sources

-   [IALA COLREG: Rule 22 visibility of lights](https://www.ialacolreg.com/en/learn/rule-22)
-   [Wiring Harness News: ABYC voltage-drop limits](https://wiringharnessnews.com/electrical-standards-for-marine-wiring/)

Nav lights out?

Get them fixed before your next night run.

[(562) 374-7233](tel:+15623747233)

Mon–Sat 7am–6pm · Free estimate within 24 hours

Standards applied

-   COLREGs Rule 22 (visibility)
-   USCG-approved nav lights
-   ABYC E-11 (DC systems)
-   3% drop on critical circuits

[Estimate your cost](/tools/marine-electrical-cost-estimator/)

How it works

## How boat led lighting works

1.  01
    
    ### Tell us what's out
    
    Nav lights, cabin retrofit or new underwater lights. Same-day callback.
    
2.  02
    
    ### Check every circuit
    
    Each light tested on its switch with voltage measured at the fixture.
    
3.  03
    
    ### Fixed price
    
    Fixtures and labor priced in writing before work.
    
4.  04
    
    ### Night-ready test
    
    Every navigation light verified working on the correct switch.
    

Get boat led lighting at your slip today

Same-day callback. Written price before any work.

[Call (562) 374-7233](tel:+15623747233) [Get a Free Estimate](/contact/)

Straight answers

## Boat LED Lighting questions

### Why are my navigation lights dim?

Usually voltage drop from a corroded connection or undersized wire, not the bulb. ABYC E-11 limits drop to 3% on nav light circuits. A voltage reading at the fixture with the light on shows it.

### Can I put any LED bulb in my navigation lights?

Not reliably. The fixture's certification covers its rated visibility range with a specific light source. A generic LED bulb in an old fixture may not meet COLREGs Rule 22. USCG-approved LED fixtures are the safer fix.

### What navigation lights does a boat under 39 feet need?

Under COLREGs Rule 22, a vessel under 12 m needs lights visible at least 2 nm (masthead), 1 nm (sidelights) and 2 nm (stern and all-round). Which lights you show depends on whether you're under power, under sail or at anchor.

### Do underwater lights need a haul-out?

Most through-hull and transom-mount underwater lights do. Surface-mount units can sometimes be fitted by a diver, depending on the model.

### Who does the work, and how do I know they’re qualified?

Long Beach Marine Electric is a free service that connects you with an independent, licensed and insured marine electrician who holds the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) Marine Electrical Certification. Ask your electrician for proof of license and insurance before work starts.

## Related services

[Boat RewiringAging automotive wire replaced with tinned marine cable, new AC/DC panels and labeled circuits, built to ABYC E-11.](/boat-rewiring/) [Marine Electronics InstallationChartplotters, radar, VHF/AIS and autopilots on a clean NMEA 2000 backbone, with correct power and grounding.](/marine-electronics-installation/) [Sailboat Electrical SystemsMasthead and tricolor lights, wind instruments, mast wiring and cruising energy budgets for sailboats.](/sailboat-electrical/)

Get navigation lights that meet the rules

[Call (562) 374-7233](tel:+15623747233) [Get a Free Estimate](/contact/)